Chapter XIII: Part 13

The defeat and death of Zollicoffer, the breaking up of his army, and the destruction of his stronghold, at last gave a brilliant promise to these persecuted people that their deliverance was drawing nigh. This event, succeeded in a few weeks by the capture of Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, the evacuation of Bowling Green and Columbus, and the occupation of Nashville, filled every true heart with rejoicing, and the good old flag once more swept its folds freely over the houses of East Tennessee.

BOMBARDMENT OF FORT HENRY, FEB. 6, 1862.
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The appointment of Hon. Andrew Johnson as military governor of Tennessee was greeted with enthusiasm by the people. His reputation and conservative principles were a guarantee for the character of his administration, and he soon began to rally to his support the wavering and timid of the people who were still apprehensive that the Confederates would return and restore their rule.

Parson Brownlow, after having borne a long and severe confinement in prison, in which his health suffered terribly, was released, and sent beyond the military lines of the Confederates. His reception by the Federal guards was enthusiastic and joyous in the extreme. As soon as his health permitted he visited several cities in the West, where he was greeted with overwhelming demonstrations of popular admiration and respect. On his arrival at New York, May 17th, he was honored with a public reception at the Academy of Music, which was densely filled with a brilliant audience, eager to welcome him.

CAPTURE OF FORT HENRY, TENN.

FEBRUARY 6, 1862.

The brilliant victory obtained by General Thomas’ army over the Confederate forces at Mill Spring, on the 19th of January, laid open the rebel lines to the successful advance of the Federal arms, and served to stimulate the commanders of the land and naval forces to avail themselves of the opportunity thus afforded.

Previous to the battle of Mill Spring, General Grant, with a large force, had left Cairo and marched toward Columbus, for the purpose of reconnoitering the country, and to prevent rebel reinforcements moving from that point to the assistance of General Buckner, at Bowling Green, Ky., who was then threatened by the approach of General Buell’s army. Upon the return of General Grant’s division to Cairo, a combined movement of the land and naval forces was determined on for the purpose of capturing Fort Henry, on the Tennessee river, in Henry county, Tenn., just beyond the Kentucky State line.

Fort Henry and its approaches were reconnoitered on the 21st January by the United States gunboat Lexington, with a view to ascertain its strength and the position of the rebels. She went within two miles of the fort, and flung a number of shells into it without eliciting any reply. At first it was thought the rebels had evacuated the work, but on approaching it still nearer pickets were discovered at various points. The heavy guns on the work were seen distinctly; also a number of field pieces. In addition to the fort proper, numerous earthworks had been thrown up on a high bluff above the fort, on the west bank of the river. This additional work, named Fort Hieman, commanded Fort Henry.

On the 22d January, Brigadier-General C. F. Smith, commanding the second division of General Grant’s army, was at Crown Point, Ky., where he had arrived with 6,000 men after a fatiguing march of over 100 miles from Paducah. He proceeded thence on a personal reconnoissance, on the gunboat Lexington, in the direction of Fort Henry. The gunboat advanced up the west channel of the river to a point within one mile and a half from the fort. General Smith obtained an excellent view of the rebel fort, camp and garrison, and sent his report to headquarters. He then marched his division back to Paducah.

The flotilla of gunboats, which had been so long in course of preparation on the Ohio and Mississippi, was now ready to take part in the impending battles of the nation, and to assume that prominence in the momentous events which were to follow to which they have proved themselves justly entitled.

Flag-officer Andrew H. Foote was appointed by the Government to command the naval forces on the Upper Mississippi and the Western waters, and now led forth his gallant fleet to attack the enemy, in conjunction with the land forces under General Ulysses S. Grant. The fleet consisted of

_Fleet Officers._—Flag-Officer Andrew H. Foote; Fleet Captain, Commodore A. M. Pennock; Ordnance Officer, Lieutenant J. F. Sanford; Ordnance Lieutenant, Byron Wilson; Flag Lieutenant, James M. Prickett. _Essex_, 9 _guns_, Commander William D. Porter. _St. Louis_, 13 _guns_, Lieutenant-Commanding Leonard Paulding. _Cincinnati_, 13 _guns_, Commander R. N. Stembel. _Carondelet_, 13 _guns_, Commander Henry Walke. _Conestoga_, 9 _guns_, Lieutenant-Commanding —— Phelps. _Tyler_, 9 _guns_, Lieutenant-Commanding W. Gwin.

For several days, at Paducah, the utmost vigilance was exercised at the headquarters of the Provost Marshal, in issuing passes, and on Sunday and Monday, the 3d February, no persons were allowed in or out of the lines. Half a dozen gunboats steamed leisurely into port and brought their black forms to anchor opposite the levee, in the centre of the river.

Monday afternoon, steamers commenced coming up from Cairo, laden with troops and stores, and by night the whole landing in front of the town was crowded with the arrivals. The fleet which came up brought General Grant and Staff, and the first division, under command of Brigadier-General McClernand. The steamers were under command of Commodore G. W. Graham, and consisted of the following boats: City of Memphis, Iatan, D. A. January, Chancellor, Alp, “W. H. B.,” New Uncle Sam, Rob Roy, Alex. Scott, Minnehaha, Illinois, Emerald, and Fanny Bullett.

The first division, on these boats, was made up of two brigades, composed as follows, and commanded by General John A. McClernand:—_First Brigade, Colonel Oglesby, Commanding._—Seventh Illinois, Colonel Cook; Eighth Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Rhoades; Eighteenth Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Lawler; Twenty-ninth Illinois, Colonel Reardon; Thirtieth Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Dennis; Thirty-first Illinois, Colonel John A. Logan; Swartz’s and Dresser’s Batteries; Stewart’s, Dollins’, O. Harnett’s and Carmichael’s Cavalry.

