Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Friday, February 28, 1862

This morning we are lying on the river at Nashville, Tennessee, having arrived here last night from Clarksville, on the steamer Diana. From the deck of the steamer we behold waving from Tennessee's capitol dome “old glory," which was presented to General Nelson by one of Tennessee's patriot sires, upon his advent into the city; a banner that was presented when rebels were dominant, and the angry passions of wicked men surged around its devoted lover's head; but now it can wave unmolested, for the free winds chant their requiem over there.

SOURCES: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 44-5

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Saturday, March 1, 1862

We leave Nashville; descend the river, and return to Clarksville, where we are again quartered in the old tobacco factory. We still find Clarksville a very congenial locality, notwithstanding the citizens' hearts are with the South in its struggle for “Empire.” We remain here until Friday, when the Seventh for the second time leaves Clarksville and the old tobacco factory. Marching on board the steamer E. H. Fairchild, we are soon descending the Cumberland. As we pass Fort Donelson, we are reminded that over on those hills, and in those ravines brave men sleep—sleep as martyrs for freedom. As we glide quietly down beneath the shadow of the projecting cliffs, we imagine that a voice comes from those hills and ravines, saying to us in the language of the poet:

“Ye harvesters, rally from mountain and valley,

And reap the fields we have won;

We sowed for endless years of peace,

We harrowed and watered well;

Our dying deeds are the scattered seeds,

Shall they perish where they fell?”

SOURCES: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 45

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Saturday Morning, February 22, 1862

[W]e land at Clarksville, Tennessee, forty miles above Fort Donelson. After landing, the regiment is quartered in an old tobacco factory, which seems to please those who smoke, for there is a superabundance of the weed stored here. Says one: “This will save our “collaterals?”

SOURCES: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 44

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Saturday Morning, February 27, 1862

We remain in camp here until the twenty-seventh; during this time we are unable to note anything of much interest, but the Seventh will long remember Clarksville; their comfortable quarters and pleasant life while there; also the citizens, especially the ladies of rebel proclivities, who were oft-times heard chanting their songs—songs that made music in the wind that swept along the Cumberland's shore. But ah! it was music for a desperate cause.

SOURCES: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 44

Major-General Henry W. Halleck to Brigadier-General Don Carlos Buell, February 7, 1862

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI,         

Saint Louis, February 7, 1862.

Brig. Gen. D.C. BUELL, Louisville:

Your letter of the 5th just received.* I agree with you entirely. Bowling Green must be given up if we can hold our position. The enemy will concentrate at Nashville, Clarksville, or Paris, or will attempt to regain his lost advantage at Fort Henry or Dover—I think the latter. It is all-important that we hold our position and advance toward Nashville. I fear I may not be able to do this without more troops. If from the condition of the roads you can neither threaten nor attack Bowling Green nor follow him to the Cumberland, I advise the sending of every man not necessary to sustain your line on Green River down the Ohio, to operate up the Cumberland or Tennessee. If we can hold Fort Henry and move up these rivers, you will have no further difficulty about Bowling Green. The enemy must abandon it and fall back. If he moves all his forces against me on the Tennessee I may not be able to resist him, but will do everything in my power. I have only 15,000 men at Fort Henry and Dover. I throw out these suggestions for your consideration. If you can help me still further I know you will do so.

H. W. HALLECK,    

Major-General.

_______________

* See p. 936.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 592

Major-General Henry W. Halleck to Major-General George B. McClellan, February 7, 1862

SAINT LOUIS, February 7, 1862.

Major-General McCLELLAN:

Fort Henry will be held at all hazards. It is said that the enemy is concentrating troops by railroad to recover his lost advantage. If General Buell cannot either attack or threaten Bowling Green on account of the roads, I think every man not required to defend Green River should be sent to the Tennessee River or Cumberland River. We can hold our ground and advance up these rivers. The enemy must abandon Bowling Green. If he does not, he is completely paralyzed. He will concentrate at Dover, Clarksville, or Paris, or fall back on Nashville. In either case Bowling Green will be of little importance. He ought to concentrate at Dover, and attempt to retake Fort Henry. It is the only way he can restore an equilibrium. We should be prepared for this. If you agree with me, send me everything you can spare from General Buell's command or elsewhere. We must hold our ground and cut the enemy's lines. I am sending everything I can rake and scrape together from Missouri.

