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