_Second Brigade, W. H. L. Wallace, Commanding._—Eleventh Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Hart; Twentieth Illinois, Colonel Marsh; Forty-fifth Illinois, Colonel Smith; Forty-eighth Illinois, Colonel Harney; Taylor’s and McAllister’s Batteries—in the latter four siege guns; Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Colonel Kellogg; Seventh Illinois Cavalry, Colonel Dickey.

Soon after arriving, General Grant and staff paid a visit to General Smith, and had a conference, in which it was determined to forward the division of General McClernand that night, and after landing them at some point below Fort Henry, out of range of its guns, send the boats back after General Smith’s division at Paducah. It was nearly midnight before the boats took their departure.

The point at which the troops were landed is about four or five miles below Fort Henry, opposite a small town in Kentucky, called Buffalo. Immediately at the place is a clearing of about one hundred acres, surrounded on three sides by high bluffs densely timbered, and reaching down to the river. The troops, on landing, immediately took possession of these eminences, and planted batteries which commanded the country in every direction, and then awaited the arrival of the remaining forces, under General Smith.

Tuesday afternoon, while the troops were disembarking, the Osband Cavalry, with Carson’s and Carpenter’s scouts thoroughly examined the country in every direction, even up to within two miles of Fort Henry. Tuesday night was beautiful; a thousand camp-fires flashed through the shadows that lay upon the amphitheatre of wooded hills. The sky was warm and serenely purple, as if brooding over the first sweet blossoms of May. The silver crescent of a new moon glittered in the western sky, shedding a faint radiance over the tree-tops and sloping hill sides. All at once the music of half a dozen bands broke through the stillness of this lovely scene, and the “Star-Spangled Banner,” “Red, White and Blue,” and “Columbia the Gem of the Ocean,” filled the night with bursts of patriotic music. Then some dreamy strain followed, hushing the soldier’s heart with thoughts of “Home, Sweet Home.”

On Wednesday, parties were out reconnoitering near the enemy’s works, and in one case a squad of cavalry went within a mile of the fort and encountered two hundred rebel horsemen. Both sides fired, when the rebels ran, leaving one of their number dead, and carrying off three severely wounded. One man on the Union side was shot through the brain, and killed instantly. He was the first man who gave up his life in the vicinity of Fort Henry.

It had been noticed that a steamer belonging to the rebels was busily engaged in running from the fortifications to some point up or across the river, which was doubtless bringing in reinforcements. Two of the gunboats—the Taylor and Conestoga, ran up to nearly the centre of the island, and dropped a few shells in the direction of the fort and the steamer, with what result was not known. They effected a thorough reconnoissance on both sides, and discovered two ugly torpedoes sunk in the west channel, which they carefully hauled out and towed down to the shore below.

During the day and night the division of General Smith, from Paducah, arrived, and was landed on the west shore of the river, with a view of operating against batteries supposed to be on that side, and also to counteract a large body of troops, which scouts reported to be concentrating opposite the fort.

Wednesday night was cold and most disagreeable. About eight o’clock a heavy storm set in, which speedily quenched the camp-fires, and sent the troops wet and disconsolate under any shelter that could be found. All over the southern horizon, in the direction of Fort Henry, a tremendous thunder storm swept its way, filling the hills with flashes of fiery blue lightning, and shaking the forests with loud reverberations of thunder. Hailing this burst of heaven’s artillery, rolling southward toward the enemy, as a good omen, the Union soldiers pulled the wet blankets closer around them, turned drearily in the yielding mud, and fell asleep.

Thursday dawned cloudily, but towards nine o’clock it cleared up and the sun came out warm and gloriously. Nature nowhere seemed to anticipate the bloody event which gives the day prominence. A few more troops arrived, among whom were the Ohio Seventh, Colonel Lauman, and the Ohio Twelfth, Colonel Wood, both from Smithland, and which, together with the Seventh Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Bancock; Thirteenth Missouri, Colonel Wright; the Fifteenth Illinois, Colonel ——, and Company D, First Missouri Artillery, made the Third Brigade, Colonel John Cook commanding, assigned the right wing of the advance up the Tennessee shore.

About ten o’clock the gunboats started slowly up the river, four iron clad steamers leading abreast—the Essex, Captain Porter, on the right, and the Cincinnati, Commodore Foote, on the left. The three wooden gunboats ranged themselves abreast and followed, half a mile or so to the rear.

The iron-clad boats moved up abreast, keeping up the west or high water channel. Almost immediately on passing the lower end of the island, the boats and the forts were in each others’ range, but on both sides an ominous silence was preserved—a silence that betokened deadly intent on the part of the belligerents. On swept the boats, coming in full view of the long line of breastworks that broke the east shore—in full view of the black muzzles of the heavy guns which seemed watching the approach of the gallant little fleet in ominous silence—in full view of the flag waving defiantly from a high staff in the centre of the works, until one could almost see down the huge bore of the guns, the bright straps of the shells, which seemed like leashes to prevent the deadly missiles from springing forth upon their work of destruction—and yet not a trigger was pulled on either side.

Less than a mile separated the fleet and the fort, and yet not a word was said. The insurgents appeared to be confidently anticipating the conflict; and grouped like statues around their guns, with lanyards stretched, they waited for the onset.