H. W. HALLECK,    

Major-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 590-1

General Albert Sidney Johnston to Judah P. Benjamin, February 8, 1862

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT, 

Bowling Green, Ky., February 8, 1862.

Hon. J.P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War:

SIR: No reliable particulars of the loss of Fort Henry have yet reached me. This much, however, is known, that nearly all of the force at Fort Henry retreated to Fort Donelson, and it is said that General Tilghman and about 80 officers and men surrendered in the fort.

The capture of that fort by the enemy gives them the control of the navigation of the Tennessee River, and their gunboats are now ascending the river to Florence. Operations against Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland, are about to be commenced, and that work will soon be attacked. The slight resistance at Fort Henry indicates that the best open earthworks are not reliable to meet successfully a vigorous attack of iron-clad gunboats, and, although now supported by a considerable force, I think the gunboat of the enemy will probably take Fort Donelson without the necessity of employing their land force in co-operation, as seems to have been done at Fort Henry.

Our force at Fort Donelson, including the force from Fort Henry and three regiments of General Floyd's command, is about 7,000 men, not well armed or drilled, except Heiman's regiment and the regiments of Floyd's command. General Floyd's command and the force from Hopkinsville is arriving at Clarksville, and can, if necessary, reach Donelson in four hours by steamers which are there.

Should Fort Donelson be taken, it will open the route to the enemy to Nashville, giving them the means of breaking the bridges and destroying the ferry-boats on the river as far as navigable.

The occurrence of the misfortune of losing the fort will cut off the communication of the force here under General Hardee from the south bank of the Cumberland. To avoid the disastrous consequences of such an event I ordered General Hardee yesterday to make, as promptly as it could be done, preparations to fall back to Nashville and cross the river.

The movements of the enemy on my right flank would have made a retrograde in that direction to confront the enemy indispensable in a short time. But the probability of having the ferriage of this army corps across the Cumberland intercepted by the gunboats of the enemy admits of no delay in making the movement.

Generals Beauregard and Hardee are, equally with myself, impressed with the necessity of withdrawing our force from this line at once.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

A. S. JOHNSTON,    

General, C. S. Army.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 863-4

Major-General Ulysses S. Grant to Julia Dent Grant, March 1, 1862

Fort Donelson, Ten.

Feb.y March 1st 1862

Dear Julia.

Enclosed I send you seven hundred dollars which with as much as you can spare from money you already have you may lend to the store taking a note payable to yourself. In sending this I am anticipating my March pay but I will be able to send you one hundred every month for your support and when all is paid up I can send you four hundred per month for you to apply the savings for your own benefit. I want you to accumulate all you can against any accident that may arise. I hope this War will not continue long and when it does end I want to have a few hundred dollars at least independent of every body. My pay now is over $6000 per year and I can live off of one thousand even as a Maj. Gen. Keeping my horses is necessarily somewhat expensive but in other particulars I spend but very little.—Should I not be where you can join me this Summer I want you to visit your friends and mine.—Send the children to school and tell them to be good and not annoy anybody. Dear children tell them their pa thinks of them every day notwithstanding he has so much els to think of. I have done a good job at Forts Henry and Donelson but I am being so much crippled in my resources that I very much fear that I shall not be able to advance so rapidly as I would like. When I left Cairo steam transportation was so scarse that it took two trips to bring up my force leaving behind nearly all my wagons and leaving the cavalry to march. Since that I have been unable to get up these teams. Besides this Gen. Buell ordered to his column some of my troops that were at Clarkesville; the loss in battle and from fatigue and exposure takes of a number of thousands; I sent off two regiments to guard prisoners who have not been returned, and if I leave, garrisons will have to be left here, at Clarkesville and Fort Henry. This will weaken me so much that great results cannot be expected. I shall write to Gen. Halleck to-day however stating all these facts. I have written to those at Cairo who should have rectified this matter but without much response. Remember this is a private letter and is not to be made public. You had better keep it however. I do hope that I will be placed in a seperate Department so as to be more independent, not that I have any fault to find with Gen. Halleck on the contrary I regard him as one of the greatest men of the age and there are not two men in the United States who I would prefer serving under to McClellan & Halleck. They would be my own chois for the positions they fill if left to me to make. Kiss the children for me. The same for yourself.

Ulys.

