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From the Mempbia Appeal. THB BATTLE AT FOKT DONELSON—6EN. PIL LOW’S REPORT. CoLVMHiA, Tenn., Feb. 18, 1862 Capt. Clarence Derrick, Assistant Adj’t General: On the 8th inst. Gen. A. S. Johnston ordered me to Fort Donelson and take command of that the position of our batteries. The fight continued, the enemy steadily advancing slowly up the river, and the siiot and shell from fifteen heavy rifled guRS, tearing Up our parapets and plunging deep into the earth around and over our batteries for nearty two hours, and until his boats had reached within th^ distance of one hundred and fifty yards ot our batteries. Havinjr come in such close conflict, .pos^;. On the 9th inst. I arrived at that place. In df’tailin" the operations of the forces under | 1 could distinctly .see the effects of our shot upon my command at Fort Donelson, it is proper to } his iron-cased boats. We had given two or three ’ ' ’ well-directed sliots from our lujavy guns to one of his boats, when she instantly shrunk back and drifted helpless below the line. Several shot state the condition of lhat work, and of the forces constituting its garrison. AV hen 1 arrived I iound the work on the river battery unfinished and , . . wholly too weak to resist the force of heavy ar- j struck another boat, tearing her iron case ami tillery. I found a ten-inch columbiad and thirt}’- j making her timbers crack, and splintering the'm two pound rifle gun had not been mounted hei-p I a.s by a strokf of lightning, when the two fell back, gloom was hanging over the command, and the ' Then a third received several slioeks. making her troops were greatly depre.ssed and demoralized by j metal ring and timbers crack, when the whole lm»^ the circumstances attending the surrender of \ gave way and fell rapidly back from our fire until Fort Henry and the manner of retiring from that | they pas^ied out of range. 1 hus ended the tir.>'t place. My first attention was given to the ne- j severe and close conflict of’ our heavy guns and cessity of strengthening this work and mounting I the enoiiiy’s gunboats, testing their strengtli and the two heavy guns, and to the construction of tlie power »d heavy guns to resist them. J he shot from our o’i-pound guns produced but little struck and rebounded, ap’,>arently defensive works to protect the rear of the river battery. I imparted to the work all the energy which it was possible to do, laboring day and night with the whole command. The battery was without a competent number of artillerists, and those that were there were not well instruct ed in the use of their guns. To provide for this want I placed the artillery companies under ac tive course of instruction in the use of their guns. I detailed Capt. Ross with bis company of artil lerists to the command of one ot the river bat teries. These heavy guns being mounted and effect; thty doing but little dama:;e; but I am satisfied from close observation that the timbers of the frame work did not, and could not withstand th; shock from the 10 inch columliiad or o’i-pound rifled guns These gunboats nev'cr renewed the attack'. I learn from citizens living on the river below that one of the injured boats was sunk, and that others had to be towed to (’airo. 'i'his informa tion may or may not be true, but it is certain that all ot the boats were rej)ulsed and driven provision made tor working them, and a proper > back after a most vigorous aud determined atruck supply of ammunition having been procured by ; and that two of the boats were badly damaged, my orders from Nashville, I felt myself prepared i and that a tliiril was njore or less itijured. to test the effect of the fire of the heavy njetal | It is diflScult to estinnite the gallant bearini; against the enemy’s gunboats, though ihe work was in need of more heavy pieces. The armament of the batteries consisted of eight 32-pounderii, tfiree 32-pound carronades, one 10- inch columbiad, and one rifie gun of iVi-pound calibre, 'fhe selection of the site for the work and heroic comluct of the officers and men of our batteries, who so well and so persistently fought our guns until the enemy’s determined advance brought his boats and guns into such close and desperate conflict. Where all did their duty so well, it is almost impos>ible to discriujinate. The was an unfortunate one. While its command ot ; captains alrea*ly named, and their licut’s, ! whose the river was favorable, the site was commanded names for want of official re{iorts 1 cannot give, i by the heights above and below on the river, aud | all desv-rve the hij:hest commendation, hills all around the by a continuous range of work to its rear. A field-work of very contrasted dimensions had been constructed for the garrison to protect the battery, but this field-work wa.s comiiianded by he hills already referred to, and lay open to a fire of artillery from every direction except from the hills below. To guard atjainst the effects of ner immediately to move hia command round to the rear of the battery, turning its left, keeping in the hollow, and attack and carry it. Before the movement was executed, my force formin" the attacking party on the right with FotresPs regiment (cavalry,) gallantly charged the bahery, supported by a body of infantry, driving it and forcing the battery to retire, taking six pieces of artillery, four brass and twenty-four iron guns. In pursuing the eneniy I'alling back from this position, Gen. Buckner’s forces became united with mine and engaged the enemy in hot contest of nearly an hour with large forces of fresh troops that had now met us. Tfiis position of the enemy being carried by our joint forces, I called off farther pursuit after seven and a half hours ot continuous and bloody conflict. After the troops were called off orders were immediate ly given to the ilifferent commmids to form aud retire to their t>riginal positions in the entrench- men ta. The operations of the day had forced the entire command of the pnemy around to our right wing, and in front ot Gen. Huckner’s position in the en- trencKment^, and when his command reached Lis position he found the enemy rapidly advancing to take posse.s.