When about six hundred yards from the fort, the bow-guns of the flag-ship poured their contents into it, and so close after, that the reports seemed almost one, the other three poured in their fire. Scarcely had the smoke cleared from the muzzles of the pieces, ere the whole ten guns of the rebels belched forth their contents, sending a terrific iron shower in, above and around the gunboats. Taking their cue from the others, the three wooden gunboats, which were about a mile below, opened from their bow-guns, and then the contest was fairly begun. For one hour the roar was so incessant that the successive reports of the guns could not, in many cases, be distinguished. Occasionally there would be a momentary lull—then a single reverberating roar would give the key-note, and an instant after all the voices would swell together in one tremendous chorus.

A thick cloud of smoke enveloped the boats, hiding them completely from view. Over them hovered a dense white vapor, from which quick flashes of flame leaped and quivered, incessantly followed by delicate balloon-like forms of smoke, which burst like ghostly shadows from the enemy’s shells.

From the very first, the fire of the rebel guns seemed directed at the Essex. In their first volley two thirty-two pound shots struck the Essex on the starboard bow, indenting deeply the iron sheathing, and then glanced off, down the river, while a perfect storm of the iron missiles whistled over her decks, and plowed into the water on either side. She received in all eleven shots—one of which carried death through the whole length of the vessel. It entered a larboard port, carried off the head of the master’s mate, and passing on, entered the boiler. The steam and water poured out, filling the whole space between decks, and causing more destruction than all the enemy’s missiles put together—four men were instantly suffocated, and some twenty-five severely scalded, among whom was the gallant Commander Porter. The two pilots, who were in the pilot-house above, had no escape except through a passage from below, and up this the steam rushed, as if coming from a safety-valve, and of course with fatal effect. Both these poor men perished.

Of course the Essex was thenceforth unmanageable. She slowly drifted down the main channel, and was soon after met by a steamer, which towed her down to the place occupied by the boats before starting. Soon after the Essex became disabled, the pelting of the iron storm proved too hot for endurance, and the rebel flag came rapidly down. The firing on the part of the gunboats immediately ceased, and messengers were sent off from the flag-boat, which found, upon landing, that the rebels were disposed to an unconditional surrender. In scarcely more than an hour after the first attack, the flag of Fort Henry was in the dust.

The fort was soon after taken possession of, and it was found that the sum total of rebel prisoners was between seventy and one hundred, the balance having left the night before on the steamer Dunbar.

Among those who surrendered were Brigadier-General Tilghman, Major Corrico, Colonel Carmichael, Captain Hayden, of the Engineers, and Captain Miller, with several other commissioned officers.

Ten of the rebels were found killed, and some twelve or fifteen wounded. Three hundred and six tents were found on the west side of the river, and about as many near the fort, all of which bore evidences of the haste with which the rebels had evacuated their quarters. Several hundred stands of arms were found, chiefly squirrel rifles and double-barrelled shot-guns, also a large amount of clothing, forage, provisions, wagons, mules and horses.

There was a large supply of ammunition, and when the Union forces entered the fort there was beside each gun an abundance unexpended. The tents were new and of excellent make, sufficient to shelter five or six thousand men. The enemy had flour, corn, bacon and sugar in large quantities, but no salt, and not a large supply of beef.

There were nineteen guns in position, of the following calibre: two 128-pounders, one 80-pounder, two 42-pounders, rifled, ten 32-pounders, two 24-pound howitzers, two 12-pound howitzers. Three 6-pound smooth bores, five 6-pound rifles, found outside the intrenchments.

A twenty-four-pound rifled gun exploded on the fourth round, and near the close of the fight a shell from one of the Union boats entered the eighty-pounder and burst, disabling it. Several caissons were captured in the redan upon the west side of the river, but no guns were in position.

Evidences abounded on all sides of the deadly accuracy of the Federal gunners. Every one of the eleven log buildings within the ramparts was perforated with shot, the roof of one of the small magazines was torn open, hurdle-work scattered in all direction, half the guns knocked out of place, and great gulleys cut in the parapet and the ground. A thirty-two pounder bearing upon the gunboats had been struck by a Union shell, completely shattering the muzzle. The ground beside the embrasure was stained with blood, which lay in pools on the uneven surface. Beside one of the buildings, with gray blankets thrown hastily over them, lay six dead soldiers, all fearfully mutilated. Inside, ten wounded men were stretched upon cots, or on the ground, some insensible, and others rending the air with groans, while the surgeons of the garrison were attending upon them. Just above, on the river, was the hospital ship of the rebels, the stern-wheel steamer R. M. Patten, which had been captured with the fort. The ensign of disease, the yellow flag, was flying from the staff, waving off destruction from sixty invalids.

THE REBEL CAMP.

Upon a high plateau, the heavy trees had all been cut away over a large area. They were designed for the construction of an abattis, and though nothing had been done beyond chopping down the heavy timber, the large trunks and limbs, lying in all directions, would have presented almost insurmountable obstacles to the approach of cavalry or artillery, had the rifle-pits, just beyond, been filled with men.

Crossing the rifle-pits, the Unionists were in the enemy’s camp, though still more than half a mile from the fort. Here were the wall tents of a regiment, all standing in complete order, with the camp-fires still blazing, the copper pots of soup for dinner boiling over them, and the half-made biscuits in the pans. Inside the tents everything was just as the enemy had left it—pistols, shot-guns, muskets, bowie-knives, clothing, tables partially set for dinner, letters half-written, with the ink scarcely dry upon the open page, cards thrown down in the midst of the game, overcoats, blankets, trunks, carpet sacks, and so on through all the articles of camp life. It seemed as if the men were out at guard-mounting, and expected to return in ten minutes.

Along the river bank were long rows of log barracks, enough to accommodate two or three thousand men, and finished comfortably. Inside they bore the same indications that the inmates had decamped without a moment’s warning.

ADVANCE OF NATIONAL GUNBOATS UP THE TENNESSEE RIVER.