SOURCE: John Y. Simon & William M. Ferraro, Editors The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Volume 4: January 8-March 31, 1862, p. 305-6

Brigadier-General Thomas Kilby Smith to Elizabeth Budd Smith, December 26, 1864

26th. – Detained at Clarkesville by the unwarrantable interference of the officer in charge of the gunboat fleet who deemed it necessary to give us convoy against guerillas, lay there all night and until 9 A.M. of the 27th, which passes without event. Scenery on the river beautiful, high rocky cliffs of limestone, iron in abundance in these hills. Arrived at Nashville about two o'clock in the morning of the 28th. City dirty and disagreeable; has been the abode of wealth, as evidenced in the splendid architecture of the private dwellings, but everything now shows the brunt of war and war's desolation.

I find many friends and am hospitably entertained at the quarters of General Sawyer, General Sherman's Adjutant-General. The military are all agog at the good news from Sherman, but everybody here is as ignorant as I am of Hood's movements, of Thomas's intent. I have telegraphed to Gen. A. J. Smith, who is far to the front, but as yet receive no response. Railroad communication will be opened soon, we hope, to near the front, when I shall progress as soon as possible.

P. S. — You may have noticed in the papers that the train from Louisville to this point was attacked and captured, and that thus travel by rail was interrupted. With my usual good fortune, I have escaped this calamity, and it is doubly well with me that I came by boat.

SOURCE: Walter George Smith, Life and letters of Thomas Kilby Smith, p. 373-4

Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant to Congressman Elihu B. Washburne, February 21, 1862

Fort Donelson, Tennessee,

February 21, 1862.

SINCE receiving your letter at Fort Henry events have transpired so rapidly that I have scarcely had time to write a private letter. That portion of your letter which required immediate attention was replied to as soon as your letter was read. I mean that I telegraphed Colonel C. C. Washburn,³ Milwaukee, Wis., asking him to accept a place on my staff. As he has not yet arrived, I fear my dispatch was not received. Will you be kind enough to say to him that such a dispatch was sent, and that I will be most happy to publish the order the moment he arrives, assigning him the position you ask.

On the 13th, 14th, and 15th our volunteers fought a battle that would figure well with many of those fought in Europe, where large standing armies are maintained. I feel very grateful to you for having placed me in the position to have had the honor of commanding such an army and at such a time. I only trust that I have not nor will not disappoint you. The effect upon the community here is very marked since the battle. Defeat, disastrous defeat, is admitted. Yesterday I went to Clarkesville⁴ with a small escort, two of our gunboats having preceded me. Our forces now occupy that place, and will take possession of a large amount of commissary stores, ammunition, and some artillery. The road to Nashville is now clear, but whether my destination will be there or farther west can't yet be told. I want to move early, and no doubt will.

__________

³ Cadwallader Colden Washburn (1818-1882), colonel Second Wisconsin Cavalry, October 10, 1861; brigadier general, July 16, 1862; and major general, November 29, 1862. After the Civil War he was elected to Congress and in 1872, became Governor of Wisconsin. Later he was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate. His brother, also a Congressman, wrote the family name with a final "e," but in no instance within the editor's knowledge did Grant ever add that letter when writing to Mr. Washburne

⁴ Suit was brought after the war for about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars by the owners of whiskey in Clarkesville, destroyed as a matter of precaution by a chosen committee, to prevent its falling into the hands of the victorious Northern army, said to be advancing on the town, — its commander being reported as intoxicated, and utterly unable to control his troops. The owners brought suit in 1865 against the members of the committee, consisting of the wealthiest citizens of the town. At the first trial the jury disagreed as to whether Grant was drunk or sober, the decision in the case turning on that point; in the second the verdict was that the commander was intoxicated, and on the third trial that he was perfectly sober, so that the committee finally lost their case and were compelled to pay, but not the full value of the whiskey, as the parties compromised the case, receiving about twenty per cent. of its value. This statement was received in August, 1897, by the writer, from a United States District Judge of Tennessee, who was one of the counsel employed in the curious case.

