Force through Forty Hills, Mississippi

FORCE. Any body of troops. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 309).


FORAGE. The hay, corn, fodder, and oats required for the subsistence of the horses of an army. Generals, field-officers, cavalry-officers, and staff-officers receive a commutation in lieu of forage for each horse allowed by law, owned, and kept in service. (See PAY.) The maximum ration of forage is fourteen pounds of hay or fodder and twelve pounds of oats, corn, or barley. The established forage ration is furnished by the quartermaster's department. The food of horses however, like that of men, must be modified according to circumstances, by changing established proportions or by substituting one article of food for another. A knowledge of the different descriptions of food capable of maintaining a horse in working condition is essential. Forage in garrison or established quarters is ordinarily obtained under contract; but in the field the resources of the country occupied must be made immediately available. War deranges the proportions commonly maintained between demand and supply, and cripples agricultural industry. It is for the military administrator to counteract as far as possible this tendency, and not alone to seize upon all the resources of supply, but to render them continuously productive. Under the very best arrangements, however, few countries when they become the theatre of contending armies can long support the drain upon them, and afford sufficient sustenance for the immense number of animals which accompany an army, and a partial supply must under the most favorable circumstances be drawn from without. While the army is acting in the immediate vicinity of the sea-board there is little difficulty in maintaining this supply, but when it advances inland, and the means of water transport fail, it becomes a matter of extreme difficulty to provide the requisite transport for so bulky an article as forage. The artillery can render some assistance in this respect, and should be required to carry in their wagons at least three days' supply, but the cavalry soldier  cannot always encumber himself with his forage ration, and at best can only be expected to carry three days' allowance of oats or barley, relying upon the supply department for his hay. Although hay has been packed by hydraulic pressure, the necessity of a further reduction of bulk, both as a question of economy and of convenience, has always been apparent. This consideration, and representations of the waste incurred at the seat of war in the unloading of grain, and its transport to the front, led Mr. Julyan, asst.-commissary-general, B.A., to apply his inventive mind to the manufacture of what is now known as the “Amalgamated Field-forage.” This consisted of a preparation of chopped hay, bruised oats, bran, &c., in the proportions usually issued to cavalry horses, thoroughly mixed together, subjected to a chemical process for the expulsion of fixed air, and compressed by hydraulic power into thick cakes of great solidity. It was cut up into rations of 22 lbs. each, and four of such pieces were packed in one canvas cover, which was convertible into a nose-bag. From these bags the horses w r ere to have been fed, the forage being restored to its original bulk and condition by moderate friction and a few minutes' exposure to the air. This preparation thus combined the advantages of extreme portability, full nutritious property, cheapness, and (from its being almost impervious to air and fire, as well as from its peculiar form) exemption from the accidents, deterioration, and losses to which forage in its ordinary state is subject. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 305-306).


FORAGE MASTER. (See WAGON MASTER.)


FORAGING is properly the collection of forage or other supplies systematically in towns or villages, or going with an escort to cut nourishment for horses in the fields. Such operations frequently lead to engagements with the enemy. Foraging parties are furnished with reaping hooks and cords. The men promptly dismount, make bundles with which they load their horses, and are prepared for any thing that may follow. The word foraging is sometimes inaccurately used for marauding. When foraging is effected in villages, it is best not to take the party into the village, but to send for the chief persons and stipulate with them that the inhabitants shall bring the required forage and other stores out to the troops. If the inhabitants do not promptly comply with this moderate command, it is necessary to take the troops into the village. In this event, all possible means must be taken to prevent disorder, as for instance:

1. A certain number of houses are assigned to each company, so that the commander of the detachment may hold each company responsible for the disorders committed within its limits.

2. Guards are posted and patrols sent out, who arrest any foragers guilty of disorder.

3. If the form of the village permits, a part of the detachment remains at the centre to pack the horses and load the wagons as fast as the other men bring the forage from the houses.

In places where an attack may be expected, the foraging is conducted as follows: Either fatigue parties are sent with wagons, or parties of cavalry with their own horses; in both cases a special escort is added for the protection of the foragers. In all cases, the strength of the escort depends upon the degree of danger, the space over which the foraging is to extend, and the distance from the enemy. During the march of foragers to and from the foraging ground, if they consist of a fatigue party with wagons, an escort is added, which acts in conformity with the rules for escorting convoys. If the foragers consist only of cavalry with their own horses, then on the outward march they move in one body, observing the precautions prescribed for movements near the enemy; on the return march, if the horses of the foragers are packed and led, the detachment acting as escort should not pack more than 40 pounds on their horses, so that the load may not prevent them from acting against the enemy. One hundred and twelve pounds may be packed on a horse, and the horse must be led; 56 pounds are packed in two trusses. Sometimes the escort, or a part of it, may be sent out early to the foraging ground, to take measures for the security of the foragers before they arrive. For the safety of the foragers when at their work, the escort is divided into two or three parts, according to circumstances; one part places a chain of outposts and sends out patrols, to guard the whole ground; another furnishes the supports of the outposts, and if there are infantry or mounted rifles with it they occupy the points which cover the approaches; the third part is placed in reserve near the centre of the ground, that it may easily reach any point attacked. If the enemy attacks while the foraging is going on, the escort should go to meet him or defend itself in position, endeavoring to stop him until the foragers have finished their work, and are drawn out on the road for their return march; then the escort commences its retreat, acting as a rear guard, and endeavoring to keep the enemy as far from the foragers as possible. If it is impossible to hold the enemy in check long enough to finish the work, they should at least send forward and protect all the foragers who have packed their horses or loaded their wagons; the rest join the escort. If there is a probability of driving off the enemy by uniting all the foragers to the escort, it is best to abandon the forage already packed, and to begin foraging anew after having repulsed the enemy. It is permitted to abandon the forage entirely only in extreme urgency, when there is absolutely no other way of saving the foragers. If the enemy is repulsed, we must not be induced to pursue him except far enough to prevent a renewal of the attack, but must endeavor to complete the foraging. The foraging must not be extended over any ground not guarded by the escort. If the escort is too weak to cover the whole space designated for foraging, the ground is divided into parts, and the foraging effected in the different portions successively. If the foraging ground is at a considerable distance from the camp, it will be a proper precaution to post a special detachment in support half way. Foraging in places occupied by the enemy is undertaken only upon the entire exhaustion of the ground occupied by our own troops. Such foraging is covered by offensive operations, so that, having driven in the enemy's advanced troops or other parties, we may rapidly seize all the supplies to be found in the vicinity. This is called forced foraging. The strength and composition of a detachment for forced foraging must be such that it can overwhelm the enemy's troops, and remain long enough in position to enable the accompanying detachment of foragers to complete their work and retreat out of danger. The main conditions of success in such an enterprise are suddenness, rapidity, and determination in the attack, promptness in the work of the foragers, and tenacity in holding the position taken from the enemy as long as necessary. Success will be greatly facilitated by partial attacks made upon different points of the enemy's position while the foraging is going on. Attacks upon foragers should be sudden and rapid, in order, by not giving the escort time to defend the points attacked, to produce confusion among the foragers and thus prevent them from working. The approach of the attacking party should be concealed, rapid, and compact; that is, it should not send out parties to any great distance in front or on the flanks, and, as a general rule, should not divide its force prematurely, but only the moment before the attack. The force of a detachment sent to attack foragers depends chiefly upon the object of the attack that is, whether it is designed to capture the foragers, or only to prevent them from foraging by alarming them, or to prevent them from carrying off forage already packed. It is in all cases advantageous to begin with several simultaneous false attacks by small parties, to perplex the enemy and oblige him to divide the escort; then to direct the main party of the detachment upon the principal point of the enemy's arrangements, overthrow his weakened escort, and penetrate to the road of retreat, so as either to cut off and destroy a part of the escort and foragers, or to force them to abandon their work and fly, by threatening to cut them off. If from the disproportion of force it is impossible to prevent the foraging entirely, the attacking party confines itself to delaying the work; its operations, therefore, should consist in partial attacks upon several points, in order to alarm and disperse the foragers by breaking through the outposts at several points. Upon meeting a considerable force of the enemy these attacking parties should at once retreat, and renew the attack in a different place. In such operations a portion of the attacking detachment should be kept together and held in reserve, as a support and rallying point for the small parties. If they do not succeed in preventing the foraging, they may try to attack the foragers on the return march; observing in this case the rules laid down for attacks upon convoys; (McClellan’s Military Commission to Europe) (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 306-309).


FORAKER, Joseph Benson, governor of Ohio, born near Rainsborough, Highland County, Ohio, 5 July, 1846. He worked on a farm in his boyhood, and when sixteen years of age enlisted in the 89th Ohio Regiment, and served in the Army of the Cumberland until the close of the war. He was made sergeant on 26 August, 1862,1st lieutenant, 14 March, 1864, and on 19 March, 1865, was brevetted captain "for efficient services during the campaigns in North Carolina and Georgia," When his regiment was mustered out he was aide-de-camp on General Henry W. Slocum's staff. After the war he spent two years at Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, and then entered Cornell, where he was graduated with the first class in 1869. He was admitted to the bar in the same year, and in 1879-'82 was judge of the Cincinnati Superior Court, resigning the office on account of his health. He was the unsuccessful Republican candidate for the governorship of Ohio in 1883, but was again a candidate for the office in 1885, when he was elected.  Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, p. 497.


