Monday, October 21, 2019

Letter from G. W. B., February 8, 1862


FORT HENRY, Tenn., Saturday Night,
February 8, 1862

For all the purposes of navigation a “booming river” is most admirable, but when viewed in connection with the operations of an army on land, the consequent general overflow of all bottoms, and swollen condition of all tributaries, hardly present so favorable an aspect.  Just now the high water would seem to be our most formidable foe.  Although it will probably permit the federal flag to be exhibited to the people along the Tennessee, even into Alabama, it is likely that it in turn will prevent the same flag from waving over the ramparts of fort Donaldson for at least several days longer than would be the case where the stream at a somewhat lower stage.

It was intended to move promptly against the above named fortification to-day, but so formidable have been the demonstrations of the rapidly rising stream, that let alone moving, it has been with no little difficulty that our army has been kept fairly afloat.  The moat around the fort has assumed the dimensions of an inland sea.  The fortification itself is as veritable an island as one need look upon, while the ground of the camps beyond, and in fact all of the “narrow neck” of land between this point and fort Donaldson is nothing more nor less than an extended quagmire.  The numerous little streams running into the Cumberland and Tennessee are all in a swollen condition and with miles of backwater which with the roads (bad enough at best) present such formidable obstacles to the movements of our heavy artillery necessary for the reduction of the place, as to render a movement almost impossible.  But let not the country be impatient.  The floods have reached their maximum, and in the meantime our engineers are hourly gaining their information in regard to the place.  The blow will soon fall.  The little delay will not make it any less sure, nor none the less heavy.

FEDERAL GUNBOATS IN ALABAMA.

Much interest is felt here among us to learn the particulars of the gunboat expedition up the river.  The boats should be back by to-morrow.  Capt. Phelps, of the Conestoga, received orders to go ahead as far as he could, and he is not the man to return without having fulfilled his orders to the letter.  It is probably that the fleet will be able to proceed as far up the river as Florence, Alabama, thus exhibiting the Federal flag through the “Enemy’s country” for over a hundred and fifty miles, and into the very heart of the rebeldom.  in many respects this is the great expedition of the war, and will doubtless have a moral effect upon the people of Central Tennessee unequal to another victory.  The boats left immediately after the reduction of the fort, and their presence will probably be the first intimation to thousands of people along the river that he had reduced one of their strongholds and were now penetrating the very heart of their vaunted confederacy.  The consternation as well as the surprise and joy (for be it known there is not a feeble union sentiment lying latent in Tennessee) of the people along the river upon the sight of the strange steamers, bearing aloft the national colors, can well be imagined.

WHAT FORT HERNY WAS KEY TO.

To those who have not taken the pains to look at their maps, the reduction of the fort, with its seventeen heavy guns, may appear only as a gallant affair, which will be productive of an excellent effect upon the Union cause at home and abroad, but otherwise of no very great importance.  But let one glance at our position, and trace the course of the Tennessee—for the next two months navigable for the largest steamers, through the entire breadth of the State—and the importance of the road we have now opened will at once become apparent.  We have now a safe and expeditious highway into the very heart of the Confederacy.  Six or eight miles only from the river at Florence is the Memphis and Charleston railroad—the grand trunk road for the South—which, as the great avenue over which is transported the principal supplies of the rebel armies in Tennessee and Virginia, may well be regarded as one of the main arteries of the rebel system.  It will also be noticed that the river before it bends to the eastward, flows through a corner of Mississippi, where an army once dropped down, would be within an easy week’s march of Memphis.  Would it be the most surprising thing in the world if His Reverend Highness the Bishop General Polk, should awake some fine morning to find a federal army snugly ensconced here, and the two hundred and odd cannon and famous submarine battery, of about as much value to him as so much old iron?  I need not also call attention to the critical condition of Nashville and Bowling Green, when the fortifications of the Cumberland and shall also have been swept away, as they assuredly will be, ere many days have passed.  Indeed it seems very much as if the rebels, in their fright had been so busily engaged in barricading their main approaches, that they had quite forgotten the smaller  avenue through which it was possible for an enemy to find an entrance.  Does it not seem that if the “day and the hour” had at last come for the grand forward movement to be inaugurated?  Shall we not now see McClellan releasing his superabundant legions now stagnating on the Potomac, and pouring them through this new avenue, and striking this rebellion in its very core.

THE RETREAT OF THE REBELS.

We are continually discovering further indications of the great haste in which the rebels outside of the fort decamped.  The road leading to Fort Donaldson is completely strewn with guns, blankets, knapsacks, cartridge boxes, and everything of which they could well dispossess themselves.  It is supposed that every one of the field pieces with which they started out have fallen into our possession.  The piece found by Col. Logan yesterday makes twelve, making two complete field batteries.  They are all spiked but can soon be rendered fit for service.  Among a thousand other things discovered about the woods in the vicinity by the soldiers are the complete plans of Fort Donaldson as drawn by the engineers which is, of course, a most invaluable discovery.  It is not known, however, as to how great an extent the plans have been carried out.  Great difficulty is experienced in getting reliable information in regard to the fort.  The negroes who remain give some most laughable instances of the haste in which the rebel force took to their heels.  It was nothing more nor less than a regular Bull Run stampede.  Nothing in the shape of a quadruped was left behind.  Even Gen. Tilghman’s horse was stolen by some frightened brother officer.  It is not probable that we should have found in the fort even the Small number we did, had not the General, after discovering the universal Stampede on the part of the force outside, and of also nearly all the garrison within, promptly stationed a guard at the draw bridge, with orders to shoot down any others who attempted to implicate their inglorious example.  A company of cavalry was stationed at the railroad bridge, twenty miles above here, and upon the approach of the gunboats on Thursday evening, the Captain, with characteristic Southern braggadocio, draw up his men in line on the river bank with the evident intention of blowing them out of the water.  The little rebel gunboat Dunbar was just above the bridge, but as soon as our gunboat approached, as may be imagined, beat a speedy retreat.  Intent upon the capture of this prize, the cavalry company was entirely overlooked, and as I have above stated, were bravely paraded up behind the trees of the river bank, with, to all appearances, exceedingly hostile intent.  Their Double-barrels had been duly loaded with the inevitable buckshot, and then came the ready—present—when, with the infernal shriek which penetrated to the very marrow of their bones, went whizzing by after the Dunbar one of the Conestoga’s shells.  The concluding order of fire was never given, but with one universal shout of horror, Captain and men scattered for the woods, leaving behind them, in many instance, even their hats.  My informant, the keeper of the draw-bridge, who was a witness of the scene, still retains as a trophy the valiant Captain’s sombrero.  He tells me that three of the Company where drowned in the back water of the river in their hasty flight.