SOURCE: James Grant Wilson, Editor, General Grant’s Letters to a Friend 1861-1880, p. 4-5 & 112-3

Telegraphic Communication Opened

LOUISVILLE, March 14.  The telegraph line is now open for business between here and Nashville, Clarksville and Gallatin, Tennessee.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 22, 1862, p. 4

Up the Cumberland

The voyage up the river from Ft. Donelson to this place yesterday afternoon was quite a pleasant one.  The river just now is boasting of unwanted proportions, inundating all the bottoms, and – in some cases, compelling the inmates of the farm houses along the river banks to flee for safety to the neighboring heights. – In some instances a solitary hog, cow or other domestic quadruped, left behind on a stray yard or two of dry land, beside some deserted house, would present a most mournfully ludicrous picture of unwarrantable desertion, and would gaze at the passing steamers with an earnestness be speaking little or none of the nonchalance of the man of old who is reputed to have had as little faith in the extent of “the shower” as of the efficiency of the Ark.  I fear that some of them have had to swim for [it ere] this.  There are no villages along the river in the thirty five or forty miles intervening, between Donelson and Clarksville.  Farm houses, however, are frequent, interspersed here and there with mills and foundries, which, in days gone by, were of considerable importance hereabouts.  One of these iron mills (Cumberland Iron Works) twelve miles above Dover, has been of great aid to the rebels and, judging from the smouldering ruins now only left, must have been of no little magnitude.  It was burned by order of Commodore Foote the day of the surrender of Donelson. – The private residence of the proprietor, and the smaller dwellings of the workmen, which were left unharmed, are very neat structures, and in all the glory of their white paint, looked very pretty in the afternoon sunshine.  Many of the farm houses, too, are quite fine residences with well built barns and out houses, bespeaking of good farms and prosperous owners.  From some of these houses the Federal flag was waving.  From others a piece of white cloth was visible, and from still others, no insignia at all was displayed, but the closed windows and doors, and apparent absence of all white people about the premises, told, plainly enough the sentiments of the owners thereof.  Not a few, however, waved a cheerful welcome to the passing troops, and it was easy to see that the re-appearance of the old flag was the cause of no little gratification.  At one point where towards night we stopped to “wood up,” the owner of a flour mill adjoining claimed to be a good Union man, and spoke most touchingly of the sad state to which the country had been brought by the interruption of all business.  A present of a hat full of coffee, a luxury which he said he had not seen for six months, rendered him one of the happiest mortals I have recently seen.

Clarksville, from which I now write, has a population of 5,000 or 6,000, and before the war was wont to be considered one of the most flourishing business points in the State.  With a goodly number of fine business blocks, and not a few elegant private residences, it would be considered a pleasant town in any part of the country.  With stores closed and houses deserted it has now, however, a very Sunday like aspect.  It would seem though, that hardly so many of the citizens as would be supposed from a glance at the apparently deserted residences, have left the place.  Not a few within the last day or two have been noticed, badger like, taking a survey of the surroundings from their hiding places, and discovering that our troops were neither vandals nor any other species of barbarians, have concluded to show themselves.  This afternoon I have noticed even many of the gentler portion of the population sunning themselves on the porticos, and gazing with no little interest upon the federal passers by.

The place was formally occupied by our troops several days since, the enemy having deserted it two or three days before or, in other words, as soon as they could get out of it after the reception of the news of the surrender.  The evacuation of the town, according to all accounts, was a most sudden as well as ludicrous operation.  On Saturday the people of the place and the two or three regiments garrisoned here, received intelligence that the Yankees were rapidly being whipped back to their Northern homes, and a general jollification was at once indulged in.  But, alas, there’s many a slip between the cup and the lip.  They had hardly begun to feel the effect of their carousal, when, lo! and behold who should appear upon the scene but the brilliant heroes, Floyd and Pillow, with some items of information which hardly confirmed their previous veracious accounts of the evening before.  There was then mounting in hot haste sure enough.  The Lincoln gunboats which according to the yesterday’s accounts had all been sunk or crippled, were supposed to be in immediate proximity, and but few of the doughty champions of the South thought it best to stand upon the order of their going.  An Alabama regiment stationed here chartered a steamboat fortunately lying near by, and went at once.  A colonel of a Tennessee regiment gave orders to his men who occupied the fortifications below the city to prepare to march, and upon visiting the fort an hour afterwards found only eighteen of his men left to accompany him.  The rest of them stealing horses, mules and every description of conveyance attainable, were already in full pursuit of their Alabama brethren in arms.  I need not state that Pillow and Floyd did not either tarry long in Jericho, but pressed on with the speediest of them.  It had only been about a week before that both of these distinguished rebels, together with Buckner, had passed through Clarksville, and had received not a little lionizing.  Both Pillow and Floyd had been called on to make speeches, and responded in the most bloodthirsty of efforts making glad the hearts of all rebeldom hereabouts by the promise of a speedy extermination of each and every Lincolnite who had dared to pollute their soil.  Referring to the surrender of Fort Henry by Gen. Tilghman, Pillow said, with peculiar grammatical elegance of the South – But, gentlemen, I never did surrender, and so help me God, never will surrender.  Me, and Gen. Buckner and Gen. Floyd and our gallant troops, are now going down there, and we will sweep every Yankee son of them back to their frozen homes.  (Great applause and hurrahs for Pillow).  General Floyd also presented himself and made equally brilliant promises.  General Buckner, who alone of the unworthy trio said nothing, was the only one who stuck to his troops, and included himself in the “ungenerous and unchivalrous” terms which Gen. Grant saw fit to impose upon him.  I need not add that upon their return, neither Floyd nor Pillow stopped to favor the good people of Clarksville with any further promises of Yankee extermination and I doubt very much whether they would have taken much stock in his promises, even if he had.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 8, 1862, p. 3

