. Battles and leaders of the Civil War : being for the most part contributions by Union and Confederate officers . eard by some listeneroutside. One would think the jolting and rumble of the heavy gun-carriageswould have told the story. But the character of the night must be remem-bered. The pickets of the Federals were struggling for life against the blast,and probably did not keep good watch. Oglesbys brigade held McClernands extreme right. Here and there themusicians were beginning to make the woods ring with reveille, and thenumbed soldiers of the line were rising from their icy beds and s
. Battles and leaders of the Civil War : being for the most part contributions by Union and Confederate officers . eard by some listeneroutside. One would think the jolting and rumble of the heavy gun-carriageswould have told the story. But the character of the night must be remem-bered. The pickets of the Federals were struggling for life against the blast,and probably did not keep good watch. Oglesbys brigade held McClernands extreme right. Here and there themusicians were beginning to make the woods ring with reveille, and thenumbed soldiers of the line were rising from their icy beds and shaking thesnow from their frozen garments. As yet, however, not a company hadfaUen in. Suddenly the pickets fired, and with the alarm on their lipsrushed back upon their comrades. The woods on the instant became alive. The regiments formed, officers mounted and took their places; words ofcommand rose loud and eager. By the time Pillows advance opened fire onOglesbys right, the point first struck, the latter was fairly formed to receiveit. A rapid exchange of volleys ensued. The distance intervening between -V. se^ Z THE CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON. 417 the works on one side and the bivouac on the other was so short that theaction began before Pillow could effect a deplopnent. His brigades cameup in a kind of echelon, left in front, and X)assed by regiments left into line,one by one, however; the regiments quickly took their places, and advancedwithout halting. Oglesbys lUinoisans were now fully awake. They heldtheir ground, retuining in full measure the flie that they received. TheConfederate Forrest rode around as if to get in their rear, J and it was thengive and take, infantry against infantry. The semi-echelon movement of theConfederates enabled them, after an interval, to strike W. H. L. Wallacesbrigade, on Oglesbys left. Soon Wallace was engaged along his whole front,now prolonged by the addition to his command of Morrisons fiist charge against him was repulsed
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidbattlesleade, bookyear1887
