Buckner's Defense: Fort Donelson National Battlefied

Buckner’s Division Position Marker is to the upper left.

BUCKNER’S DEFENSE

To stop the Confederate break-out attempt on February 15, Grant sent his reorganized troops against the Confederate left.  At the same time, to take advantage of the weakened enemy line, he sent C. F. Smith’s Division against the Confederate right.  Smith’s forces rolled over the Confederate outer defenses and pushed the Southerners back to a position along the ridge in front of you.  There the charge was halted by Buckner’s forces who had arrived just as the Union assault had begun.  Afterwards, Buckner paid tribute to the field artillery for its role in checking the Yankee advance.  The strong new defensive position on the ridge and the coming of night ended the fighting.  The Union forces grudgingly withdrew to the old confederate defense line.  In this desperate fighting several hundred men lost their lives.  Many of them still lie in this area in unmarked graves.

 

SOURCE: Interpretive Marker shown just right of center in the photo above and pictured at the right.