In accordance with the instructions of Commodore Foote, given before the attack on Fort Henry, immediately after the capture of the fort, February 6, the gunboats Conestoga, Lexington and Tyler, under the command of Lieutenant Phelps, advanced up the river twenty-five miles, to the crossing of the Bowling Green and Memphis railway, breaking up a portion of the railway bridge, and rendering it impassable. They next proceeded to destroy the rebel gunboats and transports, capturing large quantities of munitions of war and supplies, and advanced up the river for upwards of two hundred miles to Eastport, in Mississippi, and Florence, at the foot of Muscle Shoals, in Alabama, annihilating the rebel flotilla in the Tennessee river. The expedition was welcomed at every point by the inhabitants. Twenty-five Tennesseans enlisted at Cerro Gordo, where also three steamers were seized, containing 250,000 feet of valuable ship timber.

Toward the latter part of February, intelligence reached Fort Henry that the rebels were fortifying a point on the Tennessee river, near the Mississippi State line, whereupon Lieutenant-Commanding William Gwin, with the gunboats Tyler and Lexington, were sent forward to reconnoitre the position.

Having learned that the rebels had occupied and were fortifying a place called Pittsburgh, nine miles above, on the right bank of the river, he determined to attack them.

At twelve M. the Taylor, followed by the Lexington, Lieutenant-Commanding Shirk, proceeded up the river. When within twelve hundred yards of Pittsburgh, they were opened upon by the rebel batteries, consisting of six or eight field pieces, some rifled. Getting within one thousand yards, the Taylor and Lexington opened a well-directed fire, and had the satisfaction of silencing the batteries.

They then proceeded abreast of the place, and, under the cover of grape and canister, landed two armed boats from each vessel, containing, besides their crews, a portion of company C, Captain Thaddeus Phillips, and company K, First-Lieutenant John C. Rider, of the Thirty-second regiment, Illinois Volunteers (sharpshooters). Second-master Jason Gondy, commanded the boats of the Taylor, and Second-master Martin Dunn, commanded the boats of the Lexington. The landing was successfully accomplished. This small force drove back the rebels, and held them in check until they had accomplished their difficult object, which was to discover the real strength and purpose of the enemy, and to destroy a house in close proximity to the batteries. In addition to their artillery, the enemy had a force of not less than two regiments of infantry, and a regiment of cavalry.

SECTION OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

SHOWING THE DISTANCES FROM NEW ORLEANS.
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THE BURNSIDE EXPEDITION.

SAILING OF THE FLEET FOR HATTERAS INLET.

JANUARY 12–20, 1862.

Immediately after the departure of the expedition to operate against Port Royal and the adjacent territory, the organization of another armament, to proceed to the North Carolina coast, was commenced, and like its predecessor, was mainly fitted out at Annapolis, Md., and gradually concentrated at Fortress Monroe. After many delays, it sailed from that place for its destination on the 12th of January, 1862. The expedition consisted of a large naval force of light-draught boats, taken from the commercial marine, fitted up and armed, and a numerous retinue of transports and supply vessels, all under the command of Commodore L. M. Goldsborough. There were thirty-one gunboats in the expedition, exclusive of transports, carrying an aggregate of ninety-four guns. Five of these, called “floating batteries,” were vessels of strong hulls, heavily braced, and cut down so as to present but a small surface when in action, and designed to be anchored during an engagement. The entire number of vessels of all classes was one hundred and twenty-five.

The land force consisted of about fourteen thousand men, under the command of Brigadier-General Ambrose E. Burnside, who was also Commander-in-chief of the expedition. It consisted of fifteen regiments, divided into three brigades, commanded in their order by Generals John G. Foster, Jesse L. Reno, and John G. Parke.

The vessels encountered adverse weather immediately after starting from Fortress Monroe, and a number of the transports were obliged to put back, having experienced one of those severe storms which have rendered the coast of Cape Hatteras a terror and a proverb to the mariner. For a time the expedition was in deadly peril. Communication between the vessels of the fleet was rendered impossible, and wreck and disaster appeared to be their inevitable fate. Several gunboats and vessels were driven ashore and lost, and a number of valuable lives sacrificed to the fury of the elements, in a vain endeavor to succor some of the disabled vessels.

Along the whole coast of North Carolina there are many desolate sand-bars or islands, varying from half a mile to two miles in width, intersected by numerous inlets, which with few exceptions, are not navigable. A principal one of these, known as Hatteras Inlet, opening into the waters of Albemarle Sound, was the point where Commodore Goldsborough’s fleet was now endeavoring to concentrate.

On Monday morning, January 13, they were off Hatteras Inlet. Day broke with a leaden sky, against which the angry, white-crested waves raced their mad career along the reefs of Cape Hatteras, that threw its headland oceanward but eight miles distant. Fourteen steamers were laboring to weather the storm point. Bravely they breasted on, staggering beneath the giant blows of each successive sea, the decks swept fore and aft, and all on board reeling from side to side like drunken men. One figure stood immovable, grasping the bits and scanning the horizon for traces of ships as they rose on the glittering mass of foam. It was the square, manly form of General Burnside, whose anxiety for the fate of his army was intense. Many of the vessels on which the troops were embarked were nothing more than huge top-hampered river steamers, with projecting guards, that would break up like cardboard if fairly struck by a sea.

