John P. Cook to Charles F. Smith, March 6, 1862

transportation having been left in the morning, and some of the regiments leaving even their knapsaeks. Captain Richardson’s battery was left midway between Camp Halleck and Fort Henry, being unable to proceed on account of the impracticability of the roads. The 7th instant quartered the infantry in Fort Henry, partly in tents and partly in barracks formerly occupied by the rebels:

The 8th instant four companies of infantry were sent by transports to Camp Halleck, with orders to bring up our baggage left there, and . also Captain Riehardson’s battery, which they accomplished, returning the following day. On the 8th the Thirteenth Missouri Volunteers, Col. C. J. Wright, which had been assigned to the Third Brigade, arrived from Smithland. The 10th instant, having with much trouble and labor made bridges over the slough formed by backwater from the Tennessee River, the command encamped 1 mile from the river, immediately inside of the outer fortifications, where we remained until the morning of the 12th.

On the 11th instant the Seventh Iowa Volunteers was transferred from ` thebrigade and the Fifty-second Indiana added, Major Cavender’s entire battalion of First Missouri Light Artillery having been in the mean time temporarily assigned to the brigade. Leaving Fort Henry at 8 o’clock a. m. the 12th instant, the command arrived within a mile and a half of Fort Donelson at 3 o’clock p. m., the road being excellent and all transportation having been left at Fort Henry. Distance marehed, 12 miles. The position assigned the brigade under my command was well chosen, being a high ridge of nearly 1 mile in length, and almost overlooking the enemy’s works on his right. In fine spirits, with full assurance of success, the troops passed the night, prepared for an attack should a sally be made from the fort. The 13th, the men’s haversacks being well filled, a hearty breakfast was eaten at an early hour, and under orders at 8 a.m. I moved the command up the Dover road to a point within one-half mile of the enemy’s outer works; deployed in line the Seventh Illinois on the right and Fifty-second Indiana on the left as skirmishers. The command moved steadily forward through the dense timber, crossing the deep ravine without resistanceuntilthe Seventh Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Babcock commanding, found itself within short range of a battery till then undiscovered, which immediately upon appearance of our colors opened a destructive fire, killing instantly Capt. N. E. Mendell, Company I, and. wounding several others. Owing to the density of the timber our own artillery was not yet in position. The regiment retired beyond range and to the support of Captain Richardson’s battery, First Missouri Light Artillery, just going into position. With the remaining four regiments I proceeded to the summit of a ridge overlooking the fort, a distance of nearly 600 yards intervening, the immensity of the abatis covering the whole precluding the possibility of proceeding farther but by an unwarranted destruction of life, the enemy in force being secure, concealed in his rifle pits and behind his palisades, from which continuous firing was kept up during the remaining portion of the day, answered by sharpshooters and skirmishers from our side, each side sustaining a slight loss. This position gained, it was held during the night, the men resting on their arms without fires and without blankets, everything but arms and ammunition having been cast aside on approaching the fort.

On the 14th, after a long and weary night of watching, the men being unprovided with tents or blankets and our immediate proximity to the enemy’s works and batteries precluding the possibility of building fires, knowing that the light would draw his fire from his two strong redoubts,

LI under which we lay, the troops under my command arose at an early hour, shook the thick eovering of snow from their overcoats, partook of a meager breakfast, and cheerfully resumed their old position under the intrenchments. Though suffering from the snow and rain of the previous night, they returned during the whole of the day the enemy’s fire, doing him no little damage. Night again coming on, the troops fell back for rest and such refreshments as could under the cireumstances be had, reasons before mentioned preventing the building of fires.

Here necessity compels me to state that Colonel Wright, in violation of direct orders, removed his command, the Thirteenth Missouri, to its first position occupied before the investment. dmmediately upon being informed of the same, I proceeded on foot, and in person ordered his return. His compliance with the order again left the command in its original line and in readiness for a combined attack on the following day.

Saturday, the 15th, after another night of snow and severe cold, the troops suffering intensely, but without murmurs, four regiments of my command returned to their original position (the Seventh Illinois having been sent the day prévious farther to the right to support Captain Richardson’s battery), they having been permitted to fall back by companies out of range of the enemy’s guns to cook their breakfast and thaw their frozen clothes. At 9a. m., in pursuance of orders from division headquarters, the Thirteenth Missouri Volunteers was sent to the right to support a battery left unprotected by the withdrawal of a portion of Colonel McArthur’s brigade, and the Fifty-second Indiana, Colonel Smith, was ordered to the extreme left to repel any sally which the enemy might make from that quarter, a gap in his breastworks having been left for egress, leaving only the Twelfth Iowa and Fiftieth Illinois, with one battalion of Birge’s Sharpshooters, to engage the enemy along a line of half a mile in extent. At 2 p. m. orders came from General Smith to increase the number of skirmishers from my command and more completely engage the enemy’s attention, while he in person, with Colonel Lauman’s brigade and the Fifty-second Indiana, stormed the entrance previously mentioned.

