Presents Excerpts from the 1863 published book by F. Kiner

ONE YEAR’S SOLDIERING

EMBRACING

THE BATTLES

OF

FORT DONELSON AND SHILOH

By F. F. KINER

CHAPLAIN FOURTEENTH IOWA INFANTRY

CHAPTER II.

OUR TRIP TO FORT DONELSON--THE BATTLE.

We remained in Fort Henry from the 8th till the 12th, when we were ordered to march upon Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland river. This was one of the rebel strongholds and considered impregnable. About ten o’clock on the 12th we took up our line of march for this Fort. The day was beautiful and warm and the distance about fifteen miles. We took nothing with us but our blankets and haversacks, three day’s rations of crackers and boiled pork; our muskets and cartridge boxes, with forty rounds of cartridges completed our loads. On our journey we rested several times; as we had not been used to marching we got tired very easily. We arrived to within a mile of the Fort a little before dark, and about dark formed line of battle, stacked arms and laid down to sleep for the night, within good common shot range from the rebel works. Notwithstanding the danger to which we were exposed, I slept very soundly, with one-half of my blanket under me and the other half over me, and my head resting upon a chunk of rotten wood for a pillow. So the night passed away and the morning of the 13th dawned upon us; many a brave boy saw the bright sun rise that morning for the last time.

The moment we were ordered to fall into line, and stood awaiting orders to march forward, was one of great anxiety and excitement to us, as few of us had ever seen a battle, or been under a shower of leaden hail. The work before us was a great one--the Fort was strong and formidable, and nothing but bravery could accomplish its reduction. But one thought of all others was most serious, on the eve of going into battle; that was, whose life will Providence choose for an offering in this charge? What young, smiling patriot, eager to avenge his country’s wrongs must meet his doom? Some must die, there can be but little doubt. The question frequently occurred to me, is it I? But then we had volunteered to fight and we were ready, let the result be as it might. Now was the time for the sons of the west to secure their laurels; Iowa’s sons were on the sod; her noble character must be sustained, and we felt that we could do it.

We advanced the whole way under a heavy fire of musketry and several pieces of artillery playing upon us at the same time. But onward we went, the brave and noble 2nd Iowa leading the way. No gun was fired upon our part till we gained within a few rods of the works, when like the maddened regions of despair, our boys sent a volley of lead into their midst, that seemed to shake the very earth, and at the same time mounted the works with clashing bayonets. The shock was more than rebel courage could stand; they gave way and sought shelter behind the inner works, leaving the dead and dying in our hands. The outer works were carried. We were so far victorious. We had gained our point and the honor was ours. This victory was the fatal blow in the reduction of the Fort. The stars and stripes which had been defied a few days before, now in beauty waved over part of this rebel stronghold.

I had often wondered in reading of heavy battles, why more men were not killed as the bullets flew so thick. I am still at a loss to know the reason. The balls flew thick all around us and few were killed, comparatively speaking. I received a slight tap with a musket ball upon the thigh but it was so far spent that it done me no particular injury.

To our great joy a rebel was seen making his way toward us holding over his head a white rag upon a small pole. It was not hard to decipher its meaning. They wished to surrender, and had come to propose terms of capitulation. But they were soon informed that no surrender would be accepted that was not unconditional; and that they might have one hour to make up their minds, and if they did not surrender in that length of time there would be thirty thousand men thrown in upon them. With this instruction the bearer of the white flag hastened back to communicate these facts to the commander of the Fort. I might here remark that the second Lieutenant of my company, G. H. Logan, a brave and gallant officer, accompanied by Corp. Joel E. Savage, bearing the flag of truce upon our side were sent out to receive the rebel dispatch bearer and conduct him to Gen. U. S. Grant; and here is where our illustrious, noble, brave and distinguished General received the heroic title of "Unconditional Surrender Grant."

We remained at Fort Donelson until about the 6th of March, when it was evident that our services were needed elsewhere, and we were ordered back to the Tennessee river.

Transcribed and submitted by great great grandson