At dark, all hands on the flag-ship were startled by the report of a gun, and on reaching the hurricane deck they saw a large brig drifting rapidly on to the bar. As it grew darker, and her outline became less defined, the excitement became intense. She was evidently in a most critical position, and every moment might be her last. Slowly the black hull rose and fell, each time gliding nearer and nearer to the vortex of white breakers, which, once reached, nothing could save her. Suddenly a fringe of musketry fire surrounded her bulwarks, and blue-lights were burnt in her tops. Volley after volley succeeded each other in rapid succession, yet apparently no one could help her; no human power dared face the tempest, and, perhaps, share her doom. General Burnside boarded every steamtug in the harbor; offered any reward, and also to go himself in aid of the brig, but all held back. Were three hundred men to be launched into eternity, and no effort made to save them? At last one brave seaman volunteered to take his little steamer out—General Burnside jumped aboard her—but by the earnest entreaties of the officers he delegated the honorable position to one of his staff, for his heroic conduct had nerved every brave heart in his command.

BURNSIDE’S FLEET AT HATTERAS INLET.

From the 13th of January until the 4th of February, the fleet at Hatteras Inlet experienced an almost uninterrupted series of gales, and the two dykes which reach the east and west boundaries of the inlet, were fringed with perpetual spray and foam from the breakers. The lighter vessels, comprising the propeller gunboats, the side-wheel steamers, and most of the schooner transports, had gone safely through the “Swash,” and were securely anchored some two miles from the throat of the inlet, while the larger ships and barks were still riding outside, with colors continually flying for a pilot.

Many of these vessels were crowded with men suffering for the want of necessary supplies, especially water, and the largest of the transports had a draught of from two to four feet more than the specifications of the guarantee should have allowed. The consequence was, that they grounded in attempting the passage. An occasional cessation of a few hours in the storm afforded opportunity that could be taken advantage of by vessels to try the dangerous passage, aided by the tugs, that responded but shyly to the signals for aid. And thus for days the severity of the gale defied all communication between the vessels outside of the bar, as they battled with a fiercer foe than that upon the land—fighting a very hand-to-hand fight with storm and ocean.

Nearly three weeks passed before all the vessels of the expedition were brought in safety through the swash to anchorage within the inlet. Though the severity of the storm had threatened the destruction of the entire armada, and occasioned the deepest gloom and anxiety in the minds of thousands of loyal friends at home, the brave and skillful commanders were never despondent, and met the new dangers of each day with hopeful energy and perseverance. Eight vessels of various sizes were cast away or foundered in the storm, though but few lives were lost.

Colonel J. W. Allen and Surgeon T. S. Weller, of the Ninth New Jersey, were drowned from a small boat while on a noble mission to relieve a suffering crew.

Many of the large transports were grounded in attempting to pass inside the inlet. From the necessity of lightening them, vast quantities of property were lost or thrown overboard. An expedition beset with such difficulties, all overcome by indomitable perseverance, has seldom been recorded in the history of any country.

CAPTURE OF ROANOKE ISLAND.

FEBRUARY 8, 1862.

After a detention of three weeks in sight of Hatteras Inlet, occasioned by the severity of the storm, and the difficulty of piloting the heavily-laden vessels through the inlet, the expedition received sailing orders on the 4th of February, and proceeded on the next day to the point of attack. The fleet anchored on the night of February 5, about ten miles below the southern point of Roanoke Island, from whence they again weighed anchor at eight o’clock on the morning of the 6th. A storm retarded their progress, and they remained over night without passing through Roanoke Inlet to Croatan Sound.

At ten o’clock on the morning of the 7th, the gunboats, under the lead of the Flag-officer’s ship, moved forward, and were soon inside the narrow passage leading into Croatan Sound, known as Roanoke Inlet. The mainland juts eastward, forming a point of marshy land at the southern extremity of Croatan Sound, which is the only navigable water leading past Roanoke Island. A small island forms the eastern boundary of the channel, while the western shore is a low marshy point. Following Commodore Goldsborough’s squadron were the gunboats of the coast division, all of which passed through without interruption.

The S. R. Spaulding, with General Burnside on board, next passed through, but the remainder of the transports were detained about two hours. The rebel gunboats could now be seen close in shore, evidently under the guns of batteries on shore. As the fleet passed into the sound, a signal was fired from one of the rebel gunboats, to announce its approach. This was about half-past ten o’clock. At half-past eleven the first gun was fired from the flag-ship, and was replied to by the rebels. The Flag-officer hoisted the signal: “This day our country expects that every man will do his duty.” The effect was electric. The men worked their guns with unflagging energy, determined that their country should have nothing to complain of in relation to them. As the Federal vessels came within shorter range, the fire became more rapid, but the regular fire did not commence until noon, when the flag-ship displayed the signal for close action.

The number of the rebel gunboats visible in the early part of the engagement was seven. As the vessels came into closer action, they moved to the northward, with the design of drawing the Union fleet after them, and bring them under the guns of their batteries on the island. At twelve o’clock the engagement became general, between the retreating gunboats of the rebels and the Union fleet, varied by an occasional shot from a battery on shore. The firing was exceedingly brisk for some time, but the distance was evidently too great for destructive effect. The one hundred-pound Parrott gun on board the Southfield, to which the Flag-Officer transferred his flag, boomed forth terrific explosions, followed by the roar and crash of flying shells. The puff of smoke in the air was almost simultaneous with the splash of fragments in the water. The rebel gunboats kept up a steady fire in reply. Their fire was varied at times by the louder report of a hundred-pound Parrott gun on board one of their vessels. The Sawyer gun on board the Fanny, which was captured by the enemy at Hatteras Inlet, was the most annoying in its effects, as the range was long and very accurate.

The fire from the fort indicated a weak force working the guns. The rebel gunboats retired steadily a considerable distance up the sound. A line of piles driven into the bed across the principal channel, obstructed the progress of the Union vessels in the pursuit of the retreating rebels, who occupied an inner channel under the guns of their battery. The Union fleet now turned their attention to the fort, which kept up a steady and rapid fire.

