Thoughtfully curated historical journalism
Chicago, Feb. 19. —The Tribune correspondent, in giving a description of the battle at Fort Donelson, says, that when Col. Crafts’ brigade, which had been ordered to reinforce Gen. McClernand, came up in the rear of the thirtieth, thirty first, and twenty-fifth Kentucky, these regiments were lying down and firing over the crest of a hill. They rose, and not knowing whether the force in their rear was friend or foe, the twenty-fifth Kentucky, supposing them to be rebels, poured in a raking volley on them, which did terrible execution, and was sufficient to throw the entire brigade into disorder at once, which was almost a panic. Some threw down their guns and equipments, and fled immediately. The woods were filled with stragglers. Some even fled to fort Henry.
Proposed Sale of the South, Slavery and All
Among the most interesting items of news from Europe by the Asia is the report of the Independance Belje “that the Southern Commissioners have informed tho English governmentthat, in return for the recognition of the Southern confederacy, they would establish most absolute free trade for fifty years, abolish the external slave traffic, and emancipate all the blacks born after the recognition.”
We are strongly inclined to believe that Mason and Slidell were charged with that extensive discretion which would cover these propositions, and that Jeff. Davis and his confederates have placed all their hopes upon British intervention. All their other calculations failing, the conspirators who contrived this rebellion believed that Southern cotton and free trade would infallibly bring England to their rescue. The influence of these temptations upon the British government—which had been presented in every shape and form by industrious Southern emissaries—was betrayed in the indecent haste with which Lords Palmerston and Russell seized upon the Trent affair as a cause for war. But that cloud having blown over, and King Cotton and free trade having failed to silence the abolition objections of the English people to a war with the United States in support of a pro-slavery confederacy, we can readily believe that Davis and Company, as a last resort to save themselves from the penalties of unsuccessful treason, are prepared to sell our revolted States, slavery and all, for English intervention.
Just as the Star goes to press to day, the General-in-Chief has received a dispatch from Gen. Buell, announcing that his advance, under Gen. Mitchell, reached the river opposite Bowling Green yesterday by a forced march.
The enemy fearing the passage of his force across the river by the remaining bridge there, burned that immediately, or sufficient of it to render it impassable.
General Mitchell at once set about constructing another, under the protection of his guns.
The Enemy’s Raid Down The Tennessee River—The Situation Of Affairs Near Fort Henry
Memphis, Tenn. February 11.—There has been a heavy loss in steamboats on the Tennessee river, owing to the raid of the enemy’s gun-boats Lexington and Conestoga. The Sam Orr, Containing 170 pounds of powder and two submarine batteries, was set on fire at 8 o’clock on Friday evening, two miles above the Tennessee river bridge. On Friday and Saturday, the Appleton, Belle, and Lynn Boyd, were burned by the Confederates at the mouth of Duck River. The Sam Kirkman, the Julius and the Time (the last named containing $100000 worth of Government stores) were abandoned and burned on Saturday. The Dunbar was sunk in Cypress Creek. The Eastport was also sunk. The Cerro Gordo and the Sallie Ward were the only boats captured by theenemy; and the Robb is the only one that escaped uninjured. The Federal gun-boats have left the Tennessee River, but are expected to return soon. They took with them 20,000 pounds of Confederate salt pork, which they found at Florence; but refused to touch private property, or even the cotton which they found. Passenger trains have resumed their trips on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad.
The telegraph reports the surrender of Fort Henry, on the Tennessee river, after a short engagement with the gunboats and before the land force had arrived at the scene of action. It is also stated that our forces had advanced fifteen miles beyond Fort Henry and had taken possession of the Memphis and Ohio Railroad bridge. This is an important victory, if we have force enough to take advantage of it. In this event it will be attended with the most important and decisive results. The St. Louis Republican thus detailed the importance of General Grant’s expedition a few days ago:
If the communication between Bowling Green and Columbia can be cut off, the Union forces still have it in their power to achieve such a victory as will make the Confederates tremble from Nashville to Pensacola.
The comparatively moderate amount of confiscated South Carolina cotton arriving at this port is really no indication of the extent of the work of picking or of the quantity yet to he gathered. It is true that much of the cotton which was grown very near the large rivers and water-courses in the vicinity of Port Royal, and not burned by the rebels, has been brought forward ; but a very small proportion of the whole amount on the islands has yet been brought to Hilton Head for shipment to this port.
The work of gathering goes steadily on; large quantities have been collected on the inland plantations, and ginning is carried on to a considerable extent. The number of contrabands engaged in the work is increasing, and the chief difficulty at present is a want of transportation facilities.