FORBES, Abner, Vermont, general, soldier.  Officer, Vermont auxiliary of the American Colonization Society.  Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, Counsellor, 1835-38.  (Staudenraus, P. J. The African Colonization Movement, 1816-1865. New York: Columbia University Press, 1961, p. 76)


FORBES, Edwin, artist, born in New York City in 1839. At eighteen years of age he began the study of art, and devoted himself to animal painting. In 1859 he became a pupil of A. F. Tait. At the beginning of the Civil War he joined the Army of the Potomac, and remained in the south as special artist for Frank Leslie, the publisher, till 1864. His sketches of his experiences during this period were preserved in a series of copper-plate etchings, which were exhibited at the Centennial Exposition of 1876. and awarded a medal. General William T. Sherman bought the first proofs for the United States government, and they are now in the War Department at Washington. "The Reliable Contraband," "Coming through the Lines," and the "Sanctuary," are the most effective of these sketches. Others are, "A Night March," " Returning from Picket Duty," and " The Reveille." His "Lull in the Fight," a scene in the battle of the Wilderness, was exhibited at the National Academy, New York and at the Boston athenaeum (1865). In 1877 he was elected an honorary member of the London Etching Club. His studio is in Brooklyn, and since 1878 he has devoted himself to landscape and cattle pictures. His later works are: "Early Morning in an Orange County Pasture " (1879); "On the Skirmish Line"; "Stormy March "; " Roughing " ; " On the Meadows " (1880); and " Evening in the Sheep Pasture " (1881).  Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, p. 498.


FORBES, John Murray, 1813-1898, industrial entrepreneur, abolitionist, philanthropist, American railroad magnate.  President of the Michigan Central Railroad and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.  Opposed the introduction of slavery into Kansas and supplied money and weapons to the cause.  Forbes was an elector for Abraham Lincoln in 1860.  (Hughes, Sarah Forbes, ed. Life and Recollections of John Murray Forbes. Houghton, Mifflin, 1899.  Pearson, Henry. An American Railroad Builder: John Murray Forbes. Houghton, Mifflin, 1911.  Pease & Pease, 1972)


FORCE, Manning Ferguson, soldier, born in Washington, D. C., 17 December 1824, was graduated at Harvard in 1845, and at the law-school in 1848. He was appointed major of the 20th Ohio Regiment in 1861, promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and engaged at Fort Donelson and Shiloh. He was then made colonel, was with General Grant in his campaign in southwestern Tennessee and his expedition into northern Mississippi   in 1862-'3, took part in the siege of Vicksburg, and on 11 August, 1863, was made brigadier-general of volunteers. He was with Sherman in his Atlanta Campaign and his march to the sea, was brevetted major-general of volunteers, 13 March, 1865, and commanded a district in Mississippi till he was mustered out of service, 11 January, 1866. He was judge of the court of common pleas of Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1867-77, and judge of the superior court of Cincinnati from that year till 1887. He has published "From Fort Henry to Corinth," being vol. ii. of " Campaigns of the Civil War" (New York, 1881), and several pamphlets, mostly historical, including "Prehistoric Man," "Darwinism and Deity," " The Mound-Builders" (Cincinnati, 1873); "Some Early Notices of Ohio Indians"; "To What Race did "the Mound-Builders belong?" (1879); "Marching across Carolina" (1883); "Personal Recollections of the Vicksburg Campaign" (1885): "Letters of Amerigo Vespucci," an address delivered before the Ohio Historical and philosophical Society (1885); and "Sketch of the Life of Justice John McLean" (Cambridge, 1885). He has edited Walker's "Introduction to American Law" (Boston, 1878),and Harris's "Principles of Criminal Law " (Cincinnati, 1880). Son of historian Peter Force. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, pp. 499-500.


FORD, Edward Lloyd, publisher, born in Oswestry, Shropshire. England, 10 March, 1845; died in Morristown, New Jersey, 16 December, 1880. He came to New York in early youth, and studied for a few years under Professor J. H. Patton. He enlisted in the 99th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers in 1861. and within a year was promoted to a lieutenancy, and detailed on General Meade's staff. He was taken, prisoner at Chancellorsville, 2 May, 1863. and sent to Libby prison, Richmond, but was exchanged early in the September following, and returned to his post of duty. In 1863 he was discharged from the volunteer service, promoted to a captaincy on the staff of General Birney, and served in the 10th Army Corps. Broken health forced him to leave the army in December, 1864. In 1867 he became a partner in the newly established publishing-house of J. B. Ford & Company, and, by his business ability and fertility of invention, contributed largely to the success of the "Christian Union." He had a genius for mechanics, and made many improvements in printing, notably in devices for the rapid delivery of sheets from a printing-machine. He invented and patented folding combinations, folding and pasting apparatus, and devices for printing two sheets simultaneously, and for folding and. pasting one within the other.  Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, p. 500.


FORD, Lewis de Saussure, physician, born in Morristown,, New Jersey, 30 December, 1801; died in Augusta, Georgia. 21 August, 1883, was graduated in medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City, in 1822. and in the same year moved to Hamburg, South Carolina He went to Augusta, Georgia, in 1827, and assisted in organizing there the Medical College, of Georgia, in which he afterward held the chairs of chemistry and practice of medicine. He was a surgeon in the Confederate Army from 1861 till the end of the Civil War, and had charge of hospitals in Richmond and elsewhere. He was twice mayor of Augusta. The University of Georgia gave him the degree of LL. D. in 1868. Dr. Ford contributed many valuable essays on paroxysmal fevers to the "Southern Medical and Surgical Journal" in 1836-'45. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, p. 501.


FORD, William Henry, physician, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 7 October. 1839. He was graduated at Princeton in 1857, and at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1860, and in 1862 was appointed an acting medical cadet in the U. S. Army. He became assistant surgeon of the 44th Pennsylvania Regiment, in 1863, was soon afterward promoted to surgeon, and served until after the battle of Gettysburg. He studied in Europe in 1865-'8, was an editor of the Philadelphia " Medical Times" in 1870-'l, assistant demonstrator in the Philadelphia School of Anatomy in 1869-71, and compiler of vital statistics for the city in 1872-'5. He was chairman of the Centennial Medical Commission's Committee on sanitary science in 1876, and a member of the Philadelphia Board of Health in 1871-'87, serving as its secretary in 1875-'7 and as its president in 1877-9 and 1886-'7. Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, p. 501.


FORDS. In examining and reporting upon a ford s the main points to be considered are: the firmness and regularity of the bottom, its length, width, and direction; the depth, (and its increase by tides or floods,) the rapidity of the current, the facilities of access, security from attack, and the means of rendering it impassable: a ford should always be tried personally before making a report on its capabilities. The depth of fords for cavalry should not be more than 4 feet 4 inches, and for infantry 3 feet 3 inches; but if the stream is not very rapid, and the direction of the crossing is down-stream, the latter may pass by holding on to the horses, even if the depth is four feet. Should the stream be very rapid, however, depths much less than these could not be considered fordable, particularly if the bottom is uneven. Carriages with wheels 5 feet in diameter may cross a ford 4 feet deep; but if it is necessary to keep their contents dry, the depth should not be more than 2, or at most 2 feet. Fords are generally to be found above or below a bend, and often lie in lines diagonally across the river; small gravel forms the best bottom; and rock, on the contrary, the most dangerous, unless perfectly regular and not slippery. They may be sounded by means of a boat having a pole attached. But cavalry or good swimmers may effect it with lances or poles, carefully feeling their way before advancing. Parts which may be too deep, or even the whole width, if the river is narrow, may be rendered fordable by throwing in fascines parallel to the direction of the current, and loading them with stones, which must afterwards be covered with smaller material to render the surface level. The approaches should also be levelled, and where the soil is soft, rendered firm by covering them with fascines, &c., so that the troops may advance with a broad front, and rapidly mount the further bank. The extent and direction of the ford should be clearly-marked out by means of poles firmly fixed, and these may be notched, so that a dangerous rise in the river may be observed. If the current is rapid, a number of these placed along the upper edge of the ford, and connected by ropes, will also be useful to prevent men on foot being swept away; and boats and horsemen should also be in readiness to rescue them. The force of the current may be broken by the cavalry crossing a little above them; but if the bottom is sandy, the cavalry should cross after the infantry and artillery, as the passage of the former deepens a ford sometimes very materially. The opening and shutting of the mill-sluices will sometimes alter the depth of fords, and floods may even entirely destroy them; they can be rendered impracticable by means of large stones, harrows, planks with spikes, sharp stakes driven in so as to be concealed by the water, abatis, &c., or by cutting trenches across; (Aide Memoire.) (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 309-310).


