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

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 Freddy,

I fell asleep yesterday working on your letter so did not have it completed in time. I beg you forgive the cramped style of the following.

20 November was a day that once again saw multiple skirmishes throughout the western department. There were two in Missouri; one at Butler, the other Little Santa Fe. Skirmishing also took place in Brownsville, Kentucky. 

21 November saw Judah P. Benjamin named by President Davis as the next Secretary of War. He replaced LeRoy Pope Walker, a native Alabaman. 

The appointment of Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman as commander of the yet-unfinished Forts Henry and Donelson, (one on the Tennessee River, the other on the Ohio), allowed the general to put his engineering skills to work. We will hear more of these forts and this general in a couple of months. However, to pique your interest, I shall proceed in telling you that these two forts where built on the Tennessee and Ohio rivers directly south of the Kentucky/Tennessee boarder. At this particular point, as far north as the Confederacy could legally build forts at the time, the two rivers, which run parallel for a time, were thirteen miles apart. It is interesting to speculate as to if these forts had been built closer to the rivers mouths, were they were but three miles distant, whether they would have been of better service.

I am well pleased with your exam results. Do extend my hearty congratulations to Charles as well. With those kinds of marks, you gentlemen shall soon be engineers!

Fondly,

Grandfather