-'ion of this portion of his work. He had a stubborn conflict lasting one a>id a hall hours to regain it, and thu enemy actually got possc'^sion of the oxtrenK* right of his position, and field it so firmly that he could not dislodge him. The j»osition thus gnned by the enemy w is a mo.«t commanding one, being immediately in tl.e rear of our river battery and field work for it> protection. From it he eould res'dily turn fhe en- trenclied work occupied by (jen. liuckner, and attack him in reverse or advance ui;dor cover ol an intervenijig rilge directly upon our battery and field work. While he held this position if was manifest we could not hold the main work or battery. Such was the condition ot the armies at niglitfall after nine hours ot conflict on thu 1;>th inst., in which our loss was severe, and leaviiiL' not less than 5000 of the enemy dead and wound ed on the field. We left upon the field nearly all his wounded, because we could not remove them. We left his dead unburied because we could not bury them. Such conflict and carnage has per haps never before occurred upon (his continent. We took about 8m0 prisoners and a large number of arni' We had fouglit to open the w;iy for our urniY and relieve us from an investment, whieh would necessarily rediice us and the jKtsition 1 y famine. We had occupied the v.hole day to ae- comjilish our object, and before we coul 1 prepare to leave, after takint; in the wounded and the dead, the enemy had throwtj arouml us again in the nirht an imnjcnse force of fresh troops, and I tire day. Also to Capt. Parker, ot my staff, ! Burgoyne, came in from Canada. To the con-[ Affair$ in Tennestee—Surrender of Nashville. whom I assigned to the command of Capt. Boss’s sternation of all, Ticonderoga reported impreg- j —Richmond, March 4.—We have some inter field battery with new recruits as gunners, and nable-—fell, if.s capture due, in groat part, to vhe , oating acconnt.s of affairs in Tennessee, and of the who fought and served them well. (3ol. Brandon shipping which accompanied Burgoyne. Our j gm.ren(jgj. Qf from an officer who reach- was severely wounded early in the action Col. i st»res and artillery fell into the hands of the. I here yesterday from the late screes of ac^iivi Baldwin’s command constituted the front (tf the enemy. Another expedition advanced frjm the | ji, State. • attacking fcrce, sustained immediately by I’ol. ('anadian border. It was composed of loyalist. Gen. Johnston was at Murfreesboro’recruitin , Wharton’s. 'I'he.se two brigades deserve espt^-ial Cunatlians, with a large force of Indians, ^ ijig ^rmy, and the militia from the adjoining com,^ commendation for the manner in which they sns Burgoyne was cay>tured with his army when he j tie# were flockipg to his standard. Gov llairis tained the first .'^hock of batth-, and under circum- ^ penetrated to the centre of New \ovk, ar.d the , to take the field in person. ^ stances of great embarrassment threw themselves I fidian Kxf)odition came to naught. | Gen. Floyd had joined Johnston. Floyd saved into position and followed up the conflict through- j We shall not at present take up the Southern : i,ig entire command, with the exception of two out the day. campaign to show Virginia ^ invaded, her^ capital | batteries; HOO of his men having reached Nash liein; mostly with these two brigades, I can Lieut- (t. s. Miirtiri, , who.se company is now at (’’oluinbus. Kv . but who wis ordered to that post by .^!aj. (Jen. l*olk. ! coinnianded one uf Jie guns, and parfic'.ilarly attracted niy attention by hi.s en- er*rv and tlie jiidiruu'ii* with which he bandied hi.s ;^un. The wa-.l itnir having given out, he pull ed off his coat and rammed it down as wadding, and thus kt pt up the fire till the enemy were fi- fire of artillery from these heights a line of defence i nally repulsed. works consisting of rifle pits and abattis for infant-! On the evening of this day we received infor- ry, detached on our right, but continuous on our niation of the arrival of additional reinforcements ! reoccupied his original fiosition in the line of I'l- left, with defences for our light artillery, were j of infantry, cavalry and light artillery, by steam- ! vestment, thus again cutting oft our rotreat^ e laid ofl by 31aj. Gilmer—Kngineer of (ien. A. S. ' boat, all of whii’h were disembarked a .short dis- j had only about 12,••(•() trixips all told. C>f the^> Johnston’s staff, buton duty with meat the post— : tance below our position. ! a large proportion we had lost in the three battles around the rear of the battery and on the heights ' liattli "/ hui>'r.— >n the 14th inst. the ^ ll^*^ command had been in the trenches night from which artillery could reach our battery and enemy were busy throwin-.r his force.s of every arm ‘"’'I for five days, e.xpose J to the snow, mud inner field work, enveloping the inner work and around us, extending' hi.', line of investment en- : water without shelter, and without covrr- the town of Dover, where our principal supplies : tipcly around our poMtion. and comj.letcly envel- I without slecf of quarter and commis.sary stores were in deposit ,,ping us. On the eveninsr of this day wo a.scer- These works, pu.