The fortifications having been gained by General Smith and the enemy’s infantry having been driven back, I sent a messenger to General Grant, asking permission to move my brigade up to the support of : Colonel Lauman, and, if possible, take the enemy’s batteries, which were pouring in upon him a murderous fire of grape, canister, and shell. While awaiting the return of the messenger information was received that the Stars and Stripes were flying over the main battery of the enemy, when orders were immediately given to cease firing, which having been complied with and the companies thrown out as skirmishers ordered to rejoin their commands, I ascertained the Stars and Stripes were raised by the rebels that we might be drawn within their reach. The messenger having returned, I abandoned the position, and with all the speed possible proceeded over the abatis, under a heavy fire of grape and canister. The distance being short, the discharges caused but little damage, overshooting us just enough to tear into shreds the colors of the Seventh Illinois, which regiment had been ordered by General Grant to rejoin me, two pieces of the battery it was supporting having been placed in position within the intrenchments, and succeeded, with the assistance of infantry, in silencing the battery of the enemy, giving us at.a late hour full possession of his outer works on his right, he having been driven to take cover under his inner intrenchments. The Fiftysecond Indiana, from the lateness of the hoar having been ordered back, by direction of General Smith we were instructed to hold the position obtained during the night and immediately prepare for a combined assault the following morning, with the simple command from General

Smith, “Take it, sir!” During the night the men rested upon their arms, and for the first time built fires, which enabled them to rest more confortably.

Aroused at an early hour Sunday, the 16th, we partook of a scanty breakfast. Called to your headquarters, I was directed to order two regiments to the relief of Colonel Lauman, two additional regiments to their support a little retired, holding one regiment in reserve. The Seventh Regiment having expended more ammunition the day previous than any of the others, having an average of only nine rounds to the man, and being compelled to await the arrival of ammunition with

which to fill the boxes, was selected as the reserve. About the time of the arrival of the ammunition, whilst the men were filling their boxes, the woods around were made to ring with loud and enthusiastic cheers from the troops under the command of Colonel Lauman and myself, announcing the unconditional surrender of Fort Donelson, giving us uninterrupted ingress into and peaceful posséssion of its entire rebel contents. A full and complete statement of the number of killed, wounded, and missing has in a previous report been supplied you.*

In accordance with your-order to allude to and particularize those deserving of commendation, it affords me much pleasure to mention the following officers, viz: Colonel Bane and Adjutant Brown, of the Fiftieth Illinois; Colonel Smith and staff, of the Fifty-second Indiana; Colonel Woods and Major Brodtbeck, Twelfth Iowa, and LieutenantColonel Babcock and Major Rowett, Captain Monroe, Company B ; Captain Ward, Company A ; Captain Lawyer, Company C, and Lieutenant Johnson, commanding Company I (Captain Mendell having been killed in the first engagement), of the Seventh Illinois Volunteers, and the following gentlemen of the medical staff, viz: Dr. R. L. Metcalf, surgeon, and James Hamilton, assistant surgeon, Seventh Illinois ; Dr. Finley, assistant surgeon of the Twelfth Iowa, and Dr. Brown, assistant surgeon of the Thirteenth Missouri Volunteers, who were constantly upon the field, regardless of danger and fatigue. Too high praise and commendation cannot be bestowed upon the medical staff of my command. Being almost entirely destitute of staff officers myself, I cannot refrain from an

expression of both gratitude and approbation for the bravery and con- .

duct exhibited by Lieut. B. F. Smith, acting assistant adjutant-general of the Third Brigade, and Private John C. Brand, composing my entire staff. Being repeatedly called upon to act in the same capacity myself rendered the labors necessary for the proper command of the brigade more arduous than upon any previous occasion.

There are doubtless many others deserving of especial mention at my hand for gallant conduct, but, being almost wholly unacquainted with four regiments of my command, I am unable to render to them the praise merited. Truth and justice require me to say that the entire command behaved in a manner deserving of approbation, cheerfully enduring the fatigue and exposure attendant upon the most inclement weather known in this latitude.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,