GENERAL TILGHMAN'S DISPATCHES.

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mony to the greatness of Grant's character, rising above the mean revenge of baser minds when flushed with victory:

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Through the courtesy of Brigadier-General Ulysses S. Grant, commanding Federal forces, I am permitted to communicate with you in relation to the result of the action between the fort under my command at this place and the Federal gunboats, on yesterday. I take great pleasure in acknowledging the courtesies and consideration shown by Brigadier-General U. S. Grant and Commodore Foote, and the officers under their command."

CHAPTER VI.

THE ATTACK UPON FORT DONELSON, AND ITS RESULTS.

General Grant turns his Attention to Fort Donelson.-The Plan of Advance.-The March.-Bivouac.-The Morning of Battle.-The Conflict opens.-The Struggle of Thursday.-The Rebels Victorious.-The Heroism of Wallace's Troops.-The Tide of Battle turns.-The Council of War.-The Victory.-The Second Conclave of Rebel Generals.-The Surrender.-The General Joy.-General Grant's Report.-Incidents.-Fine Commemorative Lines.

THE reduction of Fort Henry, in which the lamented Christian hero, Commodore Foote, was providentially conspicuous, was only a part of the grand work to be accomplished in the general plan of the commanding mind. No time was wasted by General Grant over the success of his movement; but he at once ordered all available troops in his district to be sent to his command, for an advance upon the more formidable works of Fort Donelson, on the western shore of the Cumberland River, a dozen miles from Fort Henry. These fortifications, guarding the waters flowing into the Ohio, as will be seen on the map, were the great barrier between the Union army and the very heart of the treasonable Confederacy.

The plan of march was given in the following order, issued on the evening of February 11 :

One brigade of the First Division will move by the Telegraph Road directly upon Fort Donelson, halting for further orders at a distance of two miles from the fort. The other brigades of the First Division will move by the Dover Ridge road, and halt at the same distance from the fort, and throw out troops, so as to form a continuous line between the two wings.

The two brigades of the Second Division, now at Fort Henry, will follow as rapidly as practicable, by the Dover road, and will be followed by the troops from Fort Heiman, as fast as they can be ferried across the river.

One brigade of the Second Division should be thrown into Dover, to cut off all retreat by the river, if found practicable to do so.

THE MARCH ON FORT DONELSON.

81 The force of the enemy being so variously reported, it is impossiblo to give exact details of attack; but the necessary orders will be given on the field. U. S. GRANT.

Having properly disposed of the troops in brigades and divisions, he placed the latter under the command of the following generals:

First Division-Acting Major-General J. A. McClernand.

Second Division-Acting Major-General C. F. Smith. Third Division-Acting Major-General Lewis Wallace.

While the First and Second Divisions of the army were to march across the country, and attack the fort in the rear, another division, attended by the gunboats, was sent up the Cumberland, to make the assault from that direction. There was, it would seem, a lack of close calculation in regard to the time required to descend the Ohio and go up the Cumberland, which, as will be seen in the final conflict, deranged, to some extent, the movements of the troops. General Lewis Wallace, with a single brigade, remained at Fort Henry, while six of his regiments embarked on the steamboats. It was a splendid spectacle, when those transports sailed down the Tennessee, with banners flying over the crowded decks, glittering with burnished arms, gay with uniforms, and the whole scene enlivened with martial music. The fleet met other boats, and, turning them back, they all moved-a grand naval cavalcade-up the Cumberland.

Meanwhile the land forces, on the morning of Febru ary 12th, were followed by General Grant and staff. The winding road between the forts was among steep hills, over sandy plains, and along deep ravines shaded by primeval forests. Occasionally a solitary clearing, with its quiet farm-house, greeted the eye of the heroic host. As night came down they halted by the side of a brook, whose waters had rare music to the ear of the weary troops. They had no tents, but uncomplainingly began to prepare for a brief repose upon the frozen ground swept by the chilly winds. The woodman's ax, wielded by strong arms, soon brought down the forest-trees, and cheerful