412

THE CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON.

conduct the brigade to the point from which the attack was to be made, afterwhich Haynie might take the command, if he so desired.

Down the hill the three regiments went, crashing and tearing through theundergrowth. Heiman, on the lookout, saw them advancing. Before theycleared the woods, Maney opened with shells. At the foot of the descent, inthe valley, G-raves joined his fire to Maney’s. There Morrison reported toHaynie, who neither accepted nor refused the command. Pointing to thehill, he merely said, “ Let us take it together.” Morrison turned away, andrejoined his own regiment. Here was confusion in the beginning, or worse,an assault begun without a head. Nevertheless, the whole line went forward.On a part of the hillside the trees were yet standing. The open space fell toMorrison and his 49th, and paying the penalty of the exposure, he outstrippedhis associates. The men fell rapidly; yet the living rushed on and up, firingas they went. The battery was the common target. Maney’s gunners, inrelief against the sky, were shot down in quick succession. His first lieuten-ant (Burns) was one of the first to suffer. His second lieutenant (Massie) wasmortally wounded. Maney himself was hit; still he staid, and his gunscontinued their punishment; and still the farmer lads and shop boys of Illi-nois clung to their purpose. With marvelous audacity they pushed throughthe abatis and reached a point within forty yards of the rifle-pits. It actu-ally looked as if the prize were theirs. The yell of victory was rising in theirthroats. Suddenly the long line of yellow breastworks before them, coveringHeiman’s five regiments, crackled and turned into flame. The forlorn-hopestopped — staggered — braced up again — shot blindly through the smoke atthe smoke of the new enemy, secure in his shelter. Thus for fifteen minutesthe Illinoisans stood fighting. The time is given on the testimony of theopposing leader himself. Morrison was knocked out of his saddle by a mus-ket-ball, and disabled; then the men went down the hill. At its foot theyrallied round their flags and renewed the assault. Pushed down again, againthey rallied, and a third time climbed to the enemy. This time the batteryset fire to the dry leaves on the ground, and the heat and smoke becamestifling. It was not possible for brave men to endure more. Slowly, sullenly,frequently pausing to return a shot, they went back for the last time; andin going their ears and souls were riven with the shrieks of their woundedcomrades, whom the flames crept down upon and smothered and charredwhere they lay.

Considered as a mere exhibition of courage, this assault, long maintainedagainst odds,—twice repulsed, twice renewed,—has been seldom excelled.One hundred and forty-nine men of the 17th and 49th were killed andwounded. Haynie reported 1 killed and 8 wounded.

There are few things connected with the operations against Fort Donelsonso relieved of uncertainty as this: that when Gfeneral Q-rant at Fort Henrybecame fixed in the resolution to undertake the movement, his primary objectwas the capture of the force to which the post was intrusted. To effect theircomplete environment, he relied upon Flag-Officer Foote and his gun-boats,whose astonishing success at Fort Henry justified the extreme of confidence.