THE CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON.

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MCALLISTER’S BATTERY IN ACTION.

Captain Edward McAllister’s Illinois battery did good three in two. I had no spare wheel, and had to take oneservice on the 13th. In his report he describes the man- off the limber to continue the fight. I then moved all myner of working the battery: “ # I selected a point, and howitzers over to the west slope of the ridge and loadedabout noon opened on the four-gun battery [see map, under cover of it, and ran the pieces up by hand until Ipage 402] through an opening in which I could see the could get the exact elevation. The recoil would throwfoe. Our fire was promptly returned with such preci- the guns back out of sight, and thus we continued thesion that they cut our right wheel on howitzer number fight until the enemy’s battery was silenced.”

he was also in position to cover the retreat. Buckner had also faithfullyperformed his task.

On the Union side the situation at this critical time was favorable to theproposed retirement. My division in the center was weakened by the dis-patch of one of my brigades to the assistance of Gleneral McClernand; inaddition to which my orders were to hold my position. As a point of stillgreater importance, General Grant had gone on board the St. Louis at therequest of Flag-Officer Foote, and he was there in consultation with thatofficer, presumably uninformed of the disaster which had befallen his right.It would take a certain time for him to return to the field and dispose hisforces for pursuit. It may be said with strong assurance, consequently, thatFloyd could have put his men fairly en route for Charlotte before the Federalcommander could have interposed an obstruction to the movement. The realdifficulty was in the hero of the morning, who now made haste to blight hislaurels. G-eneral Pillow’s vanity whistled itself into ludicrous exaltation.Imagining General Grant’s whole army defeated and fleeing in rout for FortHenry and the transports on the river, he deported himself accordingly. Hebegan by ignoring Floyd. He rode to Buckner and accused him of shameful