Buckner, the senior rebel General in the fortification, sent out to obtain an armistice preliminary to arrangements of terms of honorable capitulation. Grant replied that nothing but unconditional and immediate surrender would answer-that he was prepared for the assault and should soon carry the works by the bayonet. Grumbling at the discourtesy (!) shown him, Buckner unconditionally surrendered with his force of nearly 15,000 men.

Upon entering the premises it was found that Generals Pillow and Floyd, with their troops, had flown. During the night they had, at a council of war, declared their purpose to leave by the three steamers still at the landing above Dover. Pillow said he would not surrender-Floyd said it never would · do for him to fall into Federal hands; and so Buckner, the unfortunate ex-chief of the Kentucky State Guard, was forced to do the deed-to give up his arms and submit to the tender mercies of the Government which he had betrayed. The flight of Floyd and Pillow was the theme of much amusing comment by the Northern forces. The escape of the great "chief of thieves" was certainly greatly deplored, for if any rebel among the conspirators deserved the halter more than another, that man was John B. Floyd, Mr. Buchanan's Secretary of War.*

The armament of the Fort and water batteries consisted of forty-four guns, most of them of superior make and heavy calibre. About 17,000 stand of small arms were taken, and an immense amount of stores among which were twelve hundred boxes of beef, showing that the rebels had resolved to stand a siege before giving up. Floyd's and Pillow's men, in crossing the river, pitched all superfluous arms and baggage into the stream. A Louisiana cavalry company made its way, during the darkness, up the river, and thus escaped. Pillow and Floyd made direct for Clarksville.

* This surrender was the occasion of a pretty sharp correspondence among the Confederates; and Johnson had to "explain" to his govern ment. Buckner felt that he was made the scape-goat for greater rogues than himself.

The correspondence between Buckner and Grant was rather humorous than otherwise. It read as follows:

HEADQUARTERS, FORT DONELSON, Feb. 16, 1862.

SIR: In consideration of all the circumstances governing the present situation of affairs at this station, I propose to the commanding officer of the Federal forces, the appointment of Commissioners to argue upon terms of capitulation of the forces at this post under my command. In that view I suggest an armistice until twelve o'clock to-day. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. B. BUCKNER, Brigadier-General, C. S. A. To Brigadier-General U. S. GRANT, commanding U. S. forces, near Fort Donelson.

HEADQUARTERS ON THE FIELD, FORT DONELSON, Feb. 16, '62. To General S. B. BUCKNER-SIR: Yours of this date, proposing an armistice and the appointment of Commissioners to settle on the terms of capitulation, is just received. No terms, except unconditional and immediate surrender, can be accepted. I propose to move immediately on your works. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, U. S. GRANT, Brigadier-General Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS, DOVER, Tenn., Feb. 16, 1862. Brigadier-General U. S. GRANT, U. S. A.—SIR: The distribution of the forces under my command, incident to an unexpected change of commanders, and the overwhelming force under your command, com. pel me, notwithstanding the brilliant success of the Confederate arms, to accept the ungenerous and unchivalrous terms which you propose. I a I am, sir, your servant, S. B. BUCKNER, Brig. Gen. C. S. A.

pose!'

"Ungenerous and unchivalrous terms which you proInjured gentleman! He doubtless expected to have General Grant give him a horse and escort to the nearest rebel stronghold-to have his men supplied with a halfeagle each and rations for three days, with sundry other comforts, to enable them to fight somewhere else! It took a good many reverses to teach the insolent, unprincipled and ungenerous men, who wore Confederate epaulettes, that the North and Northern soldiers were no longer their humble servants, but their superiors in good manners as well as in arms.

As was expected, these rapid strokes of the Union army astounded and disconcerted the enemy. His boasted strongholds at Bowling Green and Columbus were quickly abandoned; Clarksville was soon deserted, and Nashville temporarily occupied by the fast retreating rebels. But the operations of the gunboats on the Tennessee river promised to cut off retreat by the South, and Nashville was therefore soon given up without a struggle-the enemy falling back upon Murfreesboro', then upon Chattanooga, and finally upon Corinth, where Johnston and Beauregard determined to await the shock of the combined Federal armies, and thus decide the fate of the Mississippi Valley.

