Dear Fred,

Lest you think that it was only the Confederate forces that had inter-service squabbles; let me put your mind to rest. As the Yankee's pressed further into Tennessee--where they had no constitutional right to be--headed for Nashville, a squall was brewing between Grant and Buell. It was claimed that Grant's men were encroaching on Buell's territory. 

Federal General Smith (you remember the old soldier with the mustaches, do you not?) occupied Clarksville (Tenn.) under orders from U.S. Grant.

Meanwhile, the new Confederate Congress was busy counting electoral votes. They also ordered the release of 2,000 Federal prisoners.

A single skirmish was documented at West Plains, Missouri.

Grandfather

Dear Fredrick,

The 18th of February, 1862 saw the opening of the First Congress of the Confederate States of America. All previous congressional sessions had been of the provisional congress.

Skirmishing was tri-fronted in Missouri and Arkansas.

One skirmish was at Independence, Missouri:

I cannot find any reports on this action.

Another skirmish was at Mount Vernon, Missouri:

For you perusal; the single report on this skirmish...

A third skirmish took place at Bentonville, Arkansas, in the northwestern corner of the state:

Concerning the Bentonville action, here follow a selection of Federal reports.

Until tomorrow...I remain your affectionate,
Grandfather

Dear Freddy,

The news of Fort Donelson's fall--surrendered or captured, depending on the viewpoint--was received in various was in different parts of continent. 

In the North, Grant was praised and even honored with a new nickname, which played off his initials "U.S." He was now widely acclaimed as "Unconditional Surrender" Grant due to his 'terms' of surrender sent to General Buckner:

Following is General Simon Buckner's response:

In the South, the fall of Fort Donelson was known to open the door even wider for the Federals to continue their interloping into Southern land.

General Joe Johnston, in Nashville on the 16th, was endeavoring to disperse the military stores within the city to the Confederate soldiery. As Nashville was itself to be left to the enemy, protocol would have had it for the remaining stores to be destroyed. However, the General made a deal, partly to pacify the civilians being left in the path of the Yankee's that they could have the left overs. When Floyd arrived on Monday (the 17th), Johnson left him in charge of the supply salvaging and headed out of the city. 

Floyd continued the task until Wednesday (the 19th), when Nathan Bedford Forrest arrived. The General quickly passed the job onto the Colonel and marched out the next morning; leaving behind him order for Forrest to stay one more day and continue saving as many of the stores as possible.

Forrest, being a man of backbone, stayed not one day--but four. His actions were of real consequence, for he sent rifling machinery and other ordinance equipment down to Atlanta. As you know, such supplies were quite rare in the South, so this was indeed a wise move on his part. 

He was much more efficient in getting the supplies removed than than been Floyd. So much so that the people began to fear that they were going to miss out on the spoils and thereby started trying to impede his progress! Appealing to their patriotism did little to help the Colonel, so he resorted to spraying the congregated populace with ice cold water siphoned out of the Cumberland River. 

But that is getting rather ahead of ourselves, is it not? I felt it would make more sense in a unit. Forrest would not leave until the Yankee pickets started showing themselves toward the end of the week.

Til tomorrow,

Grandfather

Dearest Fred, 

The 15th saw the forces under Pillow assaulting McClernand's line. When it was pushed back onto Bucker's line, they succeeded in forcing a gap into the Yankee lines, leaving a wide open road for them to march out and on to Nashville--which was the original plan. General Floyd, partly due, I suppose to a lack of knowledge and partly due to the petty wranglings of his subordinates, ordered us back into our previous positions; essentially, the day's fighting was a waste of effort.

That night, it was determined that Fort Donelson, along with the army, those brave lads in gray! should be surrendered to Grant. General's Floyd and Pillow took there own selves off, as neither would surrender themselves, and left General Buckner, who had been friends with Grant prior to the war, to the distasteful duty of surrendering. I am sure it was distasteful, despite the fact that he felt it necessary--as you may see by reading the enclosed reports.

