Confederate forces under the command of Brigadier General John B. Floyd attempted to break out of their trapped position today inside Fort Donelson in western Tennessee. Their assault over the frozen ground was against besieging Federal forces under the command of Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant.
Nine days ago, Grant took Donelson’s twin, Fort Henry, when the Tennessee River flooded the forward batteries of the structure, leaving it almost completely defenseless. The 3,000 man garrison had been sent to Donelson just in time to help with the defense there. Approximately 10,000 more reinforcements had been sent to the fort as well, giving it a total strength of approximately 17,000.
After Grant’s 25,000 men made the overland march and laid siege, communication with the fort has been cut off, and no one can be certain what’s happening inside. All light has been extinguished to protect against sharpshooters on both sides, so the frosty nights are dark. Heads have been visible, however, in the outer works which form a crescent around the fort, showing that the men inside are still alive.
When a disorganized probe was made on the fort two days ago, and an attack by the seven gunboats yesterday, the defenders revealed their presence in a grand way as they repulsed both.
After the failed assaults, Grant’s forces settled in for a siege. With the freezing wind biting at the Federal encampments, it wasn’t certain who was truly the more besieged.
However, the fort was not intended to hold so many forces, and so it can be assumed that supplies began to run short very quickly. It is likely because of this that the break-out attempt began this morning.
The attack began at dawn on the Confederate left. They had positioned almost all of their men on that side, who rushed forward, crashing into the division of John A. McClernand. Their goal was evidently to push McClernand’s division aside far enough to open a gateway so the men could escape. Charging with the spine tingling shout of the rebel yell, the men left their entrenchments and crashed into McClernand’s men. Supported by a flank attack of their cavalry, led by Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Confederates were successful in driving back the brigades of McArthur and Oglesby.
McClernand begged for reinforcements from Lew Wallace, whose division in the center was next to his. Wallace, evidently waiting for word from Grant, held his position. Grant had left before dawn to speak with Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote. He was far enough away that he would not return to the battle for some time.
The Confederate forces continued to press forward, pushing back General McClernand’s force as much as two miles. By noon, their gateway was open, and the men had an escape route. But the Confederate forces inexplicably stalled at this point. The attacks had become uncoordinated and disorganized. Generals could be seen on horseback beyond their men arguing with one another. Clearly, something had gone wrong, despite their morning victories.
By this time, though Grant was still not on the field, Brigadier General Lew Wallace put his division into the fight, reinforcing McClernand and forming a wall with his brigades. The gateway was already beginning to close.
Grant finally arrived at this point and began assessing the battle. Seeing that it was a breakout attempt, he reportedly said to his aide, “The one who attacks first now will be victorious. The enemy will have to be in a hurry if he gets ahead of me.”
Apparently the Confederate commanders did not agree with him, as at this point they did something unthinkable. Despite having the initiative, and despite their victory over McClernand, and despite having their door open to freedom, they mysteriously pulled back behind their outer entrenchments. Wallace moved up his division, closing the opening and sealing the Confederates back inside.
Grant did not hesitate to take advantage of this opportunity. He sent his remaining division under Brigadier General C.F. Smith forward to take Fort Donelson. Their only opposition was the 33rd Tennessee, which had been left behind to guard against the attack. They were quickly overrun, and little remained to stop them from taking the fort. Buckner, who had been taking part in the breakout attempt, now turned his attention back toward Smith to slow his advance.
Brigadier General Lew Wallace, meanwhile, waited only long enough for one of the brigade commanders to light a cigar before ordering them forward. A bullet knocked the cigar out of his mouth, and in a sign of how cool and collected the Federals were at this point, the commander simply replaced the cigar with a new one.
By this point, the sun was setting, and the assaults were called off. Grant, now close enough to take the fort, seems to be ready to finish it off in the morning. However, one of the roads leading east from the fort remains open, and may serve as an escape route for the Confederates in the morning.
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