WASHINGTON, February 17.
Gen. McClellan has received a dispatch fully confirming the capture of Fort Donelson.
ST. LOUIS, February 17.
Dispatches from Gen. Grant to Gen. Halleck announce the surrender of Fort Donelson with 15,000 prisoners, including Johnston [sic], Pillow and Buckner.
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 17.
Further official advices from Fort Donelson say Gen. Floyd escaped during the night with 5,000 men, and the rebels in the fort denounced him as a black hearted traitor and coward.
The enemy are known to have had thirty thousand troops, fifteen thousand of whom are our prisoners. Five thousand escaped, and the balance are reported killed, wounded or otherwise disabled.
Our loss is not stated, but the slaughter in our ranks is mentioned as terribly severe.
Previous to the surrender our forces en route had most all arrived.
Gen. Halleck intended to leave to-day, but orders for preparations were countermanded on receipt of Fort Donelson dispatches.
The steamer John Warner left to-day with Gen. Hamilton, the 25th Mo. Regiment and 3d Mich. Battery, for the Tennessee river.
The greatest activity prevails at the Arsenal here, backing cartridges and loading shell for shipment down the river.
It is reported on high military authority that Gen. Curtis captured most of Price’s men after leaving Springfield, including his Chief Adjutant.
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 17.
Fort Donelson surrendered at 9 o’clock yesterday morning to the land force. The gun boats were present at the time.
An immense amount of war material is among the trophies of the victory.
Floyd skulked away the night before the surrender.
The gun boat Carondolet, Capt. Walker, arrived at Cairo with the news.
A large number of our wounded have been brought to the Paducah and Cairo Hospitals.
This city is wild with excitement and joy. The news was received at the Union Merchants exchange, creating the most intense enthusiasm. The Star Spangled Banner, the flag of our Union, and Red White and Blue were sung by all present, after which they adjourned and marched to the army headquarters, 120 to 150 strong, where three rousing cheers were given for Halleck and Foote. Halleck appeared at the window and thanked the people for their hearty demonstrations and said: “I promised, when I came here, that with your aid I would drive the enemies of our flag from your State. This has been done and they are virtually out of Kentucky and soon will be out of Tennessee.”
More cheers were given for the Union, the Star Spangled Banner was repeated, and the crowd dispersed.
Judge Holt wept for joy when he heard the news. Many stores are closed, and the city is being decorated with flags, and evidences of great joy are everywhere manifest.
Gov. Yates, Sec. Hatch and Auditor Dubois, of Ills., left for Ft. Donelson this forenoon, to look after the wounded Illinois troops.
A requisition has been made for all the steamboats in this vicinity, to be held in readiness for the transportation of troops and Government stores.
ST. LOUIS, February 17.
The casualties on the gun-boats at Fort Donelson are as follows: St. Louis, 3 killed, including P. R. Riley of Cincinnati. Two wounded, among them Lieut. Kendall, slightly. Louisville, 5 sailors killed; 4 slightly wounded and 2 severely, each having both arms shot away. Carondelet, 4 killed and 6 badly wounded, including Wm. Hunter. Pilot, 2 severely. Pittsburg, 2 wounded.
The force en route for Fort Donelson, had mostly come up and were located on the left.
Gen. Lew Wallace, with the 8th Missouri and 11th Indiana arrived Friday.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, February 18, 1862, p. 1