FORDOCHE BRIDGE, Louisiana, May 31, 1864. (See Atchafalaya River, Expedition to.)


FORGE. One travelling forge and one battery wagon accompany each field-battery. They are furnished with the tools and materials required for shoeing horses and for the ordinary repair and preservation of carriages and harness. The total weight of the forge when loaded is 3,383 lbs., that of the battery wagon loaded is 3,574 lbs. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 310).


FORLORN HOPE. Officers and soldiers who generally volunteer for enterprises of great danger, such as leading the attack when storming a fortress. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 310).


FORNEY, John Wein, journalist, born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 30 September, 1817; died in Philadelphia, 9 December, 1881. He began life as a shop-boy in a village store, but, being ambitious, gave up the work and at the age of sixteen entered the printing-office of the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, "Journal." In his twentieth year he purchased the Lancaster "Intelligencer," a strongly Democratic journal, and in 1840 he published the paper in whose office he had entered as apprentice seven years before, in connection with Ins previous purchase, under the name of the "Intelligencer and Journal." His journal attained a wide reputation, and in 1845 President Polk appointed him deputy surveyor of the Port of Philadelphia. He then disposed of his paper, bought a half share in the "Pennsylvania," one of the most decided of the Democratic journals in the state, and conducted it editorially until 1851. In that year he was chosen clerk of the House of Representatives and re-elected two years later, serving until 1855. During this term of office he continued to write for the " Pennsylvania," and edited the Washington "Union," the foremost Democratic paper at the capital. While clerk of the House of Representatives it became Mr. Forney's duty to preside during the protracted struggle for the speakership in 1855. which resulted in the election of Nathaniel P. Banks, when, by his tact as presiding officer, he won the applause of all parties. In 1856 he returned to Pennsylvania and was chosen chairman of the Democratic State Committee. In January, 1857, he was the Democratic candidate for U. S. Senator, but was defeated by Simon Cameron. In August, 1857, he began the publication of the " Press" an independent Democratic journal in Philadelphia. Having exhausted his fund in the political campaign, he purchased the type on credit, and the paper was printed for months in the office of the "Sunday Dispatch." The “Press " ardently espoused the opinions of Stephen A. Douglas, and supported Buchanan's administration up to the adoption of the Lecompton Constitution, and the effort to secure the admission of Kansas into the Union under it. Mr. Forney resolutely opposed that measure, and his action caused a disruption of the friendly relations which had previously existed between the president and himself. Few men in the country contributed more than Mr. Forney to strengthen the Republican Party, and to prepare it for the contest of 1860. In December, 1859, he was again elected clerk of the House of Representatives, and soon afterward started in Washington the "Sunday Morning Chronicle," which was afterward, in October, 1862, converted into a daily. He was elected Secretary of the U. S. Senate in 1861, and for six years was one of the most influential supporters of the administration. On the death of Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Forney supported Andrew Johnson for a short tune, but afterward became one of the foremost in the struggle which resulted in the president's impeachment. He sold the " Chronicle in 1870, and in March, 1871, became collector of the port of Philadelphia. He held the office but one year, but during that time perfected the system of direct transportation of imports in bond without appraisement and examination at the port of original entry. When the Centennial Exhibition was proposed, he was one of its most active promoters, and went to Europe in its interests in 1875. On his return he sold his interest in the " Press," and in 1879 established " The Progress," a weekly paper, in Philadelphia. In 1880 he supported Winfield S. Hancock for the presidency. He was the author of " Letters from Europe" (Philadelphia, 1869); "What I saw in Texas" (1872); "Anecdotes of Public Men" (2 vols., New York, 1873); "A Centennial Commissioner in Europe" (Philadelphia, 1876); "Forty Years of American Journalism " (1877); and " The New Nobility" (New York, 1882). Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, p. 503


FORNEY, William Henry, soldier, born in Lincolnton, North Carolina, 9 November, 1823. He was graduated at the University of Alabama in 1844, and during the war with Mexico served as 1st lieutenant in the 1st Alabama Volunteers. He afterward studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1848, and engaged in practice for twenty-five years. He was elected to the legislature in 1859, entered the Confederate Army as captain in 1861, and rose to the rank of brigadier-general. He surrendered with Lee at Appomattox in 1865, and in 1865-'6 was a state senator. He was chosen to Congress as a Democrat in 1874, and has served by successive re-elections till the present time (1887).  Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, pp. 503-504.


FORREST, French, naval officer, born in Maryland in 1796; died in Georgetown, D. C., 22 December, 1866. He became a midshipman, 9 June, 1811, and fought bravely in the war of 1812, distinguishing himself under Commodore Perry in the battles on Lake Erie, and in the action between the " Hornet" and the "Peacock" on 24 February, 1813. He was advanced to a lieutenancy, 5 March, 1817, made commander, 9 February, 1837, and captain, 30 March, 1844. During the war with Mexico he was adjutant-general of the land and naval forces, and superintended the transportation of troops into the interior of that country. At the beginning of the Civil War, when Virginia seceded, he joined the Confederates, and was given the command of the navy. He took charge at Norfolk Navy-yard, and afterward was appointed to the command of the James River Squadron. He then became acting assistant Secretary of the Navy.  Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, p. 505.


FORREST, Nathan Bedford, soldier, born in Bedford County, Tennessee, 13 July, 1821; died in Memphis, Tennessee, 29 October, 1877. While vet quite young he moved with his family to Mississippi, where his father soon afterward died, leaving Nathan mainly responsible for the support of the household. In 1842 he moved to Hernando. Mississippi, and established himself as a planter, remaining there till about 1852, when he went to Memphis, Tennessee, and became a real estate broker and dealer in slaves. When the Civil War broke out he had amassed a considerable fortune. In June, 1861, he joined the Tennessee Mounted Rifles, and in July following he raised and equipped, at the request of Governor Harris, a regiment of cavalry, and was made lieutenant-colonel. In October he moved with his men to Fort Donelson, where he remained until the approach of General Grant, and whence he was allowed to escape with his men before the flag of truce was sent. After a raiding excursion, during which he visited Nashville, Huntsville, and Iuka. He took part in the battle of Shiloh. He was assigned to the command of the cavalry at Chattanooga in the following June, participated in the attack on Murfreesboro on 13 July, 1862, and on 21 July was made brigadier-general. In September he was in command at Murfreesboro, and on 31 December was engaged at Parker's Cross-Roads. He fought at Chickamauga on 19 and 20 September, 1863, and in November was transferred to northern Mississippi. In the following month he was made major-general and assigned to the command of Forrest's cavalry department. He was in command of the Confederate forces that attacked Fort Pillow in April, 1864, and, while negotiations for the surrender of the fort were in progress under a flag of truce, moved troops into favorable positions that they could not have gained at any other time. Major Bradford, the commander of the fort, refused to surrender, whereupon the works were taken by assault, and the garrison, consisting mainly of colored troops, were given no quarter. The excuse given by Forrest's men was, that the flag of the fort had not been hauled down in token of surrender. During the operations of Hood and Thomas in Tennessee he proved a great source of annoyance to the National commanders, and in February, 1865, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general. He was finally routed by General James H. Wilson on 2 April, 1865, and on 9 May he surrendered at Gainesville. After the war he was president of the Selma, Marion, and Memphis Railroad, but resigned in 1874. He was a delegate from Tennessee to the New York Democratic National Convention of 4 July, 1868. Some of General Forrest's official documents are very amusing for their peculiar orthography and phraseology. In his dispatch announcing the fall of Fort Pillow, the original of which is still preserved, he wrote: "We busted the fort at ninerclock and scatered the niggers. The men is still a cillanen in the woods." Accounting for prisoners, he wrote: “Them as was cotch with spoons and brestpins and sich was cilld and the rest of the lot was payrold and told to git." See " Campaigns of N. B. Forrest," by T. Jordan and J. B. Pryor (New York, 1868).  Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, pp. 505-506.


FOREST HILL, VIRGINIA, September 24, 1864. 2nd Cavalry Division, Army of the Shenandoah. On this date the division, commanded by Brigadier- General W. H. Powell, who succeeded General Averell, encountered a force of Confederate cavalry belonging to the commands of Imboden, McCausland and Bradley Johnson a mile north of Forest Hill. After retreating through the village the Confederates formed in line of battle, which was soon broken and the enemy pursued to within 4 miles of Harrisonburg. Powell had 1 man slightly wounded and the enemy's casualties were 15 killed, several wounded, and 18 captured, with 14 wagons and a large amount of ammunition.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 406.


FORKED DEER RIVER, Tennessee, December 20, 1862. (See Forrest's Expedition into West Tennessee.)


