Fort Donelson, Tennessee, February 14-16, 1862

Forrest had enough common sense to get out of there before it was too late.

He tried to convince his superiors to execute a strategic withdrawal, but the CSA "Brass" would not listen to a
low born peasant from the backwoods of Tennessee.

Those men were captured and no one remembers their names.

However, 159 years later Forrest is still making headlines in the media.
I know the names of several of these men. My Great Grandfather and his brothers. 50th VA Inf. Company D.
Jacob Mink, Hiram Mink and Calvin Mink. I think there was 2 more but don't remember there names at the moment All were swapped and survived the war so I am here today!
 
Great thread James N. , as usual. I had the good fortune to tour Fort Donelson in the drought summer of 2012, and that day it was actually well over 100 degrees out, I think 104 0r 6. We couldn't walk outside. Also, there is an eagles nest and I will post a picture.

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Forrest had enough common sense to get out of there before it was too late.

He tried to convince his superiors to execute a strategic withdrawal, but the CSA "Brass" would not listen to a
low born peasant from the backwoods of Tennessee...
I don't think it was Forrest being low born, so much as it was extreme cowardice and ineptitude on the parts of Pillow, and Floyd.
Interestingly, despite the blame he has received ever since for his part in the surrender, one person who refused to blame Pillow and retained a high opinion of him was none other than Forrest! He had been very favorably impressed with the way Pillow, after only arriving on the spot a day or two beforehand, took charge of the planned assault and the way he personally conducted it. Of course following the surrender both Floyd's and Pillow's careers were ruined and over, but a year or two later Forrest attempted unsuccessfully to get Pillow assigned to his command.
 
Interestingly, despite the blame he has received ever since for his part in the surrender, one person who refused to blame Pillow and retained a high opinion of him was none other than Forrest! He had been very favorably impressed with the way Pillow, after only arriving on the spot a day or two beforehand, took charge of the planned assault and the way he personally conducted it. Of course following the surrender both Floyd's and Pillow's careers were ruined and over, but a year or two later Forrest attempted unsuccessfully to get Pillow assigned to his command.
Forrest and Pillow had worked together in Memphis with running the city, I imagine he had a soft spot for Pillow, not unlike a student overlooking a mentor's flaws.

Lets not forget Forrest could and would step out of the ranks where Pillow was involved, like at the famous Poll Bearers Speech. He may have also liked Pillow because Pillow would let him do as he wished.
 
It's consensus that the victory at Henry encouraged Foote to be more aggressive at Donelson. It's been said (and I think accurately) that Henry Walke's Carondelet did more damage to Donelson's water batteries with his careful bombardment on the 13th than the entire flotilla did the next day. Walke also later stated that on the 14th he was inclined to try to run past the water batteries and enfilade them, which would very likely have succeeded, since the batteries were all oriented downriver-- but it's not clear if that was said with hindsight gained from passing other positions later in the war or not. It's equally possible that he had the thought at the time, or that he realized it after the fact... no evidence to judge on that point.
Dueling with land based artillery very seldom succeeded. Bypassing a fortification and conducting an unopposed crossing, and then cutting the fort's road connection usually did work.
 
Dueling with land based artillery very seldom succeeded. Bypassing a fortification and conducting an unopposed crossing, and then cutting the fort's road connection usually did work.

Of course... all this must be seen in the light of how early it was in the war... nobody had much experience in it yet. "All green alike."
 
According to the NPS brochure, Confederate soldiers were not moved to this cemetery; they remain buried somewhere on the battlefield. A monument to these soldiers, placed on park grounds in 1932 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, commemorates their sacrifices during the Civil War.
I was about to pose a question in this thread but I think that answers it. Confederate dead at Fort Donelson were buried on the field, whereabouts now known only to God.
 
Great site, great battle to study, and great staff there. I'm glad I've gotten to go there in 2020. I've got to go back and see more, preferably in weather similar to when the battle was fought.

Forrest dropped a Yank with a Maynard Carbine, the Yanks had almost no greatcoats, and Morton got laughed at by the troops for having a feather in his hat.
 
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