Colonel N.B. Forrest was allowed during the night to make off with his cavalry intact via a backwater. Forrest and his men kindly helped out a number of infantry men who decided to throw their lot in with him, rather than sit and swallow the bitter pill of surrender.  Others would simply walk through the Yankee lines the next day in a rather nonchalant fashion. (You may inform Charles that I was among the latter.)

That is a brief outline of the events. It was a disastrous, not to mention rather ignominious, situation. The surrender of Fort Donelson left Tennessee wide open to the Yankee invaders.

You will find included parts of General Gideon Pillow's report.

Here is another "inside view" of the Confederate council:

There are, you may be assured more (and Federal) reports, but it would take more time than I have (or you probably have at the current time) to copy them over for you.

The fall of Fort Donelson was a somber time for the Confederacy...

Grandfather

Dear Freddy,

The second day of movement against Fort Donelson (February 14, 1862), saw primarily action from the river and little on the land-front.

Commodore Andrew Foote, the antagonist at Fort Henry, you will recall, steamed up the Cumberland River with six vessels. The four ironclads and two wooden gunboats began bombarding the fort. Very little damage was done to Donelson, but the guns of the fort beat back the Yankee boats. Foote himself was wounded, his flagship and one other ironclad disabled, to the degree that they were unable to be steered. The other two were damaged as well. 

Two cold armies sat and looked at each other--waiting. 

In the Confederate headquarters, a council of war took place. It was decided that the very next day, the Confederates would evince a breakout--lead by Pillow--and head for Nashville. This break would be attempted at the southern end of the Federal line--their right, across from McClernand.

They began to set the stage for the dawn breakout...

Monday's letter shall contain the outcome. Do pay diligent heed to the preaching of the Word tomorrow, Fred.

Affectionately,

Grandfather

My dear Fredrick,

Thank Charles for his sense of the honour it was for me to serve. Yes, I was there; in the 3rd Brigade, under Col. John Drake, a subordinate of General Pillow. The 26th Alabama's commanding officer was Major John Garvin. Just an interesting fact that Charles might find interesting (yourself as well, my dear boy): the 26th Alabama was known as O'Neal's Infantry. I believe I mentioned previously that 26th would be opposite Yankee General Lew Wallace's command...but I misspoke. The 26th was directly opposed by Col. William H.L. Wallace--a subordinate of General McClernand. General Wallace did not arrive until the 14th.  

Now that that is cleared up, shall I begin with the events of the 13th? Refer to your map.

You will see that the Union positions, left flank to right flank, ran something in a northward, southward line; the left flanking being northward and under the command of General C.F. Smith. He launched the first attack upon Fort Donelson. McClernand, on the right flank also attacked. Neither attack broke through the lads in gray. They stood fast and fought as men should.

General Floyd, who it must be admitted was a politician and not a soldier, arrived at the Fort and took command from General Pillow. I have occasionally wondered if the outcome would have been different if any other General had taken command...

However, "what if" is not a habit I allow myself to indulge in, as you well know, Fredrick. You remember that as well. "What if" does not serve the purpose of going forward with life with the firm assurance of the sovereignty of God. Always remember that, my son, and you will be blessed with peace, even in sorrows.

The Yankee's had one more thing to say on the subject of attack that day. The ironclad steamer Carondelet steamed up and bombarded Fort Donelson. The Confederate cannon on the bluff remained silent. The captain of that ship remarked on the subject that they reminded him "of the dismal-looking sepulchers cut into the rocky cliffs near Jerusalem, but far more repulsive."*

While the primary subject of this letter has been Fort Donelson, I should like to briefly draw your attention to several other happenings of the day. 

As I believe I have mentioned, the Confederates were evacuating Bowling Green, Kentucky. A fire there destroyed many buildings. 

The Yankee's reoccupied Springfield, Missouri and in the East the Federals headed up Albemarle Canal in North Carolina.

Also of interest, particularly as the Yankee's try to claim moral superiority over the South due to the slavery issue, is that Unionist Western Virginia adopted a provision that: "No slave shall be brought or free person of color come into this State for permanent residence after this Constitution goes into operation."

Interesting, is it not? A state with Northern views barring a man of color from living within it's borders. However, I will let facts speak for themselves and tint your thoughts no further upon that subject at the time being.

