Today in History:

249 Series I Volume VII- Serial 7 - Ft. Henry-Ft. Donelson

Page 249 Chapter XVII. CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON, TENN.

played. Adjutant Colgrove acted with coolness and bravery during the entire day.

Too much credit cannot be bestowed on our men for their cool and determined courage, and especially during the trying time when exposed to the enemy's bullets without being permitted to return them, both officers and men in this our first engagement; but where almost all performed their part so well, it would require too lengthy a list to name them personally, whilst many justly deserving might be unintentionally omitted.

The Forty-fourth Indiana does its duty. We lost in this engagement 7 killed, 34 wounded, and 2 missing.*

From our position on the hill where our column rested we could see the battle-field of the morning and the enemy again form his line of battle. At about 3.30 o'clock p. m. a renewed attack upon their lines was ordered by General Wallace. My regiment advanced to the foot of the hill occupied by the enemy, formed in line of battle in face of a storm of bullets. Finding ground in our front occupied by the Eighth Missouri Regiment, I advanced my regiment 100 yards, faced to the front, and charged up the hill at double-quick, our men loudly cheering. We advanced rapidly to summit of hill, firing at the enemy. The enemy soon retreated inside their entrenchments, closely followed by our troops. A fire was opened on us by their batteries, the shell falling near our lines. Whilst deliberating upon an attack upon their fortifications we received an order from General Grant to fall back to the brow of the hill, which was done. Here we bivouacked for the night.

The following morning (Sunday) we were ordered by you to march forward to attack the enemy's works. When just ready to march the joyful intelligence was brought us that the enemy had surrendered, which was received with hearty cheers.

Our column being in motion, we were the first to march into the town of Dover.

I am, colonel, your very obedient servant,

HUGH B. REED,

Colonel, Commanding Forty-fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteers.

Colonel CHARLES CRUFT,

Commanding First Brigade, Third Division.


Numbers 42. Report of Colonel John H. McHenry, jr., Seventeenth Kentucky Infantry.

FORT HENRY, February 18, 1862.

COLONEL: On the morning of the 15th instant my regiment, numbering 510 men, preceded by the Twenty-fifth Kentucky and Thirty-first Indiana, took up our march, leaving behind our blankets, knapsacks, and a few great-coats. Hearing brisk firing on our right, we followed close upon the Thirty-first, and soon passed the right of the line of battle, when the enemy opened fire upon my right wing from behind clumps of bushes and trees, that entirely concealed them from our men. My right, with the exception of two companies on the left, were driven back from the line. I promptly rallied them on the next hill, and being joined by Captains Vaughan's and Davidson's companies, from whom

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* But see revised list, p. 169.

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Page 249 Chapter XVII. CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON, TENN.