The fire from the fort indicated a weak force working the guns. The rebel gunboats retired steadily a considerable distance up the sound. A line of piles driven into the bed across the principal channel, obstructed the progress of the Union vessels in the pursuit of the retreating rebels, who occupied an inner channel under the guns of their battery. The Union fleet now turned their attention to the fort, which kept up a steady and rapid fire.

On the afternoon of the 7th, the transports, with the land forces, were all brought safely through Roanoke Inlet, and clustered securely in rear of the bombarding fleet. General Burnside gave immediate orders for landing the forces, which was done at a small cove, known as Ashby's Harbor. In less than an hour four thousand men were landed, and by eleven at night, the entire force, excepting one regiment, were on the island, and their bivouac-fires lighted up the shore and the woods for the distance of a mile.

At nine o'clock on the morning of the 8th, a few shots were exchanged between the Federal gunboats and the battery, which ceased after fifteen minutes' duration, and was not renewed during the day. The rebel gunboats had retreated, and all interest now centered in the movements of the land forces.

From definite information received by General Burnside, the position of all the works on the island was clearly known, and his movements were based on this knowledge. The plan of attack consisted of a central attacking column, led by Brigadier-General Foster; a left flanking column to attack the right of the enemy's work, under Brigadier-General Reno, and a right flank column to attack the left of the enemy's position, under the command of Brigadier-General Parke.

The approach to the enemy's position was through a swampy wood, with a dense undergrowth, rendering it almost impenetrable. An ordinary cart-road leading through this wood from the shore to the fieldwork, a distance of about a mile, was the only mode of communication. The woods in front of the battery had been cut down a distance of three hundred yards, forming an open space to be played on by the rebel guns, about two hundred feet wide. The woods immediately in rear of the work were also cut down to permit the manœuvreing of their own forces.

Their battery consisted of an earth-work with three faces covering the open space before, and the woods at each side of the open space, but with a general direction of fire to the front. The guns were mounted in embrasure, and consisted of a twenty-four-pounder brass Dahlgren howitzer, a long eighteen-pounder brass field-gun, and a twelve-pounder brass field-piece. In front of the work was a ditch eight feet wide and about three feet deep, filled with water. The earth-work was about thirty-five

yards wide, and was erected across the road. The ground in front of the work was a deep marsh, on which the trees which were felled still lay. The difficult nature of this ground was increased by the pits from which the turf and earth for the field-work had been taken. Branches were strewn over the front of the work, making it impossible to discover it from the wood in front.

The defending force consisted of about three hundred men, within the breastwork, and about two thousand as a reserve, partly deployed as skirmishers on the left of the battery. The rebels relied chiefly for the defence of their flanks on the almost impenetrable nature of the wood on each side. Their entire force, with the exception of the force working the battery, was scattered in front and in the woods on the left as skirmishers.

The Federal army advanced from the bivouac-ground of the evening previous, where they had spent the night with nothing but thin overcoats to protect them from a cold, driving rain. They had left their knapsacks and blankets on the transports, each man carrying nothing but his haversack, with three days' provisions, and his cartridge-box, with forty rounds of ball-cartridge. The centre, under the command of General Foster, was composed of the Twenty-fifth Massachusetts, Colonel Upton; Twenty-third Massachusetts, Colonel Kurtz; Twentyseventh Massachusetts, Colonel Lee, and the Tenth Connecticut, Colonel Russell, and moved forward about eight o'clock. They were followed by the second column, under General Reno, consisting of the Twenty-first Massachusetts, Lieutenant-Colonel Maggi; the Fifty-first New York, (Shepard Rifles,) Colonel Ferrero; Ninth New Jersey, and the Fifty first Pennsylvania, Colonel Hartraaf. The third column, led by General Parke, was formed of the Fourth Rhode Island, Colonel Rodman; First battalion, Fifth Rhode Island, Major Wright; and Ninth New York, Colonel Hawkins.

A brilliant, well-contested fight of two hours' duration put the Federal forces in possession of Roanoke Island, with all the batteries, mounting thirty guns, and Fort Forrest, on the mainland, mounting eight guns. It resulted in the unconditional surrender of the rebel army on the island, numbering 2,500 men, with all their arms and munitions of war. Captain O. Jennings Wise, son of ex-Governor Wise of Virginia, lost his life in this engagement. The Governor himself, being absent from his command on the day of battle, escaped.

Colonel Russell, of the Tenth Connecticut, and Lieutenant-Colonel De Monteuil, of the New York Fifty-third, were killed.

The Federal loss was fifty killed and one hundred and fifty wounded. That of the rebels was about twenty killed, and sixty wounded.

EVACUATION OF BOWLING GREEN, KY.

FEBRUARY 14-16, 1862.

Before the commencement of hostilities in the State of Kentucky, the rebel General Buckner, Commander-in-Chief of the State militia, seized upon the town of Bowling Green, in Warren county, in the southern section of the State, and occupied it as the grand centre and depot of future military operations. The position was well chosen. It was situated on the line of the Louisville and Nashville railway, and connected also by rail with Memphis and Nashville; while water communication through the Barren river was open to the Green river, the Ohio, and Mississippi, and thus to all important points.

As a military post, its means of defence were also of the first importance. The town lies on the south bank of Barren river, at a point where the channel makes a bend not unlike a horse-shoe. The buildings are situated a distance of five hundred yards from the banks, which rise by jutted rocky sides fifty feet from the water level. A series of nine swelling hills, or knolls, completely encompass the town on the land side, and on these Buckner had erected a cordon of forts; some of stone, and others of earth, twenty feet in thickness-all of great magnitude. Forty-nine guns were mounted on the various fortifications, and great engineering skill had been displayed in their construction.