FORKED DEER RIVER, TENNESSEE, July 13, 1863. Detachments of 3d Michigan, 2nd Iowa and 1st West Tennessee Cavalry and 9th Illinois Infantry. During an expedition under Colonel Edward Hatch the Federals encountered the enemy first at the bridges over Forked Deer river and the adjacent sloughs. Two companies of the 3d Michigan gained control of 13 of the 16 bridges by some sharp skirmishing, but the Confederates were able to hold them in check until two more companies had crossed the stream on the enemy's left and the 9th Illinois had flanked them on the right. A charge then put the bridges in control of the Union troops and the enemy retreated into Jackson, where he held a strong position in two forts with a curtain between. As the 9th Illinois advanced the enemy poured a heavy fire upon it, but before they could reload the Illinois men charged and drove them in confusion. Scarcely had Colonel Phillips reformed and rallied his men when a large Confederate force attacked from the northwest side of the town and by constantly outflanking Phillips compelled him to fall back. Hatch formed his men and after a sharp fight lasting an hour or more drove the enemy from the town with severe loss. Hatch estimated the enemy's casualties at 38 killed and not less than 150 wounded, while his own losses amounted to 1 killed, 10 wounded and 3 missing.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 406-407.


FORREST'S EXPEDITION INTO WEST TENNESSEE, December 15, 1862-January 3, 1863. Pursuant to orders from Major-General Braxton Bragg, Brigadier-General N. B. Forrest moved from Columbia, Tennessee, on December 11, 1862. On the 13th he arrived at Clifton on the Tennessee river and in two days had his force, 2,500 cavalry, on the opposite bank. His plan was to fall upon Grant's line of communication with Columbus and thereby obstruct and delay the first move on Vicksburg. Rosecrans had received information of the move and warned all post commanders "to be on the lookout for Forrest." Brigadier-General J. C. Sullivan, commanding the district of Jackson, on learning of the crossing of the Tennessee, dispatched Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll with 200 men of the 11th Illinois cavalry and a battery of artillery to reconnoiter in the direction of Lexington. Ingersoll reached Lexington on the morning of the 17th. His force had been augmented by the addition of 272 men of the 2nd West Tennessee and 200 of the 5th Ohio cavalry, making in all about 700 men. In the afternoon of the same day he sent out a detachment to Beech creek to ascertain the strength of the enemy. This detachment returned at dark, reporting about 1,000 of the enemy's cavalry in the immediate vicinity, and a detachment was sent out to destroy the bridges on the roads leading from Lexington, the main body in the meantime retiring to within half a mile of Lexington. Next morning Major Funke with a battalion of the 11th Illinois advanced on the old Stage (or upper) road toward Beech creek. He had not gone far when he encountered the enemy's pickets, drove them back to their main line, and then retired. The Confederates pursued until within range of the 2 guns Ingersoll had posted in the road, when they were easily dispersed. Simultaneously with Funke's reconnaissance Colonel Hawkins moved out on the lower road, his orders being to guard the crossing of the river. Through some neglect the bridge across the creek at the lower road had not been destroyed the night before and the enemy was pouring in toward the town from that direction. Hawkins' troops withdrew and fled in confusion toward Lexington, breaking the line of the reserves in their efforts to get away from the pursuing Confederates, who were only checked by a charge of a portion of the 11th Illinois Three times the enemy charged the position held by the 2 pieces of the artillery, and the third time their greatly superior numbers succeeded in taking it. The Union cavalry then fled in the direction of Jackson, the enemy pursuing. The engagement resulted in the capture of 124 Union men, including Ingersoll, the killing of 11, and the wounding of 13 more. Some of the prisoners were taken in the retreat after the guns had been' captured. After his success at Lexington Forrest turned toward Jackson. In the meantime Grant had ordered Sullivan to attack Forrest in front, and Dodge, at Corinth. was to move out and strike him in flank. Sullivan, however, was able to bring only two regiments to Jackson before Forrest arrived in the vicinity on the 19th. (See Jackson.) On the same day a train bearing reinforcements was fired into while passing Carroll Station, the place having just been captured by a portion of Forrest's troops under Colonel G. C. Dibrell. From Jackson Forrest moved on Trenton and Humboldt. Practically all of the available force at Trenton had been hurried to the defense of Jackson and only about 130 convalescents were left to guard the place. The Confederate cavalry dashed into the town but were unable to dislodge the convalescents, who were posted behind a barricade of cotton, until their artillery was brought to bear, when the garrison surrendered. A side expedition under Colonel James W. Starnes of Forrest's staff captured Humboldt with little trouble, but another force under Dibrell, sent to capture the garrison and destroy the railroad bridge at the railroad crossing of Forked Deer river, failed to carry out its commission, being driven back by the Federals at that point. Forrest remained at Trenton until the morning of the 21st, destroying all stores and provisions not needed by his command. His report states that at Rutherford Station, on the way to Union City, two companies of Federals were captured. Union City was guarded by about 100 men. chiefly of the 54th Illinois infantry, who acceded at once to Forrest's summons to surrender, and the Confederates remained there for some time. On Christmas day they departed on the Northwestern railroad. The 27th, 29th and 30th saw skirmishing at and around Huntingdon. On reaching Parker's cross-roads, on the 31st, Forrest came up with the skirmishers of Colonel Cyrus L. Dunham's (3d) brigade, 8th division, 16th army corps. A spirited engagement ensued, during which the Confederates drove back Dunham's skirmishers and were having by far the better of the encounter, when Fuller's (1st) brigade suddenly arrived on the scene and attacked the Confederate rear. The result was a complete rout of the enemy, leaving 300 of their dismounted force as prisoners in the hands of the Federals. Six guns, 350 horses, a quantity of arms and ammunition and a number of wagons were also captured. Forrest retreated hastily to Clifton to recross the Tennessee river, but his progress was checked (January 1, 1863,) by a portion of Dodge's command sent from Corinth. Forrest, however, succeeded in getting all his troops across on the 2nd and the next day Fuller's brigade reached the Tennessee at Clifton. Forrest opened with his artillery from the opposite shore, the Union guns replied, and the skirmishers of both sides were busy all day. The swollen condition of the river put a stop to further pursuit. The total casualties of the expedition are not given. Before the battle of Parker's cross-roads Forrest states in a report that his losses had been 8 killed, 12 wounded and 2 missing, and later estimates the casualties of his force in the Parker's cross-roads engagement as 60 killed and 100 wounded. The Federal losses in the Lexington and Parker's cross-roads affairs aggregated 38 killed, 153 wounded and 191 captured or missing. There are no reports of losses in the other engagements.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 407-408.


FORSHEY, Caleb Goldsmith, engineer, born in Somerset County, Pa,, 18 July, 1812; died in Carrollton, Louisiana, 25 July, 1881. He was educated at Kenyon College, Ohio, and at the U. S. Military Academy, where he entered in 1833, but was not graduated. He was professor of mathematics and civic engineering at Jefferson College, Mississippi, in 1836-'8, and was from that time engaged for many years in engineering works in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. He was in charge of the U. S. Survey of the Mississippi Delta in 1851-'3, was chief engineer of the Galveston, Houston, and Henderson Railway in 1853-"5, and designed the bridge across Galveston West Bay. In 1855 he established the Texas Military Institute and conducted it till 1861, when, though opposed to secession, he entered the Confederate service as a lieutenant-colonel of engineers. He was employed on the James River and as chief engineer on the staff of General Magruder, and planned the defences of the Texas frontier and the operations for the recapture of Galveston and the Texas Coast. Since the war he has been engaged in railway construction in Texas, on the improvements at the mouth of the Mississippi, and during 1874-'5 was in the U. S. Engineer Service on the Red River and Galveston Bay. He was the first vice-president and one of the founders of the New Orleans Academy of Sciences, and has contributed largely to the scientific journals of the south and southwest. He assisted in the preparation of " The Physics of the Mississippi River (Washington, 1861)  Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, p. 506


FORSYTH, James W., soldier, born in Ohio about 1835. He was graduated at the U. S. Military Academy in 1856, and assigned to the infantry. He was promoted to 1st lieutenant on 15 March, 1861, was for two months assistant instructor to a brigade of Ohio volunteers, and on 24 October was made captain. He was on General McClellan's staff during the Peninsular and Maryland Campaigns, was brevetted major on 20 September, 1863, for gallantry at Chickamauga, and in 1864-'5 was assistant adjutant-general of volunteers and chief-of-staff to General Sheridan. He took part in the Richmond and Shenandoah Campaigns, and was lantry at Opequan, Fisher's Hill, and Middletown, brevetted brigadier-general of volunteers for gallantry, 19 October, 1864; colonel in the regular army, 1 April, 1865, for services at Five Forks, and brigadier-general on 9 April, for services during the war. He was given the full commission of brigadier-general of volunteers on 19 May, and in 1866-'7 was assistant inspector-general of the Department of the Gulf. He was aide to General Sheridan in 1869- 73, military secretary of the Division of the Missouri in 187&-'8, and was then assigned to frontier duty, taking part in the Bannock Campaign of 1878. In 1886 he became colonel of the 7th U.S. Cavalry. He has published "Report of an Expedition up the Yellowstone River in 1875 " (Washington, 1875). Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, p. 507.