On the afternoon of the 7th, the transports, with the land forces, were all brought safely through Roanoke Inlet, and clustered securely in rear of the bombarding fleet. General Burnside gave immediate orders for landing the forces, which was done at a small cove, known as Ashby’s Harbor. In less than an hour four thousand men were landed, and by eleven at night, the entire force, excepting one regiment, were on the island, and their bivouac-fires lighted up the shore and the woods for the distance of a mile.

At nine o’clock on the morning of the 8th, a few shots were exchanged between the Federal gunboats and the battery, which ceased after fifteen minutes’ duration, and was not renewed during the day. The rebel gunboats had retreated, and all interest now centered in the movements of the land forces.

From definite information received by General Burnside, the position of all the works on the island was clearly known, and his movements were based on this knowledge. The plan of attack consisted of a central attacking column, led by Brigadier-General Foster; a left flanking column to attack the right of the enemy’s work, under Brigadier-General Reno, and a right flank column to attack the left of the enemy’s position, under the command of Brigadier-General Parke.

The approach to the enemy’s position was through a swampy wood, with a dense undergrowth, rendering it almost impenetrable. An ordinary cart-road leading through this wood from the shore to the fieldwork, a distance of about a mile, was the only mode of communication. The woods in front of the battery had been cut down a distance of three hundred yards, forming an open space to be played on by the rebel guns, about two hundred feet wide. The woods immediately in rear of the work were also cut down to permit the manœuvreing of their own forces.

Their battery consisted of an earthwork with three faces covering the open space before, and the woods at each side of the open space, but with a general direction of fire to the front. The guns were mounted in embrasure, and consisted of a twenty-four-pounder brass Dahlgren howitzer, a long eighteen-pounder brass field-gun, and a twelve-pounder brass field piece. In front of the work was a ditch eight feet wide and about three feet deep, filled with water. The earthwork was about thirty-five yards wide, and was erected across the road. The ground in front of the work was a deep marsh, on which the trees which were felled still lay. The difficult nature of this ground was increased by the pits from which the turf and earth for the fieldwork had been taken. Branches were strewn over the front of the work, making it impossible to discover it from the wood in front.

The defending force consisted of about three hundred men, within the breastwork, and about two thousand as a reserve, partly deployed as skirmishers on the left of the battery. The rebels relied chiefly for the defence of their flanks on the almost impenetrable nature of the wood on each side. Their entire force, with the exception of the force working the battery, was scattered in front and in the woods on the left as skirmishers.

The Federal army advanced from the bivouac-ground of the evening previous, where they had spent the night with nothing but thin overcoats to protect them from a cold, driving rain. They had left their knapsacks and blankets on the transports, each man carrying nothing but his haversack, with three days’ provisions, and his cartridge-box, with forty rounds of ball-cartridge. The centre, under the command of General Foster, was composed of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts, Colonel Upton; Twenty-third Massachusetts, Colonel Kurtz; Twenty-seventh Massachusetts, Colonel Lee, and the Tenth Connecticut, Colonel Russell, and moved forward about eight o’clock. They were followed by the second column, under General Reno, consisting of the Twenty-first Massachusetts, Lieutenant-Colonel Maggi; the Fifty-first New York, (Shepard Rifles,) Colonel Ferrero; Ninth New Jersey, and the Fifty-first Pennsylvania, Colonel Hartraaf. The third column, led by General Parke, was formed of the Fourth Rhode Island, Colonel Rodman; First battalion, Fifth Rhode Island, Major Wright; and Ninth New York, Colonel Hawkins.

A brilliant, well contested fight of two hours’ duration put the Federal forces in possession of Roanoke Island, with all the batteries, mounting thirty guns, and Fort Forrest, on the mainland, mounting eight guns. It resulted in the unconditional surrender of the rebel army on the island, numbering 2,500 men, with all their arms and munitions of war. Captain O. Jennings Wise, son of ex-Governor Wise of Virginia, lost his life in this engagement. The Governor himself, being absent from his command on the day of battle, escaped.

Colonel Russell, of the Tenth Connecticut, and Lieutenant-Colonel De Monteuil, of the New York Fifty-third, were killed.

The Federal loss was fifty killed and one hundred and fifty wounded. That of the rebels was about twenty killed, and sixty wounded.

EVACUATION OF BOWLING GREEN, KY.

FEBRUARY 14–16, 1862.

Before the commencement of hostilities in the State of Kentucky, the rebel General Buckner, Commander-in-Chief of the State militia, seized upon the town of Bowling Green, in Warren county, in the southern section of the State, and occupied it as the grand centre and depot of future military operations. The position was well chosen. It was situated on the line of the Louisville and Nashville railway, and connected also by rail with Memphis and Nashville; while water communication through the Barren river was open to the Green river, the Ohio, and Mississippi, and thus to all important points.

As a military post, its means of defence were also of the first importance. The town lies on the south bank of Barren river, at a point where the channel makes a bend not unlike a horse-shoe. The buildings are situated a distance of five hundred yards from the banks, which rise by jutted rocky sides fifty feet from the water level. A series of nine swelling hills, or knolls, completely encompass the town on the land side, and on these Buckner had erected a cordon of forts; some of stone, and others of earth, twenty feet in thickness—all of great magnitude. Forty-nine guns were mounted on the various fortifications, and great engineering skill had been displayed in their construction.

On learning the defeat of Zollicoffer’s troops at Mill Spring, on the 19th of January, General A. S. Johnson, on the 25th, ordered the evacuation of Bowling Green, and General Floyd’s brigade immediately marched from thence to Fort Donelson. Active measures were then taken to carry out the order further, by shipping heavy ordnance to Columbus, which place General Grant’s reconnoissance at that time had induced the Confederates to believe would be the first point of attack from the Federal army.

