THE CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON.

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We have now before us a spectacle seldom witnessed in the annals ofscientific war—an army behind field-works erected in a chosen position wait-ing quietly while another army very little superior in numbers proceeds atleisure to place it in a state of siege. Such was the operation General Granthad before him at daybreak of the 13th of February. Let us see how it wasaccomplished and how it was resisted.

In a clearing about two miles from Dover there was a log-house, at thetime occupied by a Mrs. Crisp. As the road to Dover ran close by, it wasmade the headquarters of the commanding general. All through the nightof the 12th, the coming and going was incessant. Smith was ordered to finda position in front of the enemy’s right wing, which would place him faceto face with Buckner. McClernand ’s order was to establish himself on theenemy’s left, where he would be opposed to Pillow.

A little before dawn Birge’s sharp-shooters were astir. Theirs was apeculiar service. Each was a preferred marksman, and carried a long-rangeHenry rifle, with sights delicately arranged as for target practice. In actioneach was perfectly independent. They never manoeuvred as a corps. Whenthe time came they were asked, “Canteens full?” “Biscuits for all day?”Then their only order, “All right; hunt your holes, boys.” Thereupon theydispersed, and, like Indians, sought cover to please themselves behind rocksand stumps, or in hollows. Sometimes they dug holes; sometimes theyclimbed into trees. Once in a good location, they remained there the day.At night they would crawl out and report in camp. This morning, as I havesaid, the sharp-shooters dispersed early to find places within easy range ofthe breastworks.

The movement by Smith and McClernand was begun about the same time.A thick wood fairly screened the former. The latter had to cross an openvalley under fire of two batteries, one on Buckner’s left, the other on a highpoint jutting from the line of outworks held by Colonel Heiman of Pillow’scommand. Graves commanded the first (Kentucky), Maney the second (Ten-nessee) ; both were of Tennessee . As always in situations where the advancingparty is ignorant of the ground and of the designs of the enemy, resort washad to skirmishers, who are to the main body what antennae are to insects.Theirs it is to unmask the foe. Unlike sharp-shooters, they act in bodies.Behind the skirmishers, the batteries started out to find positions, and throughthe brush and woods, down the hollows, up the hills the guns and caissonswere hauled. Nowadays it must be a very steep bluff in face of which the goodartillerist will stop or turn back. At Donelson, however, the proceeding wasgenerally slow and toilsome. The officer had to find a vantage-ground first;then with axes a road to it was hewn out; after which, in many instances, themen, with the prolongs over their shoulders, helped the horses along. Inthe gray of the dawn the sharp-shooters were deep in their deadly game; asthe sun came up, one battery after another opened fire, and was instantlyand gallantly answered; and all the time behind the hidden sharp-shooters,and behind the skirmishers, who occasionally stopped to take a hand in thefray, the regiments marched, route-step, colors flying, after their colonels.