FORSYTH,  John, editor, born in Georgia in 1813; died in Mobile, Alabama, 2 May, 1879, was for many years one of the foremost Democratic editors of the south. In 1856 he was appointed minister to Mexico, but in 1858 demanded his passports, and withdrew from the legation. In 1861, with Marshall J. Crawford, of Georgia, he represented the Confederate States as commissioner to the National government, but his request for an unofficial interview with Secretary of State Seward was declined. He moved to Mobile after the Civil War and engaged in journalistic work until feeble health compelled him to retire.  Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, p. 507.


FORSYTH, MISSOURI, July 22, 1861. Sweeny's Expedition. On July 20 Brigadier-General T. W. Sweeny, commanding the post of Springfield, left that place for the purpose of capturing the town of Forsyth. The Confederates there had been notified of Sweeny's approach and when the latter's cavalry neared the town at 6 p. m. of the 22nd it was met by a small force which retired to the hills after firing one volley. From the brush and timber on the hills a desultory fire was kept up on the Federals for an hour or more, but a few rounds of canister soon dislodged the enemy. The Confederate casualties were 10 killed and as many more wounded; the Union loss was but 2 wounded. Five prisoners were taken by Sweeny's command.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 408.


FORSYTH, MISSOURI, August 4, 1862. (See White River, same date.)


FORT is an inclosed work of the higher class of field-works. The word, however, is loosely applied to other military works. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 310).


FORT ABERCROMBIE, Dakota September 3 to 6, 1862. Fight with Indians.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 408.


FORT ADAMS, MISSISSIPPI, October 5-6. 186.;. Expeditionary Forces. Major-General Canby, commanding the Military Division of West Mississippi, sent Colonels Kent and Osband on expeditions to Fort Adams and Woodville, respectively. Kent occupied Fort Adams without opposition. Osband, early on the morning of the 6th, learned that a force of some 250 Confederates, with a battery of 3 guns, was encamped about 2 miles from him and decided to attack the camp. The surprise was complete, the camp was surrounded, 40 Confederates were killed and 54, with the artillery and the commanding officer, Captain Holmes, were captured. The prisoners were taken to Fort Adams and turned over to Kent.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 408-409.


FORT ANDERSON, CALIFORNIA, April 6, 1862. Detachment of the 2nd California Infantry. About 5 a. m. some Indians fired on the sentries at the fort. Two parties, one under Captain Douglas and the other under Lieutenant Johnson, immediately started in pursuit. Douglas soon met some freighters, who told him that the Indians had captured and were burning their wagons, and offered to guide the soldiers to the place. Upon reaching the camp Douglas gave the order to fire and l Indian fell dead and 2 or 3 others were wounded. The rest escaped into the woods.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 409.


FORT ANDERSON, CALIFORNIA, July 28, 1862. (See Whitney's Ranch.) Fort Anderson, Kentucky, March 25, 1864. (See Paducah.) Fort Anderson, North Carolina, March 14, 1863. 92nd New York Infantry. As an incident of the Confederate expedition against New Berne, led by Brigadier-General John J. Pettigrew, an attack was made at daylight on the 14th on a small breastwork on the north side of the Neuse river, held by the 92nd New York under Lieutenant-Colonel Hiram Anderson and called Fort Anderson. Pettigrew called upon Anderson to surrender, and when the latter refused the Confederate artillery opened on him. The firing continued all day, the enemy suffering chiefly from the shelling of the gunboats in the river. At night the Confederate force was withdrawn. The Federal casualties were 2 killed and 4 wounded; the enemy lost 2 killed and 21 wounded, 7 of the latter being injured by the explosion of one of their Parrott guns.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 409.


FORT ANDERSON, NORTH CAROLINA, February 17-19, 1865. 3d Division, 23d Army Corps, and 1st Division, 10th Army Corps. In the military operations about the mouth of the Cape Fear river, the 3d division of the 23d corps, commanded by Major-General J. D. Cox, was landed at Smithville on the 16th and at 8 o'clock the next morning began the advance on Fort Anderson, located about 10 miles above on the west bank of the river and garrisoned by a force of 2,000 Confederates under the command of Brigadier-General Hagood. About 3 miles from Smithville the enemy's cavalry outposts were encountered and slowly driven back to Governor's creek, where they made a stand, but were quickly dislodged by the Federal skirmishers. Cox then divided his forces to cover both roads leading to the fort, and opened signal communications with General Schofield, who was on one of Admiral Porter's vessels in the river, after which the command went into camp under orders to advance at 7 o'clock the next morning. As Cox moved forward on the morning of the 18th his advance became engaged with a line of Confederate pickets about half a mile in advance of the works, and after a sharp skirmish succeeded in driving the enemy back to a line of works extending from the fort to the foot of Orton pond, a distance of some 800 yards. The ground in front of this line was open and covered by abatis and after a reconnaissance Schofield ordered two brigades to intrench on the edge of the open ground, while Cox, with the rest of the division, made a detour around Orton and Terrapin ponds to gain the rear of the fort. Near the head of Orton pond Cox was joined by Ames' division of the 10th corps, and a considerable detachment of the enemy was found occupying trenches on the farther side of a creek, in position commanding the road. The advance guard was deployed to the right and left through the marsh, a detachment of the 104th Ohio, under Lieutenant Reed, moved forward near the road and after a skirmish of half an hour succeeded in forcing a passage. In this action Reed lost 1 killed and 4 wounded, himself being among the latter. The enemy had destroyed the causeway and this caused a delay of several hours, as it had to be rebuilt before the artillery could be taken over the swamp. On the morning of the 19th the whole command moved down the left side of Orton pond, being guided by a negro, and upon reaching the foot of the pond learned that the fort had been evacuated during the night. Ames then recrossed the river and rejoined Terry's command, while Cox, pursuant to Schofield's orders, pushed on in pursuit of Hagood. The rear-guard was overtaken about 3 miles from the fort and the skirmishing continued until the enemy reached Town creek, about 5 miles farther up on the Wilmington road. Here a line of fortifications had been previously prepared and the Confederates made a stand, planting their 3 pieces of artillery in a position to command the approach to the bridge. This checked Cox's march but that night he succeeded in crossing two brigades in an old flatboat about a mile below the bridge and flanked the enemy from his works, the pursuit continuing toward Wilmington. Cox reported casualties amounting to 5 killed and 61 wounded in the various engagements from Smithville to Town creek, and General Bragg in his report says that Hagood lost 350 of his command before he reached Wilmington.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 409-410.


FORT BARRANCAS, FLORIDA, January 1-2, 1862. A small steamer was imprudently run to the wharf at the navy yard within range of the Federal guns at Fort Pickens. In retaliation for the Confederates having fired on a small yard-boat sometime before, Colonel Brown, commanding the Department of Florida, ordered the craft attacked and 3 shots were fired into it as it lay at the wharf and was leaving it. This fire was returned from Fort Barrancas and McRee, by order of Brigadier-General Anderson, in temporary command of the Confederate forces there, and a brisk cannonade was kept up on both sides until dark, then an intermittent one was maintained until 9 p. m. and there was occasional mortar firing until 2 a. m. by the Federals and until 4 a. m. by the Confederates. A large and valuable storehouse, with considerable property, in the navy yard, was burned by Federal shells.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 410.


FORT BEAULIEU, GEORGIA, December 14, 1864. Union gunboats, siege of Savannah. In the early years of the war the Confederates constructed Fort Beaulieu, at the summer resort of that name, on the Vernon river, and Fort Rosedew, on the Ogeechee river, to guard against any attack on Savannah from the direction of the seacoast. On December 14, after Sherman had drawn his lines about Savannah, Rear-Adm. Dahlgren moved part of his fleet up the two rivers and began the bombardment of the forts, continuing it until the garrisons were driven back to the main intrenchments of Savannah. The casualties of the action, if any were not reported. Dahlgren's vessels remained in position, throwing an occasional shell to prevent the reoccupation of the works, until the evacuation of Savannah on the 21st. (See Savannah.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 410.


FORT BEAUREGARD, LOUISIANA, May 10, 1863. Commodore Woodworth's Fleet. Lieutenant-Colonel George W. Logan, of the Confederate army, commanding at Fort Beauregard, on the Ouachita river near Harrisonburg, reported that 4 Federal gunboats came up at 2 a. m. and sent in a flag of truce, demanding the surrender of the fort. When the request was refused they gave him an hour to remove the women and children from the town, and at the end of that time 3 of the vessels began shelling. About 150 shots were fired, part of the parapet and one house were destroyed, after which the shelling continued with less vigor until 6 p. m., when the gunboats retired. This is the only official mention of the affair.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 410-411.


FORT BEAUREGARD, SOUTH CAROLINA, November 7, 1861. (See Port Royal.)