After the capture of Fort Henry, on the 6th of February, by which the enemy’s communication with Columbus was intercepted, the remaining troops were distributed, some to Fort Donelson, some to Nashville and other points; and a work of indiscriminate destruction of the buildings and property in the town commenced. The beautiful iron railway bridge, and the wooden turnpike bridge over the Barren river were first destroyed. The railway bridge over the Green river, some forty miles to the north-east, had long since been burned, and the forces of General Buell had been deterred from crossing that stream up to the present time.

On the 11th of February, however, General Mitchell’s division, encamped on Bacon creek, seven miles north of the Green river, were ordered to advance on Bowling Green, and on that day marched to Camp Madison, one mile north of the river; where receiving confirmatory information of the retreat of the rebel forces, they hastened forward.

Thursday morning, February 13th, the division—infantry, cavalry, and artillery, left Camp Madison for Bowling Green, forty-two miles distant, and made twenty miles the first day. The railroad appeared to be but little injured, but all the buildings were destroyed. The roads the first day were in splendid order, but much obstructed by trees, which were, however, speedily removed by two companies of mechanics and engineers, who swung their axes with energy, and were never delayed over fifteen minutes by any impediment. The ponds along the road were filled with dead horses and cattle, so long as any cattle were to be found to fill them. The troops rested at noon at Cave City, which was very nearly destroyed. On the second day they started again for Bowling Green. The next morning was cold, with about an inch and a half of snow, but they were up betimes and on their way, the Nineteenth Illinois ahead as usual, with her blue flag waving triumphantly. The road was obstructed, and filled with signs of the rapid retreat of Hindman’s forces.

Hearing repeatedly that the railroad bridge over Barren river was destroyed, and that the Confederates would not stand this side of the river, Colonel Turchin ordered the cavalry and one battery ahead. The ranks opened to the right and left, and Captain Loomis’ battery dashed by in fine style toward Bowling Green. The men hearing the cannon roar, hurried on, and reached the banks of the river opposite Bowling Green, about two o’clock, making the forty-two miles in about thirty-seven hours. After the firing commenced they seized every team along the road, and had the knapsacks drawn by horses the rest of the way, much to the relief of tired shoulders. General Turchin fired the first shell into the town, and immediately three regiments were seen scampering to the cars, and putting off in great confusion.

But though within a mile of Bowling Green, they were powerless to interfere, for there was Barren river, wide and unfordable, between them, and both bridges destroyed. The Texan Rangers soon began to fire all the public buildings. Fifty men under Captain Scott, got ready to cross in a little skiff by parties, and try to drive out the few who remained to perform this work, but the General would not allow it. They then pitched their tents and prepared to wait until a bridge could be erected. When snugly tucked in their blankets, the assembly beat to arms, and the brigade was soon in ranks. They expected to march to town, but were put on the back track some three miles.

They left the main road, and soon came to the river, where they built fires and rested as well as possible. Here the repairs of an old wherry were completed, and they crossed the river, protected by artillery. There was a slight snow falling, and it was uncomfortably cold. The Nineteenth and Twenty-fourth, Hecker’s Illinois, crossed first. The men suffered intensely from cold, but declared that they had rather be shot than frozen, and pushed on. But no enemy appeared, and the tired soldiers soon surrounded the fires, some of which had been burning for several days. All the public buildings and several warehouses, filled with pork, beef, coffee, etc., were destroyed. A pile of grain thirty feet by twenty, was burning when the Federal troops arrived. Four engines and several cars were also burnt. The cars had been carrying away provision for a week, but still immense quantities were destroyed. Boxes of guns, large numbers of bowie-knives roughly fashioned of iron, every conceivable kind of shooting apparatus, and all sorts of hardware for cooking and other uses were found in immense quantities.

Bowling Green is a town of considerable commercial importance, and possesses many large stores and warehouses. The majority of the inhabitants were loyal in their sentiments, though many influential citizens sympathized with the rebellion; but when the work of destruction commenced, no discrimination was allowed, and all were made sufferers. The unexpected arrival of General Mitchell’s army, and the terror of his artillery, drove the rebels from the town before their incendiary intentions were fully consummated, and much private property was saved which would else have been consumed by the flames.

When General Buckner was exercising military sovereignty in southern Kentucky, one of his proclamations demanded that every man in Wright county should deliver to him at his headquarters, one gun, or twenty dollars in money, under the penalty of fifty dollars’ fine, or ninety days’ imprisonment. In response to this edict, a motley collection of old squirrel and shot-guns were added to the Confederate stores, and with other treasures were packed in buildings at Bowling Green. A hasty evacuation of that stronghold having become a “military necessity,” these buildings were fired by the retreating rebels, and among the ruins which met the curious gaze of General Mitchell’s men when they entered the town, were scattered piles of the iron parts of these guns, in several places a foot thick.

CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON.

FEBRUARY 13–16, 1862.

Bravely as the army of the West had sustained the honor of the Union, the crowning glory of taking Fort Donelson remained to be accomplished. To attack a strongly-defended fort, formidable by nature and rendered almost impregnable by military art, was a work of extreme danger, nay, of impossibility to less resolute men.

ATTACK ON FORT DONELSON BY THE FEDERAL GUNBOATS.
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THE SURRENDER OF FORT DONELSON.
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The relative positions of Fort Henry and Donelson, the former on the Tennessee river and the latter on the Cumberland, should be clearly understood, in order to comprehend the difficulties of this undertaking.

