surrender. To have a refused his terms would, in the condition of the army at that time, have led to the massacre of my troops without any advantage resulting from the sacrifice. I therefore felt it my highest duty to these brave men, whose conduct had been so brilliant and whose sufferings had been so intense, to accept the ungenerous terms proposed by the Federal commander, who overcame us solely by overwhelming superiority of numbers. This army is accordingly prisoners of war, the officers retaining their side-arms and private property and the soldiers their clothing and blankets. I regret to state, however, that notwithstanding the earnest efforts of General Grant and many of his offices to prevent it, our camps have been a scene of almost indiscriminate pillage by the Federal troops.

In conclusion, I request, at the earliest time practicable, a court of inquiry, to examine into the causes of the surrender of this army.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. B. BUCKNER,

Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.

Colonel W. W. MACKALL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Nashville, Tenn.

RICHMOND, VA., August 11, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of that portion of the Second Division of the Central army of Kentucky which was detached from Bowling Green and Russelville, Ky., to aid in the defense of Fort Donelson and the village of Dover, on the Chamberland River, Tenn.:

By the courtesy of Brigadier General Grant, U. S. Army, I was permitted to transmit to Clarksville, Tenn., a brief report of the surrender of Fort Donelson, but, as I now learn it never reached the headquarters of General A. S. Johnston, I transmit herewith a copy.

I have been prevented from making an early report by the refusal of the Federal authorities during my imprisonment either to permit me to make a report or to receive the report of subordinate commanders. Such, indeed, was the discourtesy of the Federal War Department that, though kept in solitary confinement during my imprisonment and prevented from holding communications with any of my fellow-prisoners, a request on my part to be informed of the cause of a proceeding sensual amongst nations pretending to follow the rules of civilized warfare failed to elicit a response.

On February 11 ultimo Brigadier-Genera Floyd had resolved to concentrate his division and my own at Chamberland City, with a view of operating from some point on the railway west of that position in the direction of Fort Donelson or Fort Henry, thus maintaining his communication with Nashville by the way of Charlotte.

I reached Fort Donelson on the night of February 11, with orders from General Floyd to direct General Pillow to send back at once to Chamberland city the troops which had been designated.

Before leaving Clarksville I had, by authority of General Floyd, ordered Scott's regiment of Louisiana cavalry to operate on the north side of the Chamberland River, in the direction of Fort Donelson, with a view to prevent the establishment of any of the enemy's field battery to execute the order of which I was the bearer until he should have a personal interview with General Floyd.