[CHAP. XVII.

Numbers 6. Report of Brigadier General John A. McClernand, U. S. Army, commanding First Division.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Pittsburg Landing, April 21, 1862.

I transmit herewith the report of the action of the First Division at the battle of Fort Donelson. I have no special comments to make on it, further than that the report is a little highly colored as tot he conduct of the First Division, and I failed to hear the suggestions spoken of about the propriety of attacking the enemy all around the lines on Saturday. No suggestions were made by General McClernand at the time spoken of.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

Captain N. H. McLEAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Mississippi.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION,
District of West Tennessee, February 28, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor respectfully to report the operations of my command during the investment and capture of Fort Donelson.

The First Division, of which by your assignment I had been placed in command, was composed of the First Brigade, commanded by Colonel Richard J. Oglesby, and comprising the Eighth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel F. L. Rhoads; Eighteenth, Colonel Michael K. Lawler; Twenty-ninth, Colonel James S. Rearden; Thirtieth, Lieutenant Colonel Elias S. Dennis; Thirty-first, Colonel John A. Logan; also Schwartz's and Dresser's batteries of light artillery, and the cavalry companies of Capts. Warren Stewart, Eagleton Carmichael, James J. Dollins, and M. James O'Harnett.

The Second Brigade, Colonel William H. L. Wallace, of the Eleventh Regiment Illinois Volunteers, commanding, comprising the same regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas E. G. Ransom; Twentieth, Colonel C. C. Marsh; Forty-fifth, Colonel John E. Smith; Forty-eighth, Colonel Isham N. Haynie; also the Fourth Regiment Illinois Cavalry, Colonel T. Lyle Dickey, and Taylor's and McAllister's batteries.

The Third Brigade, Colonel William R. Morrison, of the Forty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, temporarily commanding, comprising the Seventeenth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, Major Francis M. Smith, and the Forty-ninth, Lieutenant Colonel Phineas Pease.

In compliance with your order for marching upon Fort Donelson on the morning of the 12th, I directed in the afternoon of the 11th instant the transfer of the First Brigade from Fort Henry to a night bivouac on the Ridge road about 5 miles in advance. In like maunder the Second Brigade was moved upon the Telegraph road about 5 1/2 miles, and the Third Brigade a half mile in rear of the Firts. At 8 o'clock on the morning of the 12th my whole command was in motion, and before 11 o'clock, the hour of movement fixed by your order, it was within 3 miles of the enemy's outer, entrancements, Major John J. Mudd, a most gallant and enterprising officer, in command of a scouting party, encountered a detachment of the enemy's cavalry strongly supported, indicat-