(From the Gate City)
FORT DONELSON, TENN.
Feb. 18, 1862
MY DEAR WIFE: I am happy to inform you that James and myself escaped without a scratch. Col. Lauman, Major Rice, and in fact all our commanding officers with a few exceptions, are all safe. Although we had a strong force and an almost impregnable fort to contend with yet they had to yield, and we all look upon it as one of the most signal victories that has yet been gained, in which our gallant little 7th and the Iowa 2d bore a conspicuous part. We fought almost side by side, and when our official report shall be published it will show to the world that Iowa stands high on the scroll of military fame.
I will now allude to the plan of attack. On Wednesday night last we arrived in front of the Fort. On top of an eminence was planted a battery of the 1st Missouri of two pieces of Parrot riffled 20 pounders, which battery I was ordered to support with the 7th. The boys moved up the hill with a steady and firm step, knowing that it was a post of great honor. We were compelled to lay on our arms all night without fire and not even a blanket, but taking it all through we spent the night very comfortably. The night passed quietly, and in the morning I was ordered to join my brigade, which constituted part of the left wing. Col. Lauman commanded the fourth brigade of the second division, leaving me in command of our regiment. We joined our brigade and the command was given to storm the enemy’s breastworks at a charge, and away we went, and nothing but fallen timber, deep ravines and other impediments prevented us from mounting their entrenchments. We gained a secure position within 75 to 100 yards of their works, and kept up our firing until dark, doing considerable execution. At night we withdrew our forces and bivouacked on the ground we occupied the night previous.
I was suffering severely from a sick headache, and knowing that they would not attack us out of their entrenchments, I retired to the rear for the night. As comfortably as the circumstances of the case would admit, for it was one of the most inclement nights I almost ever witnessed. It commenced raining about 7 p. m. and poured down for about two hours then it commenced sleeting, and to wind up, it snowed about three inches, and in the morning we had a pretty good Iowa winter.
On Friday morning the 2d Iowa arrived and I had the pleasure of meeting my son and many warm friends, who were delighted to think they had a prospect for a fight. On Friday we kept up our skirmishing and at night laid upon the ground again. Col. Lauman and myself bunked together by the side of a log with no covering but one blanket and the canopy of heaven. – About 9 p. m. it again commenced snowing and fell about two inches. We passed the night with very little comfort, but as good soldiers we did our duty and scarcely heard a murmur from our men.
On Saturday morning the fight opened in earnest on the right wing, and we were for some hours held in suspense on our wing, but shortly after noon we found that the time had come for us to make the decisive blow, and at it we went, Col. Lauman giving the post of honor and danger to the more than gallant Iowa 2d. They made a most magnificent charge and the no less gallant 7th followed close to their heels, and drove the enemy like chaff before the whirlwind to their second breastworks, where they again made a stand and gave us all some warm work. Night approaching we fell back to the rear of their first entrenchment, and bivouacked for the night on the cold frozen ground without fire, Col. Lauman and myself occupying the root of a mammoth oak looking for an attack hourly; but daylight came and with it the sound of bugles from the enemy’s camp. As soon as it was light I mounted the entrenchments and found that the enemy were displaying the white flag.. I was ordered forward to receive it and met them half way between the entrenchments. They made a proposition to surrender on conditions. Their proposition was sent to headquarters and the reply sent back “surrender unconditionally or the fight continues.” In a short time our terms were complied with, and on that beautiful quiet, still Sabbath morning we marched in under martial music, amid the shouts of thousands of happy and loyal hearts, and took possession of an immense Fort and all its equipments, and thousands of prisoners. But amid all this rejoicing there were some sad hearts. Some of our brave boys had bit the dust and many were wounded and suffering. But such is the fate of War!
– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 1, 1862, p. 2