On learning the defeat of Zollicoffer's troops at Mill Spring, on the 19th of January, General A. S. Johnson, on the 25th, ordered the evacuation of Bowling Green, and General Floyd's brigade immediately marched from thence to Fort Donelson. Active measures were then taken to carry out the order further, by shipping heavy ordnance to Columbus, which place General Grant's reconnoissance at that time had induced the Confederates to believe would be the first point of attack from the Federal army.

After the capture of Fort Henry, on the 6th of February, by which the enemy's communication with Columbus was intercepted, the remaining troops were distributed, some to Fort Donelson, some to Nashville and other points; and a work of indiscriminate destruction of the buildings and property in the town commenced. The beautiful iron railway bridge, and the wooden turnpike bridge over the Barren river were first destroyed. The railway bridge over the Green river, some forty miles to the northeast, had long since been burned, and the forces of General Buell had been deterred from crossing that stream up to the present time.

On the 11th of February, however, General Mitchell's division, encamped on Bacon creek, seven miles north of the Green river, were

ordered to advance on Bowling Green, and on that day marched to Camp Madison, one mile north of the river; where receiving confirmatory information of the retreat of the rebel forces, they hastened forward.

Thursday morning, February 13th, the division-infantry, cavalry, and artillery, left Camp Madison for Bowling Green, forty-two miles distant, and made twenty miles the first day. The railroad appeared to be but little injured, but all the buildings were destroyed. The roads the first day were in splendid order, but much obstructed by trees, which were, however, speedily removed by two companies of mechanics and engineers, who swung their axes with energy, and were never delayed over fifteen minutes by any impediment. The ponds along the road were filled with dead horses and cattle, so long as any cattle were to be found to fill them. The troops rested at noon at Cave City, which was very nearly destroyed. On the second day they started again for Bowling Green. The next morning was cold, with about an inch and a half of snow, but they were up betimes and on their way, the Nineteenth Illinois ahead as usual, with her blue flag waving triumphantly. The road was obstructed, and filled with signs of the rapid retreat of Hindman's forces.

Hearing repeatedly that the railroad bridge over Barren river was destroyed, and that the Confederates would not stand this side of the river, Colonel Turchin ordered the cavalry and one battery ahead. The ranks opened to the right and left, and Captain Loomis' battery dashed by in fine style toward Bowling Green. The men hearing the cannon roar, hurried on, and reached the banks of the river opposite Bowling Green, about two o'clock, making the forty-two miles in about thirtyseven hours. After the firing commenced they seized every team along the road, and had the knapsacks drawn by horses the rest of the way, much to the relief of tired shoulders. General Turchin fired the first shell into the town, and immediately three regiments were seen scampering to the cars, and putting off in great confusion.

But though within a mile of Bowling Green, they were powerless to interfere, for there was Barren river, wide and unfordable, between them, and both bridges destroyed. The Texan Rangers soon began to fire all the public buildings. Fifty men under Captain Scott, got ready to cross in a little skiff by parties, and try to drive out the few who remained to perform this work, but the General would not allow it. They then pitched their tents and prepared to wait until a bridge could be erected. When snugly tucked in their blankets, the assembly beat to arms, and the brigade was soon in ranks. They expected to march to town, but were put on the back track some three miles.

They left the main road, and soon came to the river, where they built fires and rested as well as possible. Here the repairs of an old wherry

were completed, and they crossed the river, protected by artillery. There was a slight snow falling, and it was uncomfortably cold. The Nineteenth and Twenty-fourth, Hecker's Illinois, crossed first. The men suffered intensely from cold, but declared that they had rather be shot than frozen, and pushed on. But no enemy appeared, and the tired soldiers soon surrounded the fires, some of which had been burning for several days. All the public buildings and several warehouses, filled with pork, beef, coffee, etc., were destroyed. A pile of grain thirty feet by twenty, was burning when the Federal troops arrived. Four engines and several cars were also burnt. The cars had been carrying away provision for a week, but still immense quantities were destroyed. Boxes of guns, large numbers of bowie-knives roughly fashioned of iron, every conceivable kind of shooting apparatus, and all sorts of hardware for cooking and other uses were found in immense quantities. Bowling Green is a town of considerable commercial importance, and possesses many large stores and warehouses. The majority of the inhabitants were loyal in their sentiments, though many influential citizens sympathized with the rebellion; but when the work of destruction commenced, no discrimination was allowed, and all were made sufferers. The unexpected arrival of General Mitchell's army, and the terror of his artillery, drove the rebels from the town before their incendiary intentions were fully consummated, and much private property was saved which would else have been consumed by the flames.

When General Buckner was exercising military sovereignty in southern Kentucky, one of his proclamations demanded that every man in Wright county should deliver to him at his headquarters, one gun, or twenty dollars in money, under the penalty of fifty dollars' fine, or ninety days' imprisonment. In response to this edict, a motley collection of old squirrel and shot guns were added to the Confederate stores, and with other treasures were packed in buildings at Bowling Green. A hasty evacuation of that stronghold having become a "military necessity," these buildings were fired by the retreating rebels, and among the ruins which met the curious gaze of General Mitchell's men when they entered the town, were scattered piles of the iron parts of these guns, in several places a foot thick.

CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON.
FEBRUARY 13-16, 1862.

Bravely as the army of the West had sustained the honor of the Union, the crowning glory of taking Fort Donelson remained to be accomplished. To attack a strongly-defended fort, formidable by nature