Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/166

 Fight at Fort Donelson. 165

The old Colonel, in his declining years, and apprehending that his failing health death, perhaps may deprive him of the pleasure of participating in the contemplated reunion of his surviving comrades, wishes to leave to them this testimonial to their worth, with his heart- felt thanks for the deference and affection with which they have in- variably honored him, in and out of the service, and to give them the assurance of his earnest wishes for their happiness.

September, 1884. X. B. DEBRAY.

Fight Between the Batteries and Gunboats at Fort Donelson. By H. L. BEDFORD.

[The following paper was read before the Confederate Relief and Historical Association at Memphis, and was kindly sent us for pub- lication :]

In compliance with your request to furnish your Society with in- cidents connected with the battle between the batteries and the gun- boats at Fort Donelson, I respectfully offer this paper:

The reports of Colonel James E. Bailey, commander of the gar- rison proper, and of Captain Jacob Culbertson, commander of the water batteries, are correct, and, as official documents, I suppose are complete; but they do not convey to the reader the disadvantages under which the batteries labored in this contest. The operations of the army at this place having proved disastrous to the Confederate cause, it has been condemned as a strategic point, and no one seems particularly anxious to acknowledge the responsibility of its selec- tion. It was the general impression at the Fort that its location had been ordered by the Tennessee authorities as being the most eligible point on the Cumberland River, in close proximity to Fort Henry, on the Tennessee. The original intention evidently was the obstruc- tion of the Cumberland. The engineer in charge, Lieutenant Dixon, while tracing the outlines of the earthworks, never dreamed that a persistent stand against an invading army would ever be attempted, and I feel warranted in suggesting that General A. S. Johnston re- garded it simply as a protection to his rear.

When I received orders in October, 1861, to report there as In- structor of Artillery, Colonel E. W. Munford, aide to General Johnston, informed me that he was instructed by his chief to impress upon me