FORT BISLAND, LOUISIANA, April 12-13, 1863. Detachment of 10th Army . Corps. General N. P. Banks, with Emory's division and Weitzel's brigade of the 19th corps, crossed Berwick bay on the 9th, 10th and 11th of April and on the 12th started for Fort Bisland on Bayou Teche, where a Confederate force of about.5,000, including three batteries and some cavalry, was located. Late on the afternoon of the 12th the Confederate outer line of defense was driven, enabling Banks to take up a position favorable for reconnoitering the main works. The attack was resumed early the next morning and a heavy artillery fire was kept up by the Federal guns to prepare the way for an assault. The gunboat Diana, which had been captured by the Confederates on March 28, was disabled by a shell and obliged to drop down the river. When night fell Banks was within 400 yards of the works and orders were issued for an assault at daylight the following morning. During the night the fort was evacuated and the Federal troops marched in about 7 a. m. on the 14th. The casualties in Banks' command were 40 killed and 184 wounded. The Confederate losses were not reported.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 411.


FORT BLAKELY, ALABAMA, April 2-9, 1865. (See Spanish Fort.)


FORT BOWIE, ARIZONA TERRITORY, April 25, 1863. Detachment of 5th California Infantry. Upon receiving a report that a large party of Apache Indians was close to the fort on the morning of the 25th, Captain B. F. Harrover. with about 30 men, started out to locate them. They were soon discovered and fired upon, a running fight being kept up for about 4 miles. One of Harrover's men was wounded and several of the Indians were killed. Fort Bowie, Arizona Territory, August 27, 1863. Detachment of 1st California Cavalry. On the date mentioned some 25 or 30 Indians swooped down on the horses of the detail stationed at Fort Bowie, and stampeded the whole herd down the canon. The sentry fired at the Indians, wounding one of the number.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 411.


FORT BRADY, VIRGINIA, Jan 24. 1865. 1st Connecticut Artillery. On the night of January 23 three Confederate rams, the wooden gun-boat Drewry and a small steam torpedo-boat passed Fort Brady on the James river under cover of darkness. About 25 shots were fired at them from the fort, whose armament was two 100-pounder Parrotts and three 30-pounder Parrotts. The fleet, however, reached the shelter of the Howlett battery, which immediately opened upon the fort and succeeded in putting out of commission one of the 100-pounders. About 10 p. m. one of the rams was sent to break the obstructions across the river, but received a heavy fire from the Union batteries below the fort, and at daylight next morning two of the rams and the Drewry were seen to be aground about 1,500 yards above. The third shot from the Union batteries exploded the Drewry magazine, completely destroying her. The rams managed to get out of range about noon. About 3 a. m. the next morning the rest of the fleet escaped up the river in the darkness, receiving about 25 rounds from the fort. The Union loss was 3 killed. The enemy's casualties were not reported.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 411.


FORT BROOKE, FLORIDA, October 16, 1863. According to the report of Captain John Westcott, commanding the Confederate garrison at Fort Brooke, two Union gunboats moved up on the morning of the 16th and shelled the fort all day. About 1 1 o'clock that night a force of some 140 men landed at Ballast point and advanced through the woods upon the fort. The attack was repulsed and the assailants driven back to their boats with severe loss. Federal reports do not mention the affair.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 411-412.


FORT BROOKE, FLORIDA, December 25, 1863. U. S. Gunboat Tahoma. Captain Westcott, commanding at Fort Brooke, reported that the gunboat opened fire about 9 a. m. and continued the bombardment for about 2 hours, keeping out of range of the guns of the fort. At 11 o'clock the vessel withdrew.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 412.


FORT BUCHANAN, ARIZONA TERRITORY, February 17, 1865. 1st Colorado Cavalry. About 9:45 a. m. of this date 100 Apache Indians attacked a vedette station of 6 men at Fort Buchanan. After the Indians had fired the roof of the station the men forced their way through the circle and succeeded in reaching the hills, with a loss of 1 missing and 1 wounded. The Indians captured 6 horses and equipments, carbines, subsistence, etc.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 412.


FORT BUTLER, LOUISIANA, June 28. 1863. (See Donaldsonville, same date.)


FORT CASWELL, NORTH CAROLINA, February 23, 1863.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 412.


FORT CLIFTON, VIRGINIA, May 9, 1864. 3d Division, 18th Army Corps, and Graham's Gunboats. Fort Clinton was a Confederate work on the north bank of the Appomattox river, about a mile and a half below Petersburg. On the 9th General Graham moved up the river to aid General Hinks, commanding the 3d division, in a reconnaissance on the Petersburg works. When the fleet arrived within range of the fort the enemy opened fire with artillery, which was promptly responded to by Graham and the duel was kept up from 11 a. m. until 2 p. m., when the gunboats withdrew. Hinks could give. Graham no assistance as the fort was on the opposite side of the river, and the road leading to it was covered by Confederate batteries. One of the gunboats was disabled and burned to prevent it falling into the hands of the enemy.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 412.


FORT COBB, INDIAN TERRITORY, October 21, 1862. Loyal Indians.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 412.


FORT COTTONWOOD, NEBRASKA, September 20, 1864. Detachment of 7th Iowa Cavalry. Eight soldiers of this regiment were sent out from Fort Cottonwood on September 20 to gather plums for the sick in the hospital. While on this duty they were attacked by a party of about 70 Indians, and 4 of the soldiers killed.  p. 412.


FORT COTTONWOOD, NEVADA TERRITORY, August 28, 1864. 7th Iowa Cavalry; fight with Indians.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 412.


FORT CRAIG, NEW MEXICO, February 21, 1862. (See Valverde.)


FORT CRAIG, NEW MEXICO, May 23, 1862. 3d United States Cavalry. A Federal picket was attacked 8 miles below Fort Craig by a superior number of the enemy on May 23. The attack was repulsed without loss on the Union side, while the Confederates lost 4 men killed or wounded. Fort Crook, California, September 21, 1862. Detachment of 2nd California Infantry. On the evening of the 21st word was brought to Fort Crook that a band of Indians had attacked a train on the Yreka road. Lieutenant Williams was sent out to render assistance, but on coming up with the train he found that the emigrants had succeeded in driving off the Indians, killing one of their number.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 412.


FORT DARLING, VIRGINIA—For engagements at Fort Darling on May 15, 1862, and May 12-16, 1864, see Drewry Bluff.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 413.


