(From the Richmond Enquirer of Feb. 19.)
THE NEWS FROM FORT DONELSON.
The fortitude of our people is again to be tried, and the metal of which their courage is made once more to be tested, by the last news from Fort Donelson. We have met with heavy disaster there. The wretches who are invading our country were enabled, by the facilities of river transportation, to bring up reinforcements to their previously whipped troops, and have overwhelmed us with numbers. We are without the necessary facts and explanations to justify comment upon the tragedy of last Sunday. We have had experience enough already to show the folly of premature criticisms. We must have patience. Such reports as have reached us are chiefly from the North, and are given in the telegraphic column.
But this thing we must do: by the mangled body of every man who fell at the hand so the scoundrel murderers who have invaded the country of those who never did them any harm – by the homes which we have established by our industry – by the beautiful land which we have inherited from our fathers – by the families that we love – by all that is noble, patriotic and brave, and in the fear and fervently invoking the favor of God – we must all resolve, in our inmost souls, and vow with an irrevocable vow, that we will resist the enemy to the last extremity, and that we will die if we cannot live free men!
And this vow we must set about making good. Let cowards tremble if they will – let vile niggards count their treasures in agony. But what brave or generous citizen would wish to survive the ruin of his country? Who would desire to live when odious and vulgar despots have foot upon our necks? No, fellow citizens – let us as did our fathers, pledge our sacred honor to each other and to the world that our lives and our fortunes shall be devoted to the vindication of our liberties, and that if these are lost, nothing shall survive the wreck, for nothing would be worth saving.
Courage, then, people of the Confederate States! You have now one of those “opportunities” which, if improved, make nations famous and make brave men renowned! History awaits our action, to make up the record of glory or infamy. Any man can be brave when there is no danger. Any soldier can be enthusiastic when cheered by a round of successes. It is adversity that tries men’s souls, and distinguishes between the true man and the false – the genuine and the counterfeit! Let us stimulate each other’s courage and emulate each other’s zeal! If one man falls, let two step forward to take his place. This fight must be redeemed. We will have the victory!
What if we have reverses? ‘Tis the fate of war. A war without disasters is a winter without storms. But we will bear them like patriots and brave men, and both in our fortitude and daring we will show ourselves worthy to be free. If we do not we do not deserve to be free.
Of the extent of the disaster which we have suffered at Donelson we are very uncertain. We must believe that the Federal account is greatly exaggerated.
The wires were not working yesterday to Nashville, after the morning. The War Department received no news save a dispatch from Gen. A. S. Johnston in the morning. He was at Nashville. Gen. Floyd was there also with a portion of the Fort Donelson command. The dispatch said “he had saved a thousand.” The number of captured by the enemy cannot surely be fifteen thousand! But in the absence of information it is vain to speculate. A little patience will bring the facts.
Gen. A. S. Johnston has fallen back from Bowling Green to Nashville, where he hopes to be able to make a defence.
– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 1, 1862, p. 2
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