from Seward to Garrison. They all, from Lincoln to the lowest minion, hated, with a venomous hatred, John B. Floyd. Therefore he could not surrender. To that noble old man it would have been too deep a humiliation. Had he surrendered, the vile Northern rabble would have hooted and howled at his heels, from the Ohio to the St. Lawrence. He would have been hawked at by the Yankee owls in every city and village through which he passed. Therefore General Floyd fort from morning until night on that day. About six thousand men remained with General Buckner, and he surrendered these with the fort on Sunday, the 16th of February. Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing was not more than one thousand. The loss of the enemy was immense; it could not have been less than six thousand in killed and wounded. The ground on the slope in front of the rifle pits was literally covered with his dead and dying. Never were troops handled better than ours were at Fort Donelson. Never" could not surrender." Did he do wrong, then, did men fight with greater resolution. The force brought against them was immensely superior in men and munitions of war, and for three days they held out, fighting each day fresh troops, and repulsing them with terrible slaughter. That the victory was not ours is not the fault of those who fought on that ensanguined field. Had five thousand fresh troops arrived on Saturday evening the victory would have been ours. I now desire to state a few facts in relation to the surrender, not for the purpose of doing any injustice to the living, but to do justice to the dead. In stating these facts I do not wish to draw any invidious distinction between the troops from the different States who fought at Fort Donelson. They all fought well, and they all deserve well of their country. As long as success seemed possible, the different State troops vied with each other in bravery and gallantry. When success seemed impossible, then murmurs were heard, and there was dissatisfaction expressed at the non-arrival of reenforcements. When the question was mooted, whether the garrison "fall back" or surrender, loud disclaimers were heard against the former. It was said, "Are we to leave our homes and families, and fall back fighting for other States? No; we have fought enough; we will surrender and go home." The troops that fought at Fort Donelson were volunteers, many of them "home guards," who had left their homes, as they thought, to fight at Fort Donelson, and then go home. They had no idea, if unsuccessful there, to "fall back" and fight indefinitely. These men fought bravely as long as there was a show of victory; but when the dark hour came, and the question was surrender or fall back, they preferred the former. There were many such at Fort Donelson. It was said that these men had some weight in influencing General Buckner to remain. If true, it is no argument against his humanity, honor, or patriotism. On the contrary, he deserves credit for remaining with his men, to share their fortunes, good or evil. There was another class of men at Fort Donelson, who were not from any particular State, but from all the States there represented, who had determined never to surrender who preferred death to surrender. The head and front of this class was General Floyd. When he said, "I cannot surrender," there was a deep meaning in it. He had been Secretary of War under the Buchanan administration. He had sent the arms belonging to the Government South, and the whole North howled like demons over it. He had been denounced by the whole abolition tribe, in leaving Fort Donelson, and saving all that he could of the garrison? I think not. He did right in saving a part, if he could not save the whole. He was willing to make the effort to save all, but in this he was opposed; he then did the next best thing, he saved all he could. It was said by one high in authority, that he could not understand how seven thousand men could surrender with arms in their hands. How, then, could it be conceived that twelve thousand men could surrender with arms in their hands, which would have been the case had General Floyd remained at Fort Donelson. When it was known on the march from Murfreesboro' to Decatur that the President had suspended General Floyd for the part he took at Fort Donelson, a feeling of regret pervaded the army. It was supposed that his suspension would be of short duration. Men of common sense could not see wherein he had done wrong. He had the sympathies of the whole army, and all hoped that he would soon be reinstated by the President. But he never was. He was too proud "To bow the supple hinges of the knee and he went down to the grave with the censure of the President upon him. What a pity it could not have been otherwise! General Buckner was promoted for the part he acted at Fort Donelson, and he deserved it. General Pillow was reinstated in his command, but General Floyd was left to go down to the grave with this foul censure clinging to him to the last. Why was this? Did the good of the cause require that it should be so? Let us suppose that, in refusing to surren der at Fort Donelson, he committed a wrong. Did the good of the country require that he should never be forgiven? If General Floyd committed a wrong, General Pillow was guilty of a like offence. General Pillow was reinstated in his command. Why was not the same justice rendered towards General Floyd? The writer of this is a friend and ardent admirer of President Davis. He has full confidence in his patriotism, integrity, and ability; but he is constrained to say that the old patriot, who has gone down to his grave, was wronged at his hands. A more patriotic man than John B. Floyd did. not live in the limits of this Confederacy. He was brave and able, honest and sagacious, kind and courteous to those under him, and one of the truest men I ever knew. Those who served under him at Fort Donelson, who saw him sharing the dangers and perils of his men, his face and breast bared to the |