Fort Henry had been occupied by Federal troops, and it became necessary to effect the reduction of Fort Donelson, in order to open the river to the navigation of the national flotilla, and to reach Nashville, the capital of Tennessee.

The surrender of Fort Henry took place on the 6th of February. One of the gunboats, the Essex, being disabled, was obliged to return to Cairo for repairs, while the Lexington, Conestoga and Tyler, returned to the Ohio, in order to reach the Cumberland river to make the ascent to Fort Donelson. Commodore Foote having completed his preparations, left Cairo on the 11th of February for the scene of action—the Carondelet having previously been sent forward to reconnoitre the position.

On the same day General Grant issued his orders for the movement of the land forces in two divisions, on the following morning. The distance from Fort Henry to Fort Donelson across the land lying between the two rivers, is fourteen miles. There are several roads running from Fort Henry to Dover, near which Fort Donelson was situated. The divisions were disposed by brigades, one of which was to be thrown into Dover to cut off the retreat of the enemy, if attempted by that route.

Fort Donelson takes its name from Andrew Jackson Donelson, a citizen of Tennessee, and its construction was commenced as early as May, 1861. It occupied the best position for defence on the Cumberland river, standing on the summit of a fine slope, rising to the height of one hundred and fifty feet from the river, on its right bank, and mounted sixteen guns. There were two water batteries, one of which was about twenty or thirty feet above the river, and defended by nine pieces, eight thirty-two-pound guns, and one ten-inch columbiad. The second was some sixty feet above, and was mounted with one ten-inch columbiad, and two thirty-two pound carronades.

Both these batteries were sunken or excavated in the hill-side. In the lower one, strong traverses were left between the guns, to secure them against an enfilading fire. The elevation above the water at the time of the gunboat attack, gave them a fine command of the river, and made the task of attacking them in front an arduous one. The range of the guns in arc, was, however, quite limited.

The third occupied the summit of the hill, and mounted four 128-pound guns. The camp was behind the fort on the hill, but within range of gunboats on the river.

THE NAVAL ATTACK.

On the night of February 11th, the St. Louis, (the flag-ship,) Louisville, and Pittsburg, sailed from Cairo. The Carondelet, as already stated, had been dispatched a day or two in advance, and at Paducah, on the noon of the 12th, the fleet was joined by the Conestoga and Tyler. Of these the three first were iron-clad vessels. From Paducah the fleet was accompanied by sixteen transports, carrying six thousand infantry, and cavalry and artillery.

The fleet followed the flag-ship of Commodore Foote, as they turned out of the Ohio, and began the ascent of the Cumberland. Passing onward from the Ohio, sweeping through Kentucky and Tennessee up to the western boundaries of Virginia, the fleet carried the national ensign, which was met with continual cheers and responses from the people on the banks.

About four o’clock in the afternoon, a messenger steamer, the Alps, met the fleet, with a dispatch from General Grant, requesting all haste to be made, as the gunboats were anxiously expected. Putting on steam, the Alps took the St. Louis and Louisville in tow, leaving the transports to hasten as rapidly as they could be urged. The former arrived within two miles of the fort at twelve o’clock, on the night of Thursday, the 13th.

On the morning of that day, the Carondelet, by order of General Grant, had bombarded the fort, and single-handed, commenced the attack on the works. On the previous day she had advanced and fired eight shots, but without drawing out any reply. The attack of the 13th was differently met by the fort, as the shells were briskly responded to, and a vigorous fire was maintained for two hours. The Carondelet kept her bows hard on the fort, carefully guarding against presenting her broadside to the enemy. She fired one hundred and twenty-eight shots in ninety-five minutes. At the end of that time, a ball from one of the 128-pound guns entered her port-bow, and struck a portion of her machinery. Six men were slightly wounded by the splinters which flew from the ship’s timbers. She retired beyond the range of the guns, to ascertain the amount of damage, and in the afternoon, after repairing, was again ordered to the charge, and fired a number of shots, but without sensible effect.

The morning of the 14th found the flotilla lying in the wake of the flag-ship. The transports had arrived, and the troops, with the artillery, were landed about two miles from the fort. The arrival of the fleet, and the thousands of determined soldiers, inspired the troops already at the scene of action with new vigor; long and tumultuous cheers came down the hills from the army under General Grant, which could be seen in the distance, watching the movements of the fleet. General Grant and his staff had gone on board the St. Louis, before daylight, and an attack by the land forces was agreed upon, to be made as soon as the signal gun should be given from the river. Accordingly, at two o’clock, P. M., all the vessels comprising the flotilla, the iron-clad boats St. Louis, Carondelet, Pittsburg, and Louisville, and the two wooden boats, Conestoga and Tyler, got under way. They were then about two miles from the fort. The line of battle was immediately formed, the flag-ship taking the extreme right, with the Louisville, Pittsburg, and Carondelet at the left, four abreast; the Conestoga and Tyler, not being iron clad, remained in the rear, about a quarter of a mile. The fleet proceeded at a speed of about three miles an hour, up the river. At twenty-five minutes to three o’clock they reached the termination of a long range of woods to the right, and came in full view of the fort.

The fortifications were distinctly visible, consisting of three tiers of frowning batteries, on the slope of a steep hill, one hundred and fifty feet in height. About half-past two o’clock, the enemy opened fire from a battery about twenty feet above water level, by discharging a 32-pounder, but the shot fell far short. This was followed by another ball of larger dimensions, which also fell short. The Union men were anxious to show the enemy a specimen of their fighting power, but the Commodore would not permit them to fire a gun for fifteen minutes, until they got within certain range of the fort. At a few minutes before three o’clock, the St. Louis opened the battle on the national side, and the other boats quickly followed. For a while all the shot fell short of the mark.