Today in History:

251 Series I Volume VII- Serial 7 - Ft. Henry-Ft. Donelson

Page 251 Chapter XVII. CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON, TENN.


Numbers 43. Report of Colonel J. M. Shackelford, Twenty-fifth Kentucky Infantry.


HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FIFTH KENTUCKY REGIMENT, Camp Cloak, near Fort Henry, February 18, 1862.

SIR: Below I give you a list of the killed, wounded, and missing in the Twenty-fifth Regiment Kentucky Volunteers in the battle at Dover, on the 13th instant.

Captain Lieuten Sergean Corpora Private Aggrega

s. ants. ts. ls. s. te.

Killed ... 1 2 3 6 12

1 2 4 7 46 60

Wounded

Missing ... ... ... ... 12 12

*Total 1 3 6 10 64 84

Pursuant to your order, on Saturday morning, the 13th instant, I proceeded with my regiment in the direction of General McClernand's extreme right. Following the guide you sent me, I passed General McClernand at his headquarters,and he order me to go at doublequick. The guide continued with me, leading me within range of the enemy's guns, until we passed in the rear of one of our batteries on the hill, when the guide left me, directing me to proceed around the hill. I then proceeded, in utter ignorance of the point at which I was needed and the position of the enemy, until I came up in the rear of one of General McClernand's regiments, when the colonel came running down to me and appealed to me to come to his rescue, stating that his men were about out of ammunition. I halted my regiment, formed them,a nd led them up in the face of a most galling and terrific fire. My officers and men marched upon it with the coolness and firmness of regulars, and opened a most deadly fire upon the enemy.

After some time two officers came up, and without consulting me, ordered my men to forward down the line. My men then moved down the line under a most deadly fire from the enemy. When I again opened fire upon them, and whilst my men were fighting as bravely and gallantly as men ever fought, some officers came upon my extreme right and ordered them cease firing; that some of my men were firing upon them off to the right of my regiment, moving through and breaking my line, when my command fell back, a number of the officers and men fighting as they retired. The regiment was subsequently reformed and entered the action.

Respectfully, yours,
J. M. SHACKELFORD,

Colonel Twenty-fifth Regiment Kentucky Volunteers.

Colonel CRUFT,

Commanding First Brigade, Third Division.

---------------

*But see revised list, p. 169.

---------------


Page 251 Chapter XVII. CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON, TENN.