It snowed again last night, but this morning the sky is
clear; the clouds have disappeared, and the sunlight is seen again on the
Cumberland hills. How cheeringly does it fall around the weary soldiers. It is
indeed a blessing sent from heaven, for Grant and his army. But hark! we hear
the rattle of musketry. It comes from the right wing. Soon we learn that
Lawman's [sic], McArthur's and
Oglesby's brigades are engaged. The battle is now raging furiously. Our
regiment is ordered to hasten to the left: Down the ravines, over the hills and
across the abattis, the Seventh, led by the brave Colonel Babcock, and cheered
by the gallant Rowett, go thundering on to where the wild battle storm rages.
Arriving at the scene of action, we find the Second Iowa and an Indiana
regiment in position near the enemy's works, breasting manfully a rebel battery
playing upon them from a hill inside the outer works. Rushing into the
conflict, Colonel Babcock forms the regiment under the galling fire. At this
moment the veteran General Smith, moving through the fearful storm, draws rein
to his charger in front of the Seventh, and says to Colonel Babcock, “I never
saw a regiment make such grand movements under such a fire in all my military
life as your's has just made. Colonel, I thank God for your command at this
moment. Charge that rebel battery! charge it with your steel and silence its
work of death !” The Seventh's bayonets are soon up and bristling. The battle
is now raging furiously. The general casts his eyes towards the west, and
beholding the sun fast sinking towards the horizon's bar, he turns to Colonel
Babcock and says, “I countermand the order given you to charge that battery. It
is now too late; I will leave that work for you to do to-morrow." The
direful death-dealing elements are still flying thick and fast. The Seventh is
now baring its bosom against the angry storm. Its colors are planted and flying
over the works. Simultaneously with the Second Iowa the Seventh Illinois pass
over the outer works, but they go no farther; the rebel batteries' deadly
sweeps check them. The gallant Iowa boys claim the honor of being the first to
scale Fort Donelson's walls. They claim it rightly, too, and history will award
to them the honor of being a little ahead of the Seventh Illinois. As it is
said the brave are always generous, the Seventh Illinois will demonstrate it by
giving the Iowa boys the credit of what they claim, feeling assured at the same
time that they will give the Seventh Illinois the credit of being with them
very soon after they scaled the defenses, when together we drove the rebels
back in confusion. Night now comes on, putting a stop to the carnival of blood.
It is dark now, though as we look around we can see, faintly, the bodies of the
gallant dead. It is indeed heart rending to see how many noble men have
perished, and to see how many are wounded and how many are dying. Blood from
thousands has flowed to-day, and as the sun went down it shed its light upon
the field, adding beauty and hallowed glory to the crimson life blood flowing
from the Anglo Saxon's heart, down through rippling rills and gurgling brooks
to where the beautiful Cumberland flows.
SOURCES: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh
Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 33-5
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