News from Nashville

WASHINGTON, March 8 – The Secretary of the Navy received a letter to-day dated Cairo, Feb. 27th from Flag Officer Foote which says:

“I have the honor to forward a communication from Lieut. Bryant, the substance of which I have just telegraphed.  The captain of the steamer which brings the dispatch says, that 6 miles below Nashville there was a battery which mounted 15 guns but several of them were thrown into the river before the cars arrived. – He also reports that a strong union feeling was manifested at and near Nashville and that Gov. Harris after vainly attempting to rally the citizens and others left Sunday morning for Memphis.  He also states that the gunboats were welcomed by the people at Nashville and other points on the Cumberland river.  They state hearing of my arrival, they supposed the men would proceed immediately to Nashville.”

The following is the enclosure in Flag Officer Foote’s letter:

NASHVILLE, Feb. 25, [1862]

To Flag Officer A. H. Foote Commanding

Uncertain whether my letter of the 23d inst., reached you, I repeat that I departed from Clarksville for this point by the request of Brig. Gen. Smith, commanding at Clarksville.  I arrived here this evening preceded by seven steam boats conveying an army commanded by Brig. Gen. Nelson.  The troops landed without opposition.  The banks of the river are free from hostile forces.  The Railroad bridges are all destroyed.  Very Respectfully yours,

A. C. BRYANT

Lieut. Comd’g

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 8, 1862, p. 3

It is said that when . . .

. . . the Union gun-boats approached Clarksville a forest of White flags were flying; and that the more prominent and active Secessionists had the greatest number of flags on their houses.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 8, 1862, p. 1

From Tennessee

CLARKSVILLE, Feb. 23. – A flag of truce arrived from Nashville yesterday, with 12 Surgeons who came down to take care of the wounded, whom the rebels left here in their recent hasty retreat.  They say that Nashville is deserted by the rebel troops, and that the citizens are leaving the city very fast.

The enemy will make a stand at Murfreesboro’, which is 40 miles back in the country from Nashville.  They are afraid of the mortars, and want to get away from the river out of their range.

Clarksville is a place of five thousand inhabitants, about one-half of whom are gone.  The remainder are badly frightened.

I made a visit to Hon. Cave Johnson yesterday; he resides at Clarksville.  Mr. Johnson was a powerful advocate of the Union until the war commenced, but is now as powerful on the other side.  He says the only effect of our success will be to drive the people of Tennessee into the mountains and render them desperate.

There is not a spark of Union feeling here, and nobody pretends to disguise the fact that the people of Clarksville glory in secession, but at the same time are trembling least the town be burned.

The rebel leaders shipped 1,000 negroes away last week from Clarksville.  What there are left are wide awake to the probable results of the campaign.

There was a full regiment from Clarksville at Ft. Donelson, all of whom are prisoners. – Most of them owned slaves, and there are lots of negroes here without masters.  The inhabitants fear an insurrection, and some of the most intelligent say that it is inevitable.

People here had not the remotest idea that Fort Donelson would be taken.  They had a grand jubilee the day the gun-boats were repulsed.  A few hours later they scattered and ran.  These who left think the surrender was rather a cowardly affair.

