Donelson's Advance

When Donelson’s brigade moved into this valley, the rolling terrain had hidden the full extent of Union troop positions, and the Confederates suddenly became trapped in a deadly crossfire as Union artillery fired from both the west and the north. Shells burst overhead and cannonballs struck the Southern lines, yet the brigade pushed forward despite terrible casualties, confusion, and repeated wavering as Donelson’s lines changed direction twice under the accurate fire of two Union batteries. The unexpected artillery barrage nearly stopped the advance, but after dozens were killed and wounded and chaos spread through the Southern ranks, the Confederates reformed, continued the attack, drove a Union infantry regiment from behind a fence, and pressed westward up the valley. Donelson later recalled that fire from another enemy battery farther on the right showed him that he had not had the proper direction, so he ordered a charge. Confederate Colonel John H. Savage, shown above in his Mexican War uniform, commanded the 16th Tennessee Infantry under Donelson.

Kentucky · United States