S. B. Buckner to W. W. Mackall, February 18, 1862

Dover, Tenn., February 18, 1862.

Str: It becomes my duty to report that the remains of this army, after winning some brilliant successes both in repulsing the assaults of the enemy and in sallying successfully through their lines, have been reduced to the necessity of a surrender.

At the earliest practicable day I will send a detailed report of its operations. I can only say now that, after the battle of the 15th instant had been won and my division of the army was beiug established in position to cover the retreat of the army, the plan of battle seemed to have been changed and the troops were ordered back to the trenches. Before my own division returned to their works on the extreme right the lines were assailed at that point and my extreme right w&s occupied by a large force of the enemy, but I successfully repelled their further assaults.

lt was the purpose of General Floyd to effect the retreat of the army over the ground which had been won in the morning, aud the troops moved from their works with that view; but before any movement for that purpose was organized a reconnaissance showed that the ground

was occupied by the enemy in great strength. General Floyd then determined to retreat aeross the river with such force as could escape; but as there were no boats until nearly daylight on the 16th, he left with some regiments of Virginia troops about daylight, and was accompanied by Brigadier-General Pillow.

I was thus left in command of the remnant of thc army, which had

been placed in movement for a retreat which was discovered to be impraetieable. My men were in a state of complete exhaustion from extreme suffering from cold and fatigue. The supply of ammunition, especially for the artillery, was being rapidly exhausted ; the army was to a great extent demoralized by the retrograde movement. On being placed in command I ordered such troops as could not cross the river to return to their intrenchments, to make at the last moment such resistance as was possible to the overwhelming force of the enemy. But a small portion of the forces had returned to the lines when I received from General Grant a reply to my proposal to negotiate for terms of

surrender. To have refused his terms would, in the condition of the army at that time, have led to the massacre of my troops without any advantage resulting from the sacrifice. I therefore felt it my highest duty to these brave men, whose conduct had been so brilliant and whose sufferings had been so intense, to accept the ungenerous terms proposed by the Federal commander, who overcame us solely by overwhelming superiority of numbers. This army is accordingly prisoners of war, the officers retaining their side-arms and private property and the soldiers their clothing and blankets. . I regret to state, however, that, notwithstanding the earnest efforts of General Grant and many of his officers to prevent it, our camps have been a scene of almost indiscriminate pillage by the Federal troops. In conclusion, I request, at the earliest time practicable, a court of inquiry, to examine into the causes of the surrender of this army. I am, sir,

very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.
Col. W. W. MACKALL,
Assistant Adjutant- General, Nashville, Tenn.
RICHMOND, VA., August 11, 1862.
Sir: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations
of that portion of the Second Division of the Central Army of Kentucky which was detached from Bowling Green and Russellville, Ky., to
aid in the defense of Fort Donelson.and the village of Dover, on the