>hed with the utmust possible tained that the enemv had received additional suUati.m t > ieterniine what we should do. (Jen energy, were not quite completed, nor luy troops reinfurcenients by steamboat. We were now sur- all in position, thouirh nearly so, when lirig. (Jen. Flqyd, my senior officer, reached that .station. The works were laid off with judgment aud skill .^j po^>ible aveiiue of departure were cut ufl'. with attack him next morning at daylight The by Maj. (jilmer, were well executed, and design- i ti,j, i.^rtainty that our .-ources of sur'l-ly by the ' positiou then was made by the undersij-iie' ed for the defence of the rear of the work, tiie only objection being to the length of the line, which, however, from the surroundings, was un avoidable. The length of the line, and the in adequacy of the force for its defence, was a source of embarrassment throughout the strugL'le which subsequently ensued in the defence of the position. I had placed Brig. Gen. Buckner in command of the right wing, and Bri". Gen. Johnson in command of the left. By extraordinary eflorts we had barely got the works in a defencible con dition when the inemy made an advance in force around and against the entire line of outer works. The battle of the Trem hcs.—The first assault was commenced by the enemy’s artillery against , the centre of our left wing, which was promptly In this condition the general officers held a'on- (ieterniinc what we should do. ien. We were now sur- I Huckner gave it as his decided o[iinion that be rounded by an immen>e force, ?aid by j>ri-oners j i-'ould not hold his po.-ition one halt an hour .igaiii't to amount to tif’tv-two retriments, and every road i assault of fhe enem\, and said the enemv v^ouM j)r.»- ty tliat our .-ources ot sujtply by tlie ' positiou ttien was ma'.le t.>y tlie untlersiLrned to river would soon be cut offby fhe enemy's batteries 1 ‘‘g’*''' throu-h the enemy’s line and cut our way out. (ien. Buckner ,'aid his command wa.s ]>la-e.l upon the river above us. At a council ot the general ofiiccrs, called by (ien. I’loyd, it was unanimously determined to give the enemy battle next day at daylight, .so as to eur (.pen a route of exit for uur troops to tlu int- rio: of the country, and thus save our army. W e iiad knowledge that the principal portion of the enemy's forces weie i;ia.'sed in encampment in front of our extreme left, comiuiindiug the two roads leading into the interior, one of which we must take in lenving our. position. W e knew that he had ma.-'Sed in encampment another large forae on the I nion i’crry road, opj»osite the ccm- tre of our left wing, and another in front of the left of our rix'ht win*. Hia frcah arrival ot responded to by (*pt Green’s battery of field ar- ..ncamped on the bank^of tlu tillery. After several hours ot tiring between the artilleiy of the two armies, the enemy's infantry advanced to the conflict all along the line, which was kept up and increased in volume from one end of the line to the other for several hours, when at last the enemy made a vigorous as>ault against the right of our left wing, the p.->ition assaulted being a height commanded by (’ol. ilei- man, and defended by his brigade, con>isting of the lOth Tennessee, under command of l.,it.ut. Col. McGavock, Col. Voorhies’ Tennessee, (,'ul. Hughes Alabama, and Col. Head s ’fennes^'e regiments of volunteers, and Capt fancy’s field battery. This as.sault was vigorously made, and the jiosi- tion as vigorously defended, and resulteil in the repulse of the enemy here and everywhere around the line. The re.sult of the day's work pretty well tested the strength of our defensive linJ, and established, beyond question, the gallantry of the entire command, all of wh.jm tou-iit weil at every portion of the line. The los.s su.staine'l by our forces in this engagement was not large, our men being mostly under the shelter of t'iij rifle pits; but we, nevertheless, had -juite a num ber killed and wounded, but owing to the contin ued fighting which followed, it was impo.ssible to get any official report of the casuultii, of the day. On the same day our battery on the uvei was en gaged with one of the enemy’s gunboats, which occasioned quite a lively cannonading for more than an hour, in which the gallant Captain Dixon, of the Engineer corps, was killed instantly at the attery. i his officer had been ou duty for some months at the post, and had shown great energy and professional skill; and, by hiij gallant bearing on that occasion, while directing tlie operations of the day under aiy orders, had justly earned for himself high distinction, llis death was a serious loss to the Service, and was a source ot no little embarrassment in our after operations. On the 12th we had quiet, but wo «aw the smoke of a large number of gunboats and steam boats at a short distance below. We also received reliable information of the arrival of a large num ber of fresh troops, greatly increasing the stren^rth of the enemy’s forces, already buid to be from 20,000 to 80,000 strong. The battle with the gunho(it:i.—On the lUth these reinforcements were seen advancing to their position in the line of investment; and, while thi.s was being done, six of the enemy’s iron-ca^ed gunboats were seen advancing up the river five of which were abreast and in line of battle and the sixth some distance tO the rear. WBeu the gunboats arrived within a mile and a half of the iort, they opened fire ou the batteries. 