Donelson Persists

When Donelson’s shattered regiments reached this position, nearly half of his men had been killed and wounded, yet the Confederate attack continued westward. With Donelson’s 16th Tennessee Infantry Regiment in the lead, the stubborn advance moved past the ridge and drove Union defenders away from the Widow Gibson cabin before being stopped by a Union brigade commanded by Colonel George Webster. Under crossfire from several Federal batteries and facing obstinate Union resistance, Donelson’s brigade, already in shambles, withdrew with severe losses. In the four-hour battle, the 16th Tennessee Infantry suffered nearly 60 percent casualties, losing more men killed and wounded than any other Southern regiment in the battle. Donelson’s attack sought to overtake a Union battery and, although it pushed back several Union regiments, it ultimately stalled.

Kentucky · United States