THE RAILROAD BRIDGE.

Gen. Grant and staff, with several representatives of the press, and a body guard of sharpshooters, visited the bridge this afternoon.  The distance from the fort to the bridge is 23 miles.  This structure is one of the very finest of the kind in the country, being over 1,200 feet in length, and with about 300 more feet of tressle work, on the westerly side.  There are seven piers besides those of the draw, making nine in all.  The Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad has proved a most important auxiliary to the rebels, traversing a country rich in agricultural productions, and affording a speedy transit for troops and supplies to Columbus and Bowling Green.  The interruption of travel on this road, will be of itself be a sad blow to the confederacy.  The last rain passed over the road on Thursday, just before the bombardment.  There have been a few companies of rebels permanently stationed here for several months past.  When, in common with the rest of the rebel soldiery of this section, they, on Thursday, fled before our approach, they left their transportation, commissary stores, and everything besides their own precious selves, behind them.  The wagons deserted are perfectly new, and equal to the best we have.  In accordance with the positive instructions of Gen. Halleck, the bridge was not destroyed, but only partially disabled, by cutting away a few of the supports of the tressle work, which can be readily repaired.  It is probable that the next train watch crosses the bridge will be under Federal auspices.

UNION SENTIMENTS—“MASSA LINCOLN.”

That there is a latent Union sentiment still lingering in the hearts of the people of this section of Tennessee there can be no doubt.  Our troops have been cordially received in many instances, while the great majority of the population here would readily submit to any rule which would give them peace.  I have heard not a few express their gratification at the reduction of Fort Henry, saying—“Now, that flag is down, I reckon we shall again have peace.”  Many of them say they voted for the union twice, but the last time seeing it was all of no avail, either yielded to the popular clamor and voted for secession, or kept away from the polls all together.  The leaders of public opinion, the press and the politicians have so long vilified the North, and subsequently the Union army, and no industriously misrepresented the objects of the present war, that the most absurd beliefs are entertained by the common people in regard to us.  May of them believing that rapine and plunder would surely ensue upon our approach, have left their homes and every thing in them, and fled to the woods for safety.  The most monstrous stories are firmly believed by many of them.  For instance, one lady yesterday said to an Illinois Colonel, who visited her that she had but one objection to our troops—they were so cruel.  Upon seeking an explanation of this, she said we burned the bodies of all dead rebels who fell into our hands, and that she had it upon excellent authority that Zollicoffer’s remains were treated in this way.  But few negroes are found in the country, most of them having been run off upon our approach.  Those who have remained manifest a great interest in regard to everything connected with the army and the North.  The first person met by the officer of the boat landing at the fort after the flag had been struck, was one of these contrabands.  With mingled joy and consternation imprinted upon his countenance, and with uplifted army he exclaimed “Afore God, sir, is Massa Lincoln coming in that boat?”

MORE TROOPS.

The Memphis, with the Forty-third Illinois and the Birge’s Sharpshooters have just arrived.

SOUTHERN HONOR.

We had a striking exemplification of the much vaunted Southern honor here yesterday.  A rebel captain, who was among the prisoners who surrendered, upon leaving the Uncle Sam where he had been entertained by General Grant and staff, to the best of their power, very coolly pocketed the revolvers of Capt. Lagow, Gen. Grant’s aid.  The operation was witnessed by several, and upon being requested to hand over the weapons as they could not appropriately be termed his side arms, he blustered and grew very red in the face, but it was all of no avail.  There were too many witnesses, and he had to surrender.  In justice, however, to the South, it should be added that the officer was a quartermaster!  Another officer, high in the command, ordered 28 suppers for some of the privates, which he was given the privilege of doing if he would duly pay the steward of the boat for the same.  The suppers were cooked and eaten, when the generous officer coolly told the steward he had no money but Tennessee currency, and that he supposed it was of no service to him; and turning on his heel, left him to whistle for his pay.

DEAD BODIES FOUND IN THE FORT.

No less than nineteen dead bodies were exhumed in the fort to-day, which had been hurriedly buried in one heap after the fight, and before we reached the fort.  The apparent slight loss of the rebels has been a matter of great surprise, but this recent discovery puts rather a new light on the matter, and it would not be if still more were found.  It will be remembered that only four dead men were found in the fort when we took possession.  This will make at least twenty three who fell beneath the unerring shots of our sailors.

G. W. B.

SOURCE: “From Fort Henry,” The Daily Missouri Democrat, St. Louis, Missouri, Thursday, February 13, 1862, p. 2

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