31y orders to the officers, Capts. Shuster and Stankovich, who commanded the lower battery, of ei-ht *^uns, and Capt. Boss, the upper batttery, of four guns, were to hold their tire until the enemy’s urunboats should come within point blank range. This they did, though the ordeal of holding their tire while the en«my’s shot and shell fell thick around their jwsition, was a severe restraint upon their patriotic impulses. But, nevertheless, our batte ries made no response till the gunboats got with in range of their guns. Our entire line of batte- nes then opened fire. The guns of both parties T • constantly ad van- batteries hn«T • • gunboats; while the sixth which fell thick and close all around river. two and a halt miles below us. from whicli latter encampment a stream ot fresh troops was con tinually pouring around u.s on his line of iiivest- ment, and thus strengthening fii.s general en campment on the extreme right. At each ot hia encamjiment'. and on eaeh road, he had in posi tion a battery ot field artillery, and t\venty-four pound iron gun> on siege carriages. lietween these eiii-ainpm> nts on the roada, wa?i a thick un- deri,'rowth ol brush and black jack, uiuking it im- poa^ible to advance mana-uvrc any consider able body of troops. '1 he piun of attack agreed upon and directed by (jieiieral Floyd, to be executed was, that with the main body of the forces of our left wing, i should attack the right wing of the enemy, occu pying and re.'ting upon thu heights reaciiing to the bank ot the river, accompanied by Col. I'or- rest s brigade of cavalry; that Brigadier (rcueral Buckner, with the forces under his comuiand, and defending the right of'*our line, should strike the enemy b encampment and ibrces on the \\ inn s i crry road; that tiie forcc.s under Col. llciman slitjuld hold bis position, and tliat eaeh command should leave in the trenches troops to hold them. In thi.s order of battle it was easy to be seen that if my attacK was successful, and the enemy routed, tliat his retreat would be along hi.s line of invest.’iient toward the Winn’s Fe. ry road, and thence toward his reserve at the gunboats below, lu other words my success would roil the ene my’s force in retreat over upon (Jen. Bucki.er, when by his attack in flank and rear, we could cut up the enemy and put him completely to rout. Accordingly dispositions were made to attack the enemy. At five o’clock A. .M., of the 15th, I moved out ot my position to engage him. lu less than one half hour our Ibrces were engaged. He was prepared to meet me in advance of his en campment, and he did meet me before 1 bad as sumed line of battle and while 1 was moving a- gainst him without any formation for the en gagement. For the first half fjour of the en gagement 1 Was much embarrttssed in getting the commatid in po.sition properly to meet the foe. Having extricated myself from the position and fairly engaged him, we fought him for nearly two hours before I made any decided advance U])on him. He contested this tk;ld most stubbornly. 'J he lo.ss of both armies at this portion of the field was heavy. 'I'he enemy’s particularly, as 1 dis covered by riding over the field alter the battle with Gen. Floyd. 'J’he enemy having been forced to yield this portion of the field, retired slowly toward the W'inn's Ferry road, Buckner’s point of attack. He did not retreat but fell back fight ing us, contesting .every inch of ground. The fight was hotly and stubbornly contested on both sides, and it consumed the day till 12 o’clock to drive him back as far as the centre where (ien. Bue’ik.ner’s command was to flank him. While my command was advancing and slowly driving him, 1 was anxiously expect- ing to hear Gen. Buckner^s command open tire in his rear, which not taking place 1 feared some misapprehension of orders, and came from the field of battle within the works to learn what was the matter I there found the command of Gen. Buckner massed behind the ridge within the work taking shelter from ihe enemy’s artillery on the Winn’s road, it having been forced to retire before the battery, as I learned from him. My force was still slowly advancing, driving the ene my towards the battery. I directed Gen. Buck- so worn out and cut to pieces and demoralize l. that he could not make another fiirht; that it Wuu’i cOst the ••ommund three quarters of its jire.-ent number.s, to cut its way through, and it wa' wroiiu to sncritico three qu.irter* of a cumnr.ind to savi' one-quarter; that no officer had a right to cauM such a sacrifice (Jen. Floyd and .''laj. (Jilmer I understood to concur in this opinion. I then e.\pres>ed the opinion that we could hold out another day, and in that time we cimld get Steamboats and set the command over the river, and probably save a large portion of it. '1 o this (Jen. liuckner replied tliat the enemy would cer- fjiinly attack him at daylight, and that he could not hold hi. position half an hour. 'I he alterna tive of the j’ropositioii was a surremh’r of their position and command. (Jen. h loyd said that he Would neither surreiiilcr the couimand, nor would he surrender himself a prisoner. 