Floyd destroyed the splendid river bridge over the Cumberland at Nashville, and burned the Railroad bridge.  Great indignation is felt by the citizens of Nashville at this vandalism.

They are entirely out of coal, and suffer for many articles.

Nashville was evacuated on Sunday; the stores were all closed and the citizens were leaving fast for Memphis and other points.  The surgeons say that very little if any Union sentiment was there.  The sympathy was all the other way.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 1, 1862, p. 3

From Tennessee

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 26. – A Fort Donelson dispatch to the Democrat of yesterday says a boat just from Clarksville reports the evacuation of Nashville.

The Union citizens of that place sent a boat to Clarksville, which towed one of our gunboats for their protection.

The rebels with Gov. Harris retreated to Murfreesboro.  Harris burnt all the State documents before leaving.

Gen. Grant declared martial law over Western Tennessee, with the understanding that when a sufficient number of citizens of the State return to their allegiance and show a desire to maintain law and order over the territory, all military restriction will be withdrawn.

Postal facilities are extended to Clarksville, and the mail bags will follow the flag.

CAIRO, Feb. 25. – Our killed and wounded will be much larger than at first supposed.  McClernand’s division alone will run over 1500.

Gen. Nelson’s Ky. brigade reached Ft. Donelson on Sunday and was immediately sent forward to Nashville.  Nelson and Crittenden’s brigade had gone up the Cumberland river to join Gen. Buell.

There were many rumors in relation to Nashville, but the one generally believed was, that Gen. Buell has not occupied it, but would reach it last night.

The rebels have retreated to Murfreysboro [sic], 40 miles from Nashville, and if they do so they will make no stand there, but will retreat further. – They are destroying bridges and other facilities for transportation.  At Murfreysboro commences a range of mountains whose passes can be easily defended by the enemy.

It was reported this morning that Gen. Grant had moved his headquarters from Ft. Donelson to Clarksville.

Gen. Buell sent a letter to Gen. Grant on Saturday stating that he, Buell, would be within nine miles of Nashville on Saturday night and that there would be no resistance to his occupation of the city.

The Federal troops occupied Nashville on Sunday.  Three gun boats from Ft. Donelson are also at Nashville.

Gen. Grant went up to Nashville today with a Messenger sent to him from Gen. Buell, but he took no troops with him.

The report that Gov. Harris wished an interview with Gen. Grant is an error.  Harris has fled from Nashville to Memphis, convened the Legislature of Tennessee, and it met in that city on Saturday last.  He delivered an intense war message to the Legislature, in which he declared that Tennessee must fight to the bitter end. – This was the report of his message telegraphed to Clarksville.

Gen. Buell’s timely arrival at Nashville, undoubtedly saved the city from utter destruction as Pillow could not have saved it from his desperadoes, if a Federal force had not been in the vicinity.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 1, 1862, p. 3

Further News from Fort Donelson

3,000 Rebel Prisoners ask to be Armed and Enrolled in the Armies of the Union.

Clarksville Evacuated.

WHITE FLAGS FLYING AT NASHVILLE.

TENNESSEE VIRTUALLY REDEEM’D

CAIRO, Feb. 20. – Only sixteen remain of company G., 11^th Illinois regiment, who are not killed, wounded or taken prisoners.

Gov. Yates and staff left for Fort Donelson last evening.

The Wounded officers of the 11^th Illinois are Lieut. Col. Ransom, Lieut. Churchill, Co. A, Lieut. Wilcox, Co. B, Lieut. Dean, Co. D., Capt. Andrews, Co. D, Lieut. Duncan, Co. H, and Lieut. Blackstone, Co. I.  The killed are Capt. Shaw, Co. B, Lieut. Boyce, Co. G.  The Missing are Lieut. Kenyon, Co. K, and Lieut. Vore, Co. E.  Not over 100 effective men are left of the 11^th regiment.  The wounded are partly at Mound City and the rest at Fort Donelson.  It is thought that this regiment will return to their old quarters at Bird’s Point.

One thousand secesh prisoners left for Camp Douglas last evening, via the Illinois Central Railroad.  More will follow to-day.  Those sent yesterday were Mississippians and Texans.  Two boat loads have arrived and will be forwarded immediately.

The 2^nd Michigan Artillery arrived last evening by steamer City of Alton.