The weather at Fort Donelson pitched below freezing again the night of the 13th. Such cold! It is hard to sleep when you are freezing...

More tomorrow,

Grandfather

*Quote taken from The Civil War (Foote, 202)

Dear Fred,

As tomorrow would bring the attack, I shall be quite brief with today's description. 

Refer to the map contained in yesterday's  letter. It will show both lines of combatants. The Confederate's held the high ground, or the bluffs, along the north side of Fort Donelson, as well as forming a outward facing semi-circle around the eastern and southern areas as far as Dover. The Yankees, as you may see, traced an opposing line directly opposite of them. 

I'll leave you now to mull over the feelings of hope, dread, anticipation, fear...and freezing cold that the soldiers on both sides must have been feeling.

Grandfather 

Dear Freddy,

The build up in and around Fort Donelson continued steadily on 11 February, 1862. 

Grant's troops advanced from Fort Henry. In the lead was General John McClernand's men. I go ahead and mention this here, for these men would be deployed into battle in but two days. 

In the meantime, Commodore Foote's gunboats were steaming along the Cumberland. I stumbled upon a picture of Andrew Foote. I thought Charles and yourself might like to see the man who had successfully lead the navel attack on Fort Henry and who would soon be in charge of the attack on another Confederate river fort.

While the Yankee's were on the move, so were the Confederates. General Simon B. Buckner arrived at Fort Donelson. Bowling Green, Kentucky was abandoned by the Confederates.

The weather was freezing. 

It may be more "appropriate" to send you this map in tomorrow's post, but a day early will not hurt. Study it. The 26th Alabama would be on the left flank, in the earthworks around the southern area here...roughly across from Yankee General Wallace's command. 

The build up continues tomorrow...

Love your Grandfather

Dear Fred,

In the western theater, the build up at Fort Donelson was continuing. I daresay some of the men were holding their breath, waiting for the guns to begin echoing through the cold February air. However, literary fancy aside, it was true that Grant's position was getting a little stronger as each day passed. Three more wooden gunships steamed up from Alabama in preparation for the fray.

Back east, what remained of the the Confederate shipping in the Hattaras area was smashed by the Yankee's superior navel prowess. General Burnsides set his feet more firmly into Southern soil around Elizabeth City and turned his be-whiskered face south toward New Berne.

All in all, it was not what I would call a momentous day, but still, the wheels of war continued to turn...and the Yankee's to invade.

More tomorrow,

Grandfather

Dear Fredrick,

My deepest apologies for neglecting to write to you on Saturday. I have small excuse.

However, to correct my error (as well as to set the stage for this day's happenings), I will briefly cover both 7 and 8 February 1862 for you.

In the West: On the 7th, Union General Grant established his force at Fort Henry and went on a personal reconnaissance mission to Fort Donelson, some twelve miles distant.

Other Yankee movements were made in preparation  to an impending assault on the fort.

Also of interest in the western theater was that martial law was declared in Kansas on the 8th.

In the East: Federal General Burnsides landed troops on Roaknoke Island, North Carolina the evening of the 7th. Included is the map of positions the following day:

The 8th saw Burnsides 7,500 men plowing across the island through roughly 2,000 Confederates. The Confederates surrendered once they had been backed all the way to the northern end of the island. 

The losses for the Confederates therefore were 23 killed, 62 wounded; some 2,000 men (give or take) captured. 30 cannon seized.

The Federal's losses were reported at 37 killed, 214 wounded, and 13 missing.

This engagement, in a way, opened up a backdoor toward Richmond and was keenly felt in the Confederate capital.

That brings us up to February 9th.

Confederate General Gideon Pillow took command at Fort Donelson. General Grant's impending attack was delayed for various reasons. One being an attack on Fort Donelson without the aid of the gunboats (then in route up the Tennessee River to where it joined with the Cumberland, which they would navigate to confront the fort) would have been particularly risky.

The only military action in the east was a continuing "clean up" by the Federal's on Roanoke Island. 


Until tomorrow, I remain, 
Your Affectionate Granfather