1 had taken the 'ame position. (Jen. Buckner said he was satis fied nothin'.: else could be done, and that, thero- fore, be woulil surrender, if placed in comuiand. (Ien. Kh-yd said that he would turn over the com mand to him if lie could be allowed to withdraw hi* command; to this (Jen. Buckner consented. Thereupon (jeti. 1 loyd turned the command over to me, I passing it instantly to Gen. Buckner, saying I would neither surrender the couiiuand nor mysell a jirisoiier. I directed ('ol. Forrest to cut his way out. I'nder these circumstances (Jen Buckner accepted the command, and sent a flag of truce to the enemy for an armistice of six hours to negotiafte for terms of capitulation. Before this flag and communication was delivered I retired Irom the garrison. Before closing my report of the operations ot the army at Donel.son, 1 must, in justice to the ofliccrs and force.s under my immediate command, say that harder fighting or more gallant conduct ir. officers and men I have never witnessed. In the absence of oflicial reports of brigade and regi mental commanders, (of which I am dcpriveil by the cii'cumstanccs dctaileil in this report,; 1 may not be able to do justice to the different corps. I will say however that the forces under my imme diate command bore themselves most gallantly throughout the long and bloody conflict. I speak with special commendation of the bri- j;ades commanded by Col’s Baldwin, Wharton, .McCausland, Simonton and Drake, and Captains .Maney and Greene, who fought their guns under the constant and annoying tire of the enemy’s sharp-shooters, and the concentrated fire from hi.s field batteries from which both commands suffered severely. Capt. Maney himself was wound ed and had several lieutenants and many of his company killed and wounded; so did Capts. Porter and (iravea. If I should hereafter receive the report^! of regimental and brigad« commanders giving mo detailed information of the conduct and bearing of officers and men 1 will make a supplemental report. The absence of official re ports deprives me of the mean.s of giving lists of the killed and wounded ol the different commands. I am satisfied that in such a series of conflicts our lo.s3 was heavy. 1 know what the enemy’s was, from passing over tho battle field with Gen. Flcyd in theeveninj^ immediately alter the battle. His loss in killed and wounded was terrible, ex ceeding anything I have ever seen on a battle field. Our force in the field did not exceed ten thousand men, while from what I saw of the enemy’s force, and from information derived from prisoners, we are sure he had from thirty to forty thousand ou the field. 1 must acknowledge my obligations to Major Gilmer, engineer, for the especial and val uable services rentiered me in laying off the works, and the energy displayed by him in directing their construction, and for his counsel and advice. I likewise acknowledge my obligationg to Col. John C. Burch, my aid-de-camp, to Capt. Gus. A. Henry, Major Field; Lieut. Nicholson, Lieut. Chas. J?. Martin, and Col. Brandon, my volunteer aids-de-camp, to Major Hays, my assistant com missary, Major Jones, my assistant quartermaster, for the prompt manner in which they executed my orders under trying circumstances throughout the long and continued conflicts, and to Major Gilmer, who accompanied me throughout the en- speak Irom personal knowledge of their gallant bearing. 1 inust also acknowledge my obligation.'^ to Brig. General Johnson, who assisted in»! n command of the forces with which I attacked the enemy, and wIhj bore hiluyelf gallantly through out the conflict, but having received no official reports from him I cannot give detailed operations of his command. 1 have ]»leasure in being able to say that Col. Forrest—whose command greatly distingui.shcd its'commander as a bold and gal lant leader, and reflected distinguished honor upon itself—pa.ssed safely through the enemy’s line of investment, and trust it will yet win other honors in d.'Ience of our rights and the just cause of our couiitly. (ill). J. IMLL(JW, Brig. (ren. (’. S A. I A I'AUALLKL. The Kichmond NV'^hi;; has a summary of the j reverses that betel tho American arms in the first I revoluti'.)!!, and a parallel between tne po.'-ition ol the c^ilonies anl that of the Southern i^tates, ad- iiiirubly tilted to the tinics. and furnishing f(»od lor much salutary reflection. W e transfer it to our columns:— In the gloom which follows our recent reverses, we turn to tlie great examj>le ot our ancestors in | a struL'’trh* very similar to that in which we are | engaged, in Us oriirin as well as its incidents. j The war ot the Revolution was one in which ! the disparity of fhe contending powers was far j grcat -r than at present The Briti-h had every | advantage that numbers, experience in warfir.', j and unlimited resources could give them. i he colonists were in awe of thesuperior skill and force of tlieir (tnemies. 'I'hey were alnn)st without ar- | tillery; their small arms were of fhe most iiidifl'er- | flit description, and insufficient for their tmops. i Their armies were bailly clad and badly provided I with stores. TIm'v were enlisted for very short ; teriiis, :ind therefore badly disciplined and drilh-.* fhe people oi' evi r}' colony Wi>re more or Ic." divid’.d ill oj .nioii as to the rightful;. ' o* the Contes', and soine, .i' Ntw York, tuinishcd as ; mail} troup- to mif side as the ot.'ier. 'I'he coursv; of the contest wa- sufficient to have di-couraired any t ut the nii st residute natures. The Briti-h had taken monfhs for fhe nn>st | elaborate preparations to .-iibdue the Culonies. ; fliey w re supreme by .si a (Jriiera! Washing- ' t'lii had concentrated his forces at New York i lit' had 27,men, 'I hc enemy had 24,(.MMI, ( He un lertoi k to det- nd Long Island, np.in which hetri cted del'i nces and stationed troojis. 'i’he ‘ British laii'h'l fro ips. turned his left Hank, rout-; ed his ;irmv. and captured 2,(>00 fiien 'fhe re- j mainder weri' fortunate enou'jh to escaj’C to the j main l.ind ; The Am> rican army was then in great part | , withdr.iwn from the city, but such was the terror i : inspired by tb;- superior niilifar}’ skill attributed i t I the British, that the force statiotied for the le- i j fence of :i water l attery fled from the bombard- ! ment 'f the eti' iny. and two brigades seirt fo their I aid. Were ' > inlocted with panic that they retreat- ^ ed without lirin- a trun or sweing the enemy, and I in spite ot the remonstrances of (Jeneral Washing- I ton and their own otHcers. I New York was then abandoned with the loss ! of all our artillery, inueh ol iiur army stores, pro- i visions, tents, \c. i The American army behavetl better at White ! Plains. But it was pursued by other disasters, i I'ort Washington—rather aL'ainst the advice of (J-eneral Wa'liinirton—was defended. The gar- ! rison made a gallant defriice. killing several liuii- , drctl llessiaii'; but the British advaiicid in three columns, and drove the garrison within the fort, where it surri ndercd. 