volved upon him, and directing me to await further orders. Shortly afterwards, learning that a courier from General Buckner was searching for me and being unable to find him, I repaired to the general's headquarters, and there learned that a surrender of our forces was proposed, and that measures had been taken preparatory thereto, and I was directed to communicate with the enemy's pickets and to request that our forces should not be fired upon. Upon my return to my command I received the following communication from General Buckner, which had previously failed to reach me:

HEADQUARTERS, Dover, Tenn., February 16, 1862.

General B. R. JOHNSON, or

COMMANDER OF ENTRENCHMENTS,
Near Dover, Tenn.:

SIR: The command of the forces in this vicinity has devolved upon me by the order of General Floyd. I have sent a flag to General Grant, and during the correspondence and until further orders refrain from any hostile demonstrations. With a view to preventing a like movement on the enemy's part you will endeavor to send a flag to the enemy's posts in front of your position, notifying them of the fact that I have sent a communication to General Grant from the right of our position and desire to know his present headquarters.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. B. BUCKNER,

Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.

P. S.- Your command will include that of General Pillow.

S. B. B.

Having dismissed the brigades of my command to allow them to return to their camps, I was cognizant of no act connected with the surrender of the Confederate forces at Fort Donelson and know not the terms of capitulation, but was informed in answer to queries that the men and officers were allowed to retain their personal effects and that the officers would retain their side-arms. The latter, it was stated to me, was not complied with, and some officers at least were disarmed as they passed aboard the transports.

I here take occasion to do simple justice to the gentleman of my staff at Fort Donelson. Major Powhatan Ellis and William T. Blakemore, formerly of Brigadier-General Tilghman's staff, I continued on the same duty, and I appointed Lieutenant Frank J. McLean, of Colonel Gantt's cavalry, to act as aide-de-camp. Subsequently I accepted the services of Lieutenant George T. Moorman, of the artillery, as volunteer aide, all of whom proved themselves zealous and efficient officers. They were pressing the conflict at Fort Donelson they performed difficult and dangerous duties, and in carrying orders were much exposed to the fire of the enemy's sharpshooters.

They especially rendered efficient service during the actions on February 13 and 15, in carrying out my orders on the field under the enemy's fire; nor must I omit to mention in favorable terms the services or Mr. Gwinn and N. M. Blakemore, of the quartermaster's department, who volunteered their services with my staff.

The following is a copy of the list (furnished by my aide to General Buckner) of the troops surrendered as my command at Fort Donelson on February 16:

Colonel Heiman's brigade: Tenth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel R. W. MacGavock; Fifty-third Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, Colonel A. H. Abernathy; Forty-second Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, Colonel W. A. Quarles; eight companies Forty-eighth Regiment Tenn-