. Life and services of Gen. U. S. Grant . the right; and then, in order, Oglesby and W. H. L. left was near the Fort Henry road, on the leftof which was Crufts brigade, of Lewis Wallaces lines corresponded to the contour of the rebel intrench-ment, and with each brigade was a field-battery. It was weUposted, and, i^ on the alert, could certainly repel any rebelattack. But, unfortmiately, the first attack of the rebels wasof the nature of a surprise. E/eveille was just soimding, thetroops were not under arms, and seemed to be in utter igno-rance of the rebel des
. Life and services of Gen. U. S. Grant . the right; and then, in order, Oglesby and W. H. L. left was near the Fort Henry road, on the leftof which was Crufts brigade, of Lewis Wallaces lines corresponded to the contour of the rebel intrench-ment, and with each brigade was a field-battery. It was weUposted, and, i^ on the alert, could certainly repel any rebelattack. But, unfortmiately, the first attack of the rebels wasof the nature of a surprise. E/eveille was just soimding, thetroops were not under arms, and seemed to be in utter igno-rance of the rebel designs ; but it at once became evidentthat our right flank was seriously menaced. The brigade andregimental commanders soon got their men into line, and,guided by the crack of the rebel rifles and the flashes of theif^•.ims, executed a partial change of front to meet them. Itv/as not a moment too soon, for Pillow had sent his cavalry FORT DONELSON. 69 to try and strike McArthurs rear, while he was poundingaway at his exposed right Ccn,Cnait9 ^^J ^ ^^ f^ nrVESTMENT OF FOET DONELSON, Oglesby and McArthur, with too scant a supply of ammu-nition for this unexpected battle, stood firm for a while; butfresh rebel troops constantly arrived, and had it not been forthe coolness of the brigade commanders and the inspiringvalor of Colonel John A. Logan, who commanded the Thirty-first Illinois, of Oglesbys brigade, the attack might have re-sulted in a panic to our troops. As it was, McArthur andOglesby were obliged to fall back rapidly to avoid being takenin rear, and to form a new line facing south. But the rebelsdid not advance with impunity. Our light batteries, admira-bly handled by McAllister, Taylor, and Dresser, shifting theirposition from time to time, pour in a withering fire of grapeand canister, and cause the enemys front line to recoil againand again, until pushed forward, or replaced by the overwhelm-ing masses in rear. Two regiments of W. H. L. Wallaces bri-gade fly t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjectuniteds, bookyear1868