'I’he British captured two thou'an I five hundred men, with military tores, and a strong position. Thi» was considered the greatest calnmitv o!' the war. I'lUt Lee fell next —til! troops Were withdrawn, but all the arma ment and :-npplies. including three hundred tents, fell into rhe hands of the enemy. The efl'( ct of these blows, fallinir with such weiirht and rai'idi^y, was intense. The historian says the trooj>s quitted the army *‘hy regiments, half regiments and companies." (Jen. Washing ton crossed into the ,)ersoy>’. into which he was followed by a vi.'torious enemy He then headed an an-.;}' of only three thousand nu n. besides some detachments under Lee and others. New flersey yielded without resistance, and no one who looked on the “ragged’’ liandful of “.\inericans,” as they retreated before the supe rior force of the disciplined and appointed armv which jtursued them, could doubt that “the con test approached its termination.” It is unnecc.ssjiry to follow the narrative of re verses, which ought to be read by every one, and re published for the inspection of the people. Washin;_'ton, undismayed, turned in his cele brated night march across the Delaware, captured 1 men, with arms and stores, and returned in safety. But nothing else occurred for monfhs to break the current of British successes. ^’heir army embarked in the next campaign, and for wee ks Washin gton was ignorant of theif destina tion. Tt> avoid the forts which he had erected on the Delaware, they had ascended fhe Chesa peake to march overland upon Fhiladelphia. Washington, who had again recruitel his tempo rary army, resisted their advance to Brandywine. Here, leaving a lorce to threaten the fords in the front, the enemy made a (fetottr and turned our right flank. 'I’he Americans, after a short re sistance, withdrew. Washington mad& yet an other stand to save Philadelphia, but a violent rain so completely drenched his men that their whole stock of ammunition was rendered unfit for use, and the army was compelled to fall back. It iu stated that at this time there^ere scarcely two guns of the same calibre in the army. One regiment reviewed ninety mu.'^kets and seven bayonets. v>ur night attack on Germantown was a failure, and the enemy held ]‘hiladelphia without further molestation. Their next object was to open the Delaware. Washington wished to preserve his forts. He strengthened and threw men into them. The enemy were repulsed in a land at tack on one of them. 'I’hen they brought their ships to bear, and “shelled” the forts until they were no longer tenable and were abandoned. Washington seemed never afterwards to have re sisted the British on the water, or near the water —if we except the capture of Cornwallis. The British were supreme on that element. In his own words: “to protect the coast from an enemy en tirely in possessioti of the sea is impracticable.” But Washington never disbanded his array, and his victories were chiefly in the interior, where the enemy was compelled to pursue him on *their theory of subjugation. We look with apprehension upon the numerous expeditions of our enemy. How was it with the invasion of our ancestors? A large British army held New iorkand the Jerseys. Another lay unmolested at Philadelphia. An expedition, under incapable of resistance. We only remind our readers that in the course of the war. New York aud Philadelphia fell into the hands of the enemy, that Norfolk was burned, and Charleston and Sa vannah captured. If it were within our limits to describe the condition of the army and country at that period, our readers would be astonished at the picture. The Unit(;d States Treasury was without mooey or credit. The troops without arms, ammunition or clothe.s. The people without accumulated wealth or current su[>plios of the most necessary character. The country was divided in opinion. The lemptations of safety and comfort were held out to the timid and mercenary. Threats of death and confiscation published against tho.'^e who persistcil. Yet the approval of IVovidfiice, the ro&olute and unyielding resistance of the people, and a mode ol warfare appropriate to the emergency, bore our ancestors triumphantly out of this most une(jual and terrible strife. When we review the present resources of oar ceuntry. the many advantages whi«h we possess, the infinitely greater difl’erence between submit ting to the fiereditary rule of a distant government and the domination of present abolitionists, igno rant and vicious aliens, and the accumulated abomination which Northern wickedness will pour upon us—when we know that subjugation impiie.s the confiscation of our property with the deliber ate extirpation of every thing ot which a Virginian is yiroud and the substitution of all he has been tau_dit Ik» apprehend and abhor—we see that, whilst our cause is far more hopeful than that of inir ancestors, we ha\ e a thousand fold more mo- fivos fo resist our infamous invader to an extrem ity of which the present condition of affairs hap pily affords no intimation. 7'he Xasfn'il/e and her Cargo.