Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 24.djvu/328

 320 Southern Histor'n-nl Si,r/','f>/

that evening, the Confederates, being much exhausted from con- tinuous fighting and want of rest, were compelled to fall back to the position they formerly occupied. Consequently the Federals regained the position they occupied that morning, late in the evening.

According to the report that evening the Federals had upwards of 40,000 men on the field, while the Confederate army did not exceed 13,000 available men. This statement was made in my presence by Generals Floyd and Pillow, on the steamer from Fort Donelson, to Nashville, Tennessee, February 16, 1862.

Hostilities on our left had ceased, with the exception of occasional picket-firing, but late in the evening the enemy made repeated and vigorous assaults upon the right of the Confederate line of works. The fight was a desperate one and continued until darkness caused a cessation of hostilities. The enemy had gained some advantage. The Confederates lost part of their works near the fort.

"GREEK MEETS GREEK."

I was informed that evening during the battle, that two Kentucky regiments of infantry (both Second Kentucky), one Confederate and the other Federal, charged bayonets on each other. The conflict was desperate, neither gained any decided advantage over the other, though the loss on both sides was considerable. " When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war." Strange as it may seem, it is said that these two regiments were commanded by brothers Colo- nels Hanson. I mention the above incident because I think it worthy of remark, as similar instances were not of frequent occurrence dur- ing the late war.

CAPITULATION.

That night a council of war was held by Generals Floyd, Pillow, and Buckner. This was, indeed, a critical condition of affairs. Owing to the peculiar situation of our army and the disparity of num- bers, the enemy having more than three men to our one, it was deemed prudent to capitulate. Accordingly, General S. B. Buckner was selected to perform that duty, and he surrendered Fort Donel- son to General U. S. Grant on the morning of the :6th of February, 1862. About 9,000 Confederates were made prisoners on that mem- orable occasion. It may be proper to state that early in the morning before the surrender took place a large number of our soldiers were conveyed across the river and landed on the Tennessee side by a steamer and escaped being captured, and those captured were con-