Jas. Friedeman of Co. D, 8^th Wisconsin was buried today at Bird’s Point.

A rebel officer states that the exaggeration of Major Post of the 8^th Illinois who was taken prisoner before the surrender of Fort Donelson materially aided in preventing any further resistance on their part.

The body of Lieut. Colonel White of the 31^st Illinois has just arrived.

Three thousand rebel prisoners at Fort Donelson have asked to be allowed their arms and enrolled in the army of the Union.

A special order was issued to-day forbidding the issue of passes to Fort Donelson and other points on the Ohio river above Cairo.

The report is current and uncontradicted that Clarksville is evacuated.

It is reported that Gov. Harris has convened the Legislature of the State of Tennessee to repeal all laws passed by the Confederate Legislature inconsistent with the Federal Constitution.

White flags are flying at Nashville, and Gen. Grant has been invited to occupy Clarksville. – If this is true, Tennessee can be counted out of the Southern Confederacy.

The casualties among the officers of the 18^th Illinois, are, Killed, Capt. J. S. Craig, company A, Lieut. John Mauseur, Company C.

Wounded – Col. Lawler, Capt. D. H. Brush, company K; Capt. H. S. Wilcox, company B; Capt. J. W. Dillon, company C; Capt. P. Lawler, company D.

Supposed to be taken prisoners – Lieut. Tole, company D; Lieut. Kelley, company E; Lieut. Thompson, company F; Capt. Cruise, company G; Lieuts. Lawrence and Conner, company K.

The whole number of killed in the regiment is 50, wounded 150.

There is an awful flutter at Columbus, but we hear nothing decisive.

Brig. Gen. John Pope arrived from St. Louis, to-night.

The number of field pieces taken is much larger than heretofore telegraphed.  We have at least 70 guns.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 22, 1862, p. 3

Further From Ft. Donelson

Two more Rebel Regiments, Captured, &c., &c.

FT. DONALSON [sic], Feb. 19, via CAIRO. – Two more regiments were captured to-day, east of the entrenchments, and a number of troops have come in and delivered themselves up.

About 12,000 stand of small arms have been taken.  Many of the rebel troops destroyed their arms, and large numbers were thrown in the river.  There are two water batteries, the upper one with a heavy rifled gun, 32 pound bore, two 32-pounder carronades.  The lower battery contains eight 32-poounders and one ten inch columbiad, mounted in embrasures.  Two thousand barrels of flour and 1200 boxes of beef, and a large amount of other provisions were found to-day.

All of to-day has been occupied in embarking prisoners and gathering up stores and munitions and burying the dead.  There are a great number of dead rebels still unburied, as it has all been thrown upon our men to do.

Capt. Lagone, aide to Gen. Grant, goes to Clarksville, to-morrow, under a flag of truce with the bodies of two colonels, and to effect an exchange of our wounded prisoners, who have been sent to Nashville.

Gen. Grant received official notice, last night of the creation of a new Military District, of Western Tennessee, of which he is appointed commander, with headquarters at Ft. Donelson.

Gen. Grant’s Staff remains as at present, with Maj. W. W. Leland attached, as chief of commissary.

Osband’s cavalry and Willard’s battery suffered no loss in killed.

Taylor’s battery acted nobly, and was charged on five times on Saturday, each time repulsing the enemy with great slaughter.

Among the killed, are the following officers:

Captain Wilson, Lieutenants Marsh, Sheets, Howell and Monroe, of the 8^th Illinois.  Capt. Shaw, Lieutenants Churchill, Voore, Boyer and orderly Sargeant Bedard, of the 11^th.  Adjutant Kirkpatrick, of the 30^th.

Cols. John A. Logan, M. K. Lawler and Lieut. Col. Ransom, slightly wounded.

Maj. Post, who was reported killed, was wounded and taken prisoner.

Capt. E. T. [sic] Slaymaker, of the 2d Iowa was killed.

The Confirmation of Gen. C. F. Smith, was received with great satisfaction by the soldiers. – His gallant charge of Saturday, has made him extremely popular among his men.

Gen. S. A. Hurlbut reported for duty to Gen. Grant, this evening, and has been assigned to a division.

It is currently reported that Gov. Harris, of Tennessee, has ordered all Tennesseans to lay down their arms.

