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from which point we could occasion. illy hear the reports of hi-.ivy artillery in the direction of Donelson, like muttering thunder in tin- distance. We remained here a day or two, and then marched to Cumberland City, a small boat-landing on the river, from where we were conveyed by a steamer to Fort Donelson, leaving all our ba.yiMine behind, which we never saw again. We reached our des- tination Thursday evening, February 13, 1862.

ANNOYED BY SHELLS.

Upon our arrival at the wharf, opposite a little village, Dover, situ- ated on a hill, interspersed with small trees and everlooking the river, about six hundred yards east of the fort, the enemy annoyed us con- siderably at short intervals by shelling our steamer. The quarters were made rather uncomfortable for us. Occasionally a shell would explode before reaching the wharf, in the road, or the main street that leads up into the village, which caused some excitement and solicitude for a brief while. Only a few casualties, how ever, resulted. The enemy's position from where our steamer was being shelled was probably two miles and a half distant. Fragments of shell flew pro- miscuously about the steamer, though doing no material damage. While on the steamer I saw a piece of shell strike a pile of wood near the engine, scattering it in various directions. The engineer was knocked down, and escaped with slight injury. I was also struck on my chest with splintered wood, but was not injured.

As soon as practicable we disembarked our cannon, c., at once proceeded up the street, through the village, and filed to the right of our army, where we remained temporarily. As it was late in the evening, we did not obtain a position for our battery. Just as soon as the shadow of darkness came on we moved a short distance to the left and encamped that night in a ravine.

The weather was very severe. It was raining, snowing, and freezing, accompanied by a sharp wind. With considerable diffi- culty we succeeded in procuring some fuel to make fires to keep from freezing.

We had no tents, and suffered intensely from exposure and want of adequate rations. We had to make fires to warm ourselves, occa- sionally, in ravines and places where the enemy could not observe the light from our fires. I understood that a number of soldiers froze to death in the breastworks. This condition confronted us while at Donelson.