—The Nashville [which artived at Beaufort N. C. on Friday last] brings no arm.s but a very valubale a.ssorted carpo; aiii'itig otii'jr articles, large supplies, which will be apj>reciated, of bank note paper and postage stamps The Nashville coaled at Bermuda, and made the entire trip acro.^i.s the Atlantic without en countering any Federal vessel of war. In the vicinity of her harbor, on the North Carolina coast, a Yankee war steamer with a very formi dable armament, was espied, when the Nashville steered ilirectly towards her, displaying the stars , .ind stripes at her mast head. On getting between th« blockading steamer and the harbour. Captain Pegram. the commander ot the Nashville, dis played the Confederate flag at fore, main and peak, performing this defiant movement almost within musket range of the Yankee. The block ading steamer immediately gave pursuit and is supposed to have tired some 20 or 30 shots with out eflect at the steamer, which, under a full head ot steam, was soon within range of the pro tecting guns of For>^ Macon. (,’aptain Pegram arrived here Saturday, and it is supposed that the entire cargo of the Nashville will be put at once at the disposal of the govern ment. greatly to its relief and to the detriment of domestic speculators.—Rich’d Whig. 'I'he Petersburg Kxpress says;— “(’apt. P. speaks in high terms of the cordial recepti«n extended him in England. lie says that with the exception ol the Exeter Hall Abo lition faction, the Britons, men, women and chil dren. are enthusiastic in their praises of the Southern (?onfederacy. Messrs. Mason and Sli dell met with a very cordial reception, and Mrs Slidell and her daughters were called on by the first ladies and gentlemen of the British realm. “Despite the rather unfavorable * intelligence which has recently reached here through North ern journals, the Knglish people express no doub that at an early day Belgium, France tind England will rocoguize the independence of the Southern Confederacy, and declare the blockade of our ports inefficient aud illegal.” The Dispatch says; “The Nashville brought over several million dollars worth of Post-Office stamps, bank-note paper, dies, etc. 'I'he report that fifteen thousand stand of arms were on board is undoubtedly un true. The Nashville was admitted into the Eng lish ports on an equality with the ships of any nation, and her officers were treated with great consideration on shore. Arms and munitions of war must have been smuggled on board in viola tion of the Enirlish law. To have received them would have been a breach of courtesy on the part of Capt. Pegram. Tlie Sumter, ('’apt. Pegram says, was at Gibral tar, and had been very active in h«r operations among the Federal shipping. At last accounts fhe had captured and destroyed 21 Y’ankee ves sels.” The other Stde oJ the Picture.—The following private letter, written by a former attache of the New York post office, presents another side of the Yankee victory gained at Fort Donelson from that which is generally contemplated at the North:— Fort Donelson, Tenn., P'eb. 17, 1862. My- dear Father;—Sad, lonely, and down-heart ed, I attempt to write a few lines, to let you know I am alive and unhurt. We have had a most bloody fight; there must have been five thousand to seven thousand men killed and wounded, on both sides. But th^ eilemy surrendered on Sat urday evening, we taking about thirteen thousand prisoners. But, dear father, the hardest part of the story is, that out of eighty five men in my company, only seven came out—the most whole sale slaughter that was ever heard of. My company was the color company, at which the rebels took particular aim; as fast as one man who carried it would be shot, another would take his place, but the flag was brought through. Only IIG remain in the 11th regiment uninjured. Do not wonder, dear father, that I am down hearted. My boys all loved me, and need I say that, in looking at the poor remnant of my com pany—the men that I have taken so much pains to drill, the men that I thought so much of—now nearly all in their graves—I feel melancholy. But I do not complain; God spared my life, and for what the future must tell. 1 will write you goon again. The Eleventh Regiment will, I think, (what is remaining,) be left to guard the prison ers at Cairo or Alton, whilst they recruit.— Whether 1 shall atfempt to raise another pany, I do not know at present. Good bye. the folks at home know I am safe. Yours, affectionately, L. D. W-ADDELL, Captain, Company U, Eleventh Regiment 111 Vohinteeri, (What is left of it.) Wm Coventry H. Waddell, Esq., New York. Re-Enlitted.—The Buntombe Riflemen, a fine company formerly belonging to the first, or Beth el liegim«Qt, has b«eQ r«-or^iied for the war. com- Let ujciA.111^ ineir wav by a parallel march along the banks of the rivtr Gen. Pillow came up the river with Floyd IJg is said not to have saved any of his aonimand. We have the most painful and humiliating ac- counts of the behavior of the people of Na.sirville on the receipt there of the news of the fall of Fort Donelson. It is said to have been that of the most abject cowardice. Vast amounts of military stores had 'oeen collected in the city, it is said to the amount of some three or four millions of dol lars; and the store-houses of provisions were thrown open to the poor and all others who chose to scramble for prizes. Great quantities of pro visions were thus carried off to the country, and it is supposed that most of the military stores were saved. It is estimated that the number of our meii taken prisoners at Fort Donelson were fully twelve thousand, and may possibly be nearer fifteen thou sand than the former number. Our army in falling back from Bowling (iroeu had abandoned some military stores of little ac count, but are .said to have been compelled to abandon some'half million pounds of bacon at ClarksvilU for want of transportatien.