The greatest indignation exists among the prisoners against Pillow and Floyd.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 22, 1862, p. 3

The Rebels Evacuating Clarksville

Condition of Our Troops – They Ask to be Led Against Nashville – Number of Prisoners 13,300.

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 19. – The Republican’s Cairo dispatch says latest advices from Fort Donelson report the gunboat St. Louis, Capt. Paulding, proceeded up the Cumberland to Clarksville and found the enemy abandoning that place in panic.

Two large flats, laden with munitions of war, were captured at Rolling Mills, just below Clarksville.

Everything is being moved to Nashville, where the next Rebel stand would be made.

Everything at Donelson is progressing satisfactorily.  Our army are encamped in captured works, having comfortable quarters in log huts and tents in the late garrison.

Our soldiers are very enthusiastic and are anxious to march at once against Nashville.

With the exception of sever colds, consequent upon recent exposure, the army was well.

The actual number of prisoners taken were 13,300, among them Gen. West not previously mentioned.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 22, 1862, p. 3

Movements of Troops in Kentucky

We gather the following information from various sources, all of which we believe reliable and none of which we understand to be contraband:

On learning that the rebels were evacuating Bowling Green, General Buell ordered a forced march by Gen. Mitchel [sic], to save, if possible, the railroad and turnpike bridges on the Big Barren river.  They had, however, been destroyed when Mitchel reached the banks of the river Friday morning, having been burned the night before.  The brigades of Breckinridge and Hindman, were until Thursday evening at Woodland Station.  The rebels left nothing in Bowling Green, except a few old wagons.  Part of the town is reported to have been burned.  Gen. Mitchel has crossed the river and is in Bowling Green.

It is believed that there are now no rebel forces in Kentucky east of the direct road from Bowling Green (via Franklin) to Nashville. – Crittenden is trying to organize another army at Carthage, on the south bank of the Cumberland.  This is the only rebel force on the line from Bowling Green to Nashville.  Breckinridge and Hindman’s brigades have fallen back on Russelville, where Buckner and Floyd’s brigades have been, according to latest reports, stationed for some time.  Hardee and Johnston were also believed to be at that point on Friday.  It is presumed that with the exception of the above brigades, the whole rebel army has been moved to Fort Donelson and Clarksville.  What movement may have been made by the rebel forces since Thursday, can only be conjectured; but the probabilities are that they have concentrated their whole force on the Cumberland.  If, however, they should not have done so, the divisions of Nelson and Mitchel will be amply able to cope with all they may have between Bowling Green and Nashville.

It is believed that the divisions of Generals McCook and Thomas, the former marching by the way or Nolin Creek and Elizabethtown; and the latter by way of Lebanon; embarked at the mouth of Salt river on steamers for the Cumberland, Saturday night and yesterday.  Gen. McCook broke up his camp and Munfordville in the night from Thursday to Friday, in a terrible storm of snow and rain, and marched twenty-one miles to Nolin creek, where he encamped Friday night, and it is believed that on Saturday his division pressed on the mouth of Salt river.  The troops that have been and Bardstown, in a camp of instruction, (including the 1^st and 2d Kentucky, well known here) were at Louisville yesterday embarking for the Cumberland, as is supposed.  Three fresh Indiana regiments and a full battery of artillery leave New Albany to-day. – The aggregate of these reinforcements is at least thirty-five, and is perhaps, forty thousand men.  Gen. Buell, we understand, goes with McCook’s division to take command in person on the Cumberland, where our force will by to-morrow morning number little less than eighty thousand men.  We may confidently look for them to rapidly overcome all obstacles on the way to Nashville.  The proceeding in person of Gen. Buell to take command of the magnificent army on the Cumberland, does not indicate any lack of confidence in Gen. Grant, who is known to be as brave as Caesar and a thorough soldier.  It means, however, that the time for organizing victory is over, and the time for the most energetic action has arrived.  Gen. Buell, we are informed, has for weeks regarded the evacuation of Bowling Green as a certainty, and his plans are, therefore, not in any degree deranged by that event.  Now, while he presses the enemy on the Cumberland with his tremendous force, their flank and rear are menaced by the heavy divisions under Mitchel and Nelson.

Since writing the above we learn that ten regiments, now in the Ohio camps, are ordered at once to the lower Ohio.  The points from which these regiments will be drawn are stated elsewhere. – {Cincinnati Commercial.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 22, 1862, p. 2