one at her water line and compelling it to fall back. Unfortunately a single rifle shell from one of the enemy's guns dismounted one of our 32-pounder guns, instantly killing the brave Captain Dixon, disabling for the time Captain Shuster, and killing and wounding several privates. I immediately placed Lieutenant (acting captain) Culbertson in charge of the 10-gun battery, and took my post at the river battery, although not able to walk without crutches, and them only with great pain.

In the afternoon, our army being engaged along our whole line, the gunboats renewed the attack, keeping up a continual discharge of shot and shells, without, however, doing much damage. Our own fire was carefully withheld, in order to draw the boats nearer to us, and, as was expected, they son ventured within range. A few well-directed shots from our rifled gun and columbiad soon drove them back, one of their boats being, as I learned that night, with difficulty kept from sinking. At the close of the day the contest by land and water ceased, and our batteries were visited by General Floyd and Pillow, and our artillerists complimented by them, General Floyd ordering the dismantled gun to be that night, if possible, remounted. Upon an inspection made by Major Gilmer, of the Engineers, and myself, I ordered a detail of 12 artificers and carpenters for that purpose.

On the next day the increased pain and inflammation of my wound rendered it impossible for me to remain longer at the batteries, and the ext day I was, by direction of Surgeon Williams, placed on board a steamer, with the wounded, to be sent up the river.

During my service at Fort Donelson, both before and in the engagement at that place, I was under obligations to Acting Adjt. W. W. Foote, (a boy only sixteen old), and to Lieutenant H. S. Bedford, adjutant of artillery battalion, for the prompt and faithful discharge of the arduous and dangerous duties which they had to perform.

I cannot close this statement of the brief and humble part which I performed in preparing and maintaining the defenses of Fort Donelson without expressing my particular obligations to Lieutenant J. Culbertson, of the C. S. Army, on special duty, and Lieutenants Bedford and Cobb, of the Ordnance Department, for the zeal and energy displayed by them in superintending the work at the batteries and valuable services during the engagement, in all of which they were greatly assisted by Captain T. W. Beaumont and his subalterns; nor to Lieutenant Martin and Mcdaniel, of the Tennessee Corps of Artillery, for their untiring energy in imparting instructions to be battalion of artillery under my command; nor can too much be said in praise of the volunteer infantry, who, after three or fours weeks' instruction, in the midst of toil and labor, both day and night, acquired such skill in the management of their guns as to be able to maintain successfully a four days' cannonade against a flotilla of gunboats carrying twice as many and better guns than theirs, crippling at least five of them, and compelling their flag-officer, Foote (himself wounded), to withdraw his fleet entirely from the hopeless effort to pass their batteries; not in this meed of praise should the gallant Captain Ross and Lieutenant Stankieuriz (both old artillery officers), with their subalterns and privates, be forgotten.

Our success was greatly due to the admirable position of our guns, rising gradually from the river to an elevation of 50 feet, thus affording a plunging fire, and from the narrowness of the river (only 500 feet wide) enabling us to throw our balls into the holds of the boats and cripple their machinery.

I may here add, from information derived from some of the parties,