FORT DAVIDSON, MISSOURI, September 26-27, 1864. Twelve days before the first of these engagements, General Price with a large force, crossed White river at Salina, Arkansas, and the following week entered Missouri from the southeast. On the 23d his advance occupied Bloomfield. which the Federals had evacuated on the night of the 21st. Price next marched upon Pilot Knob, but Brigadier-General Thomas Ewing arrived there before him, with four companies of the 14th la. The force there with this addition numbered about 1,100 men. Major-General Rosecrans had instructed Ewing to have Major Wilson, of the 3d Missouri militia cavalry, try to hold Pilot Knob against any detachment of the enemy, but to evacuate if Price's main army should move against it. Fort Davidson was indefensible against any large army having serviceable artillery, although it had been strengthened and the approach to it had been rendered difficult by obstructing roads and cutting timber on the near sides of the hills. It was about 300 yards from the base of the knob, 1,000 from the gap, and 1,200 from the farthest summit of the hill visible from it. All parts of the hills facing it, except the west end of Shepherd's mountain, were within musket range. The village of Pilot Knob, then railway terminus and supply depot of the lower Federal outposts, lies in a 1,000 acre plain, walled in by Cedar and Rock mountains on the north, Pilot knob on the east and Shepherd's mountain on the south and west. Each hill rises abruptly from the valley 500 to 600 feet, and the near sides of all of them were covered with rocks, gnarled oaks and undergrowth. Over the southern and western slopes of Shepherd's mountain roads led to coal diggings on its summit. Along the base of the mountain and through a gap between it and Pilot knob, Stout's creek flows into a larger hill-encircled valley, in the north part of which, about a mile from Pilot knob, is Ironton. Through this gap runs the road from Pilot Knob to Fredericktown, passing out of the larger valley by Shut-in gap, 4 miles southeast of Pilot Knob. The two valleys are called Arcadia. Ewing reached Pilot Knob at noon on September 26, sent two companies to reconnoiter toward Fredericktown and a scouting party under Captain Powers to cross the roads from that point southward and learn as much as possible of the Confederates. Both commands met Price's advance in Arcadia valley, near Shut-in gap. and were forced back to Ironton, where with Captain Dinger's company of the 47th Missouri they made a stand. Ewing reinforced them with his detachment of the 14th la., a section of Montgomery's battery and all his available cavalry, giving the command to Wilson and instructing him, if possible, to drive the enemy through Shut-in gap. Wilson drove the Confederates to the gap, but was unable to hold them there, and was being gradually forced back, when fighting was stopped by darkness and a rainstorm. During the night there was watching and planning on both sides. Ewing was not certain that Price's main army was there, but Tie knew that Confederates were coming into the valley in large force. He decided to delay, at any cost, the Confederate advance north for two or three days sending up the railroad all the stores not needed in the fort, and started the quartermaster's wagons empty. He made Lieutenant Murphy of the 47th Missouri his aide-de-camp, gave him general control of the artillery and under his directions the artillery defenses of the fort were improved. Ewing maintained communication with Major-General Smith at DeSoto and Mineral Point, until 11 a. m. on the 27th, when the telegraph line went down. At daylight that day the enemy forced Wilson back through Arcadia valley to the gap between Pilot knob and Shepherd's mountain. Ewing ordered the detachment of the 14th la. to a position on the east end of Shepherd's mountain and Wilson to fall back with his cavalry along the side of Pilot knob, thus commanding the gap from both sides and opening a clear range from the fort. Soon the Confederates displayed a flag of truce, but suspecting trickery, Ewing ordered hostilities to proceed. The Confederates could pass the gap only by fighting their way through. In a prolonged and obstinate struggle they lost heavily. Then came an hour's lull, in which they threw a force around Shepherd's mountain and approached from the west, but they were sent back by Federal artillery and skirmishers. Another hour and the Federals had been summarily ejected from points commanding the gap and were being pursued along the hill-sides. Then, when the Confederates had advanced within range the Federals opened on them with all their guns, driving them back in disorder, with much bloodshed, and retook the gap. Again they were forced from it and again with their artillery they cleared the hills of all able-bodied Confederates. The enemy next got 2 pieces of artillery in position on the west end of Shepherd's mountain, commanding a part of the side of Pilot knob, but the guns from the fort also covered this position and it became neutral ground. Federal skirmishers still held the sides of Shepherd's mountain, except 'next to the gap, and the side of Pilot knob not raked by Confederate artillery. After about an hour of comparative quiet, lines of Confederates came exposed down from the summits of two hills and almost before the Federals could fire on them another white flag was raised on Shepherd's mountain, where Confederate officers were in council. A brisk fire was directed to the group and the flag was hauled down. Ewing tried to get into the fort the section of artillery that had been operating outside, but the horses stampeded and almost until nightfall the guns remained outside, covered by his fire. The enemy opened on the fort with 2 guns, from the summit of Shepherd's mountain, at about 8oo yards, and 2 nearer on the mountain side, all so well protected it was impossible to silence them. Marmaduke's division moved rapidly down the side of Shepherd's mountain to the assault. His line was broken by the steep and rough descent and by the Federal fire. On reaching the plain most of his men sought cover in the creek, from which they kept up an incessant fire. As Marmaduke came down the mountain, Fagan in stronger force came over the top of Pilot knob, sweeping back or cutting off the Federals that had held the town and part of the mountain sides. About 100 of Marmaduke's men ventured on to the assault but fell or were repulsed before they reached the ditch. Fagan's line was broken by obstructions at the outskirts of the town, but was quickly reformed by General Cabell, who led the assault. The Federals opened upon it at 6oo yards with musketry from the ramparts of the fort and from a long line of rifle-pits to the north. and with canister from y pieces of artillery. The Confederates came on gallantly until their advance reached the ditch, then broken, confused, swept down by the resistless fire, the attacking forces fled in dismay, leaving apparently almost half their comrades dead or wounded on the plain. Meanwhile the enemy had thrown a large cavalry force around the west end of Shepherd's mountain to occupy the road to Mineral Point. As they moved along the base of Cedar mountain, just after the repulse of the last assault, a sortie was made from the north ditch by which they were routed with considerable loss. Ineffective musket and artillery firing continued half an hour longer, till the approach of night ended the engagement. At 3 o'clock next morning, Ewing, convinced that Price's army was assailing him in full force, evacuated the post, blew up the magazine and retreated toward Rolla. Federal loss about 150 killed and wounded, 50 captured and paroled; Confederate loss more than 1,500.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 412-415.


FORT DAVIS, ARKANSAS, DECEMBER — , 1862. Troops under Colonel William A. Phillips. In a dispatch to Brigadier-General Blunt, Colonel William A. Phillips tells of having crossed the Arkansas river at the Frozen Rock ford; "took and burned Fort Davis, reducing all the barrack and commissary buildings and the whole establishment to ashes." This is the only mention of the affair found in the official reports.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 415.


FORT DE RUSSY, LOUISIANA, May 4, 1863. (See Naval Volume.) Fort De Russy, Louisiana, March 14, 1864. Detachments of the 16th and 17th Army Corps. After the fall of Vicksburg and the other Confederate positions in the vicinity, the attention of the government was directed to the conquest of Texas. The first effort in that direction was the ill-fated Sabine Pass expedition in September, 1863. In March, 1864, a joint movement was started up the Red river, having in view the capture of Shreveport, Louisiana, and a junction at that point or in the vicinity with the troops of General Steele from Arkansas. The effective force of the expedition, all under Major-General Nathaniel P. Banks, consisting of a detachment of the 13th army corps (Brigadier-General Thomas E. G. Ransom, the two divisions (3d and 4th) present being commanded by Brigadier-General Robert A. Cameron and Colonel William J. Landram. Major-General William B. Franklin's corps (the 19th) furnished two divisions, the 1st and 2nd, commanded respectively by Brigadier-General William H. Emory and Brigadier-General Cuvier Grover. The cavalry division was under Brigadier-General Albert L. Lee, and there was some artillery and colored infantry, all the above belonging to the Department of the Gulf. General W. T. Sherman furnished from the Army of the Tennessee detachments from the 16th and 17th army corps, under Brigadier-Generals Andrew J. Smith and T. Kilby Smith. These troops were taken to the mouth of the Red river in transports, where the fleet of Adm. Porter was in waiting to cooperate in the movement, and were landed at Simsport. The troops of the Department of the Gulf moved by way of Bayou Teche under orders to unite with the other forces at Alexandria. On the 14th the detachments of the 16th and 17th army corps marched toward Fort De Russy, on the left bank of the Red river, near the little town of Marksville. This fort was discovered to be occupied by a garrison of about 350 men. The 1st and 2nd brigades, 3d division, 16th corps, advanced in line of battle, followed by the 3d brigade. The enemy's artillery opened on the line as soon as it came within sight, but the guns were soon silenced by the skirmishers. About 6:30 p. m. a charge was made and the parapet scaled, when the garrison surrendered. The Union loss was 3 killed and 35 wounded; the Confederate casualties were not reported. The prisoners numbered 319. This affair was the first engagement of the Red river campaign.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 415.