— Arrest of Luifin Men in Richmond.—( )u Sat urday night Capt. Goodwin, by order of the gov ernment, proceeded with a party of select men to the farm nf John Minor Eotfs, and took hioi aud all of his papers and private corre.«pofidence in custody. Capt. Goodwin brought him prisoner tu this city, and lodged him in McDaniel's negro jail Captain Goodwin then went to the farms of Valentine Heckler and Franklin Stearns, and took both of these well-known Union vnen, and all of their papers and letters, and brpught them to this city. We are under the impression that, as yet, the j government is in possession of no positive infor- I mation that would convict Botts of treason. But he is known to be the recognized leader of all the disaffected, all the low Germans of the Red Re publican, Carl Schurz school Against Stearns’ and Heckler’s loyalty the gov ernment has been for a month in the possession of the most conclusive evidence; and it feels con fident of its ability to prove that both of thoee uien huve been loud in their denunciations of what they have pleased to term the '‘rebellion, ’ and have, over and again, expressed their willing ness to sacrifice their entire property to restore the dominion in the South of the United States Governmsnt. The man Wardwell, another party arrested, has, since the beginning of the war, been known to every citizen as a blatant and defiant Union man Miller, who has also been lodged in jail, is the chief, or high priest of the secret Black or Red German Republican Societies of Richmond, some of whose members, it can be proved, have, since the reverse of our army at Fort Donelson, boasted that they had thousands of arms and abundance of ammunition concealed in this city, and that the men were enrolled who would u.se them on the first approach of the Yankee army. An Irishman, named John M. Higgins, has also been arrested and put in the same prison. Higgins is a connexion of Colonel Corcoran, of the Yankee army. Two of Higgins’ aunts married two of Corcoran’s uncles. A letter from Corcoran to Higgins, advising the latter to send his wife and family North, and containing assurances that he (Corcoran) would have them safely conveyed under flag ot truce, has recently been intercepteil by cur government. Whether our government has any evidence of Higgins’ intention to follow Corcoran’s counsel has not transpired. We have reason to believe that many other ar rests will be effected within the next 24 hours. Now that the government appclirs really in earnest in the suppression of treason, it becomes every citizen who knows a man or set of men inimical to our country and cause to point them out.—Richmond Kxaminer, ‘6d inst. Prisoners Detained.—We^ learn from the Richmond Enquirer that Col Corcoran and one hun dred other Yankee prisoners of war, who reached ed that city on Friday afternoon from Petersburgj have been detained. They were to have left for Newport News Sunday morning under flag of truce, but certain facts having reached General Winder, he has postponed indefinitel}- the depart ure of these Y'ankee prisoners, and prohibited all communication between citisiens and the prison ers during the stay of the latter in Richmond. Upon reaching Richmond from Petersburg, the prisoners were searched, and in their posses sion was found maps of Richmond, Virginia, and of Manas&as, together with several letters of a treasonable character, obtained, it is thought, say* the Enquirer, from parties in Petersburg, la thus receiving and secreting this treasonable cor respondence, the officers upon whom it was found have flagrantly violated their paroles. Petersburg Express. Foreign A^eics.—Centreville, March 1.-^ Northern newspapers of February 28th have been received here. Portland, Me., Feb. 27.—The Hibernia h« arrived with Liverpool dates to February 14th The news is five days later than that by former arrivals. In the House of Lords of England the Ameii- can question engages much attention, and is the subject of debate. The arrest of British subjects by the Lincoln Government has been discussed in the House ot Lords—Earl Russell freely admits the right of the United States authorities to arrest British subjects who are rightfully suspected of treason. Paris letters state that Mr. Slidell had been re ceived by M Thouvenel in a private capacity, and that his diplomatic character was ignored. A dissolution of the German Confederation wa« probable. There was a great popular demonstra tion at Genoa, and in other towns, on the 9th of February, in favor of Victor Emanuel, and in fa vor of making Rome the capital of Italy. There have been unparalelled inundations throughout Austria, and 80,000 persons are to be provided for. Liverpool Cotton Market.—Feb. 14.—The sales of cotton for the week reach 54,000 bales, including 17,000 bales to speculators, and 10,000 to exporters. Prices closed firmer, but without change in quotations. Fair New Orleans, 14id. and middling 12id. The stock is 525,000 biil?s, including 194,500 American. New York, Feb. 27.—Middling uplands cot ton quoted at 23 cents. Volunteen.—The Asheville News says that a Battalion of volunteers has recently been organ ized in that scction, and David Coleman elected Lieut. Colonel ot the same. The battalion has been ordered to Knoxville, Tcnn. We hope a large force will be organised in the counties west. of the Blue Ridge,
Fayetteville Observer [Semi-Weekly, 1851-1865] (Fayetteville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 6, 1862, edition 1
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