While all these splendid victories illumined the Western sky, in the Eastern, where the vast "Army of the Potomac" bivouacked, there was nothing to arrest attention but a "change of base," whose story forms one of the most discouraging chapters of the war. It was not until Western men got command of that army that its record became one of glory. Then, indeed, it covered itself with honor!

XXV.

THE BATTLE OF PITTSBURG LANDING.

PRESSED out of Kentucky by the flank movements up the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, the rebels fell back upon Clarksville, deserting their boasted stronghold at Bowling Green, and, soon after, their reputed "Gibraltar," at Columbus -all without a musket being fired against them. The fall of Donelson compelled Johnston to recede to Nashville; and, from thence, to the South, as rapidly as was consistent with the Southern idea of "retiring." Buell came down with his wellorganized divisions, occupying Nashville, and preparing to

move from thence down upon the enemy, wherever he was to be found. Thomas' fine division was recalled from its work upon East Tennessee (alas for it!) and Mitchell was drawn from Bowling Green. Andrew Johnson was instated as Military Governor of Tennessee. Grant moved forward from Donelson direct to the South, by the Tennessee river, designing to strike into Northern Alabama and Mississippi, and break the railroad connections with Memphis and the East. This would flank and turn Memphis, compelling its evacuation, while the very centres of the Cotton States would be open to invasion.

In order to counteract this invasion, which promised to swoop up the Confederacy with a grand completeness, the rebels bent their whole energies to oppose the progress of the Federal army. General A. Sidney Johnston, as Commanderin-Chief, and Beauregard, as second in command, called to their aid the redoubtable General Bragg, with his well-drilled army, from Pensacola; Price and Van Dorn, with their wild brigades from Arkansas and Texas; Breckenridge, with his well-ordered brigades of recusant Tennesseans and Kentuckians; Pillow and Floyd with their forces of Mississippians and Virginians; Cheatham and the Reverend General Polk, with their well-drilled brigades from the line of the Mississippi. Hardee, Hindman, and others, were also detailed to the rebel lines, which were centered around Corinth, Mississippi. To fill up the ranks to a number equal to the work in hand of staying the Federal progress, a conscription was enforced, by which great numbers of those who had not borne arms against the Union, were forced into the service. Corinth was fortified. Memphis was strengthened by the strengthening of the defences above it. Every appearance seemed to indicate that the decisive struggle for the possession of the Mississippi Valley was at hand.

The Federal Government appreciating the greatness of the emergency, prepared for it by ordering Buell to join Grant at Savannah, thence to move direct against Corinth, while the indefatigable Mitchell "sky-rocketted" down upon Huntsville,

Decatur, etc., to cut off the railway and river communication with the East. Halleck was given the command in chief of the combined forces-thus to bring all the Federal military resources in the West to the work in hand.

It was not until late in March that Buell's divisions began to move out of Nashville toward Savannah and Pittsburgh Landing, on the Tennessee river-there to join Grant's forces, already on the ground, for the advance against Corinth. Buell's forces consisted of the superbly-equipped divisions of Nelson, Thomas, Wood, McCook, Negeley and Crittenden--Mitchell going South toward Huntsville, by way of Murfrees boro' and Fayetteville. Grant's forces comprised the divisions of McClernand, Lew Wallace, W. H. L. Wallace, Prentiss, Hurlburt, and W. T. Sherman, with most ample equipments, artillery, etc. All of these forces were Western men-there being not a single regiment in that combined army from East of the Alleghanies.

To prevent the unity of the forces of Grant and Buell was the suddenly conceived design of Johnston. With the usual success, the rebel commander ascertained the plans and disposition of the Federals, and prepared to strike a blow at once on Grant's divisions, advanced to Pittsburgh Landing and located in a semi-circle around the landing, as a centre. If Grant could be beaten back before Buell could reinforce him, the rebels were sure of being able then to overmatch Buell; and, if he was forced back, the way was again opened to recover the ground lost in Tennessee and Kentucky. Immense forces, a steady hand, a daring will might accomplish all, and these Johnston had.

Grant, advancing his forces over the Tennessee, only awaited the coming up of Buell's divisions to assail the enemy intrenched at Corinth. Sherman's division had the extreme advance, left wing, supported by General Prentiss; McClernand held the left centre; W. H. L. Wallace (commanding General Smith's forces) held the left right; Hurlburt's fine brigades formed the reserve; General Lew Wallace's division