his rifle pits to cover our men. Our artillery was brought up and placed in position Saturday evening, and a portion of our forces bivouacked in the rebel entrancements Saturday night, with their supports within convenient distance, prepared to make an assault on their next line at an early hour Sunday morning, everything having been arranged for a combined attack along their whole defenses, when, shortly after daylight, General Buckner, who was left in command (Generals Pillow and Floyd with a part of their forces having made their escape during the night), sent a letter, under cover of a flag of truce, proposing terms of capitulation, which resulted in the immediate surrender of the works and forces under his command.

The map accompanying this report* will show the character and strength of the enemy's works, the details of their construction, and the good judgment displayed in selecting this point for a defensive position. The water batteries, of which there are two, were well constructed, the principal one having nine guns-one 10-inch columbiad and eight 32-pounders. The exterior crest is essentially a straight line, nearly at right angles to the river, and the interior crest a sort of cremaillere line, made necessary on account of one end of the battery being much more elevated than the other, the guns occupying different elevations, with a traverse between each gun to protect them from enfilade fire. The other battery was a small semicircular one in plan, mounting a 6 1/2 10-inch columbiad and two 32-pounder carrondas. The guns were all in embrasures arranged with sand bags. These batteries had an elevation of some 32 feet above the water in the river at the time of the attack, which gave them a fine command, and was no doubt the chief reason why they resisted so successfully the gunboat attack.

Sketch A will give an idea of the country between Forts Henry and Donelson and the general direction of the roads connecting the two places.*

I cannot close this report without speaking particularly of Lieutenants Jenney and Kossak, my assistant engineers, who rendered good service in reconnoitering, superintending the repairs of roads, making sketches, &c.

Respectfully submitted.

JAS. B. McPHERSON,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Aide-de-Camp, and Chief Engineer.

Major General U. S. GRANT,

Commanding U. S. Forces Department Western Tennessee.

Numbers 3. Report of Colonel J. D. Webster, U. S. Army, Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT WEST TENNESSEE,
Fort Donelson, February 22, 1862.

GENERAL: The preparations made by the enemy for the defense of this position were very extensive. A complete and accurate survey of the works and vicinity would require more means and time than can now be commanded. The sketch* herewith submitted, carefully made by Lieutenants Jenney and Kossak, volunteer engineers, gives a correct

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*To appear in Atlas.

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