FORT DONELSON, TENNESSEE, February 14-16, 1862. U. S. Troops under General U. S. Grant, and Commodore Foote's Gunboats. Fort Donelson was located on the left bank of the Cumberland river, about a mile and a half below the little town of Dover, and was built about the same time as Fort Henry (q. v.). It was a bastioned earthwork, on a bluff about 100 feet above the water and commanded the river for several miles down stream. On either side of this bluff streams flowed into the Cumberland, Hickman creek on the lower side and Indian creek on the upper, and along the ridge below Indian creek ran the road to Wynn's ferry. On the lower side of the fort two water-batteries had been set in the side of the bluff about 30 feet above the water. The lower battery had nine 32-pounder guns and a 10-inch columbiad, and the upper mounted a rifled gun carrying a 128 pound conical shot and two 32-pounder carronades, while the armament of the fort proper consisted of 8 guns of heavy caliber. In the rear of the fort a line of rifle-pits extended from Hickman creek to below the town of Dover, and along this line were 8 field batteries, numbering probably 40 guns. After the fall of Fort Henry on February 6 Grant prepared to move at once on Fort Donelson. But the rivers were rising, the road for 2 miles was under water, and the troops were kept busy in saving the camp equipage, etc., from the flood. A detachment of cavalry, however, went to the fort on the 7th and skirmished awhile with the pickets and outlying works, merely to develop the enemy's strength and position. Knowing that the fort would be speedily reinforced as soon as the news of the surrender of Fort Henry reached Confederate headquarters, Grant at first contemplated making the attack with infantry and cavalry alone, but after the delay caused by the high waters he concluded to wait for the arrival of the gunboats, which had left Fort Henry immediately after the surrender, to move down the Tennessee and Mississippi and ascend the Cumberland to assist in the assault on Fort Donelson. Foote left Cairo on the 11th with the 4 ironclads, St. Louis, Carondelet, Louisville and Pittsburg, and the two wooden gunboats, Tyler and Conestoga, expecting to form a junction with Grant on the 13th at the farthest. In the meantime Halleck was busily engaged in forwarding supplies and reinforcements to Grant, so that when the attack was made the Union army numbered about 27,000 men, 5,000 of whom were engaged in guarding trains. The organization was as follows: 1st division, Brigadier-General John A. McClernand, consisting of the brigades of Richard J. Oglesby, W. H. L. Wallace and William R. Morrison, and four batteries; 2nd division, Brig-General Charles E. Smith, consisting of the brigades of John McArthur, John Cook, Jacob G. Laum?n and George F. McGinnis, and three batteries: 3d division, Brigadier-General Lewis Wallace, consisting of the brigades of Charles Cruft and John M. Thayer, with two batteries. In Wallace's division the 2nd and 3d brigades were united under the command of Thayer. All the brigade commanders held the rank of colonel, though they subsequently attained higher rank. The Confederates had also been heavily reinforced during the time Grant was waiting for the waters to subside and for the arrival of the fleet. In addition to the original garrison and the 3,000 men that went with Heiman from Fort Henry on the 6th, Bushrod Johnson arrived with about 6,000 on the 8th; Pillow came down from Clarksville on the 9th with 2,000 more; Brown's brigade came in about the same time; Floyd and Buckner arrived from Russellville with 8,000 on the 11th and 12th, and Polk sent about 1,800 from Columbus. On the morning of the 13th the Confederate strength numbered not far from 20,000 men, and was divided into the following commands: Buckner's division, including the brigades of Colonels W. E. Baldwin and J. C. Brown; Johnson's left wing, consisting of the brigades of Colonels A. Heiman, T. J. Davidson and John Dralce; Floyd's division, consisting of the brigades of Colonels G. C. Wharton and John McCausland: the regular garrison, embracing the 30th, 49th and 50th Tennessee, and commanded by Colonel J. W. Head; and Forrest's cavalry. On the morning of the 12th Grant left Lew Wallace with about 2,500 men at Fort Henry and moved with 15.000 by two roads toward Fort Donelson. McClernand's division, preceded by cavalry, had the advance on both roads. About noon the head of the column commenced skirmishing with the enemy's pickets, the rest of the day being passed in feeling the Confederate position and in learning the nature of the ground, which was full of ravines and ridges and thickly wooded. By nightfall Smith's division was in front of Buckner's next to Hickman creek, while McClernand had crossed Indian creek and taken position on the Wynn's ferry road. All of the 13th was spent in maneuvering for position and making demonstrations to draw the fire of the enemy's batteries, with a view of locating the weak points in the line of defenses. The Carondelet arrived that morning and fired a few shots at long range, disabling one of the 32-pounders in the lower battery, but a shot from the rifled gun in the upper battery entered a port-hole in the vessel, damaging her machinery and causing her to withdraw out of range. Toward evening the fleet arrived, bringing transports laden with reinforcements and, what was more welcome, supplies, as the men had left Fort Henry in light marching order with but one day's rations in their haversacks. Wallace, who had been ordered up from Fort Henry, arrived on the 14th and was assigned to a position between Smith and McClernand, most of the reinforcements being added to his division. Skirmishers exchanged shots at intervals during the day and from time to time the gunners in the batteries fired a few rounds to try the range of the guns. At 3 p.  m. the 4 ironclad gunboats took position under fire and steamed slowly up the river firing as they came. When within less than 400 yards of the fort a solid shot plowed its way through the wheel house of the St. Louis, and almost at the same instant the tiller ropes of the Louisville were cut away. The two boats became unmanageable and drifted down the river, greeted by the exultant yells of the Confederate gunners. The Pittsburg and Carondelet covered the disabled boats as well as possible and the whole fleet fell back beyond the range of the guns that had wrought the disaster. This repulse of the gunboats made it plain that the fort, if it was taken at all, must be taken by the land forces, and preparations were at once commenced for an attack on the following morning. Other transports had arrived during the day with additional troops, which were assigned to positions in the line; McArthur was ordered to the right to support Oglesby, as it was feared the enemy might attempt to cut his way out at that point; batteries were brought up and placed in the most advantageous positions; rations and ammunition were issued to the men, and when night came the men bivouacked without fires, resting on their arms so as to begin the assault as soon as the command might be given. Buckner says it was decided at a council on the morning of the 14th to cut a way out that day and that preparations were made for such a movement, but the order was countermanded by Floyd. That night another council was held, at which it was agreed to make a sortie at daybreak on the 15th, and if it was successful to retreat to Charlotte by the Wynn's ferry road. Pillow was to begin the attack on McClernand's right, and this was to be followed by Buckner in an assault on the center of the division, driving it back on Lew Wallace and opening the way to the road, after which Buckner was to cover the retreat. Accordingly at 6 a. m. Baldwin's brigade moved out and was soon engaged with Oglesby. McArthur hurried up and formed his command on Oglesby's right, gradually widening the distance between his regiments and prolonging his right into a skirmish line. Oglesby moved the 18th Illinois to the right to strengthen the line and brought up Schwartz' battery, which opened a destructive fire on the enemy's advancing column. Pillow sent the 20th Miss, to Baldwin's support, but it was quickly forced to retire behind a ridge for shelter. Johnson's brigade next moved forward through a depression in the ground and succeeded in turning McClernand's right. McClernand sent to Lew Wallace for assistance and Cruft's brigade was ordered to the right, where it managed to check the enemy and for a time held its position. Deeming that the time had come for him to act, Buckner advanced a part of his division against W. H. L. Wallace's brigade. McClernand sent Taylor's and McAllister's batteries to Wallace's support and Buckner failed to break the line, his troops retiring before the destructive fire of the artillery. Fresh regiments were now hurled against Oglesby, whose ammunition was exhausted, and his men began to fall back. The enemy swept around his flank and appeared in the rear, isolating Cruft's brigade, which also retired. One regiment of Oglesby's command—the 31st Illinois, commanded by Colonel John A. Logan—held on after the others retreated and continued the fight until every cartridge box was empty. Logan was wounded in the thigh, but still kept his post. When his regiment was finally compelled to fall back for want of ammunition, he had his wound dressed and again went to the front. As the 31st retired the 11th Illinois, under Lieutenant-Colonel Ransom, wheeled into the position and held it until charged by Forrest's cavalry, when it, too, retreated. Up to this point the sortie had been successful. Pillow had opened the way for the Confederates to escape, but the escape was not made. This was due to Pillow's erroneous notion of the victory he had won. When he saw the broken ranks of the Union right wing falling back in confusion before him he believed Grant's entire army was in full retreat, and so telegraphed to Johnston. Buckner was in position to protect the withdrawal of the troops, but Pillow ordered him to move out on a road running up a gorge toward Lew Wallace's position in pursuit of the flying Federals. Buckner protested against such a move, suggesting that the objects of the sortie had been gained, and that the proper thing to do was to evacuate the fort at once. Pillow, however, was flushed with success and allowed his vanity to get the better of his judgment. He would listen to no remonstrance and again ordered Buckner to take up the pursuit. About the time that Buckner started up the gorge road an officer rode back past Lew Wallace shouting: "All's lost! Save yourselves!" Instead of joining the retreating troops Wallace ordered Thayer's brigade forward to meet the enemy. Thayer moved his command at the double-quick up the ridge, formed a new line of battle at right angles to the old one, and behind this line McClernand's brigades rallied and refilled their cartridge boxes. Wood's battery was brought up and placed where it could sweep the road. These preparations were barely completed when the Confederates came swarming up the road and through the woods on both sides of it. The battery and the 1st Nebraska, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel McCord, were the principal points of the attack. In his report Wallace says: "They met the storm, no man flinching, and their fire was terrible. To say that they did well is not enough. Their conduct was splendid. They alone repelled the charge. * * * That was the last sally from Fort Donelson." In the meantime C. F. Smith on the left had not been idle. With this command were Birge's sharpshooters, armed with long range Henry-rifles, and every man a skilled marksman. All day on the 14th this band of intrepid Missourians kept up from behind rocks and trees a continual fire, making it unsafe for a Confederate to show his head above the works. On the morning of the 15th Grant went to the flagship to hold an interview with Foote, who had been wounded during the action of the gunboats, and knew nothing of Pillow's sortie until about 1 p.  m. He ordered C. F. Smith to storm the works in his front and then rode over to the right to take steps to recover the lost ground. Lew Wallace placed M. L. Smith's brigade, consisting of the 11th Indiana and 8th Missouri, in the advance; Cruft's brigade in the second line; Morrison's brigade—the 17th and 49th Illinois—and the 46th, 57th and 58th Illinois in support. At 2 o'clock C. F. Smith led Lauman's brigade through the abatis in the best order possible, reformed his line and charged up the slope. The Confederates in the rifle-pits fled precipitately and the four regiments of the brigade, the 25th Indiana, the 2nd, 7th and 14th Louisiana, rushed in and planted the national colors over the works. This occurred while Buckner was engaged in trying to carry out Pillow's order to pursue the retreating Federals. Later he came back and vainly tried to dislodge Smith, but the latter was there to stay. When Lew Wallace heard the sound of Smith's attack he ordered his line to advance against the ridge held by Drake's brigade and the 20th Mississippi The 11th Indiana had been drilled in Zouave tactics, which now came in good play. Falling to the ground when the enemy's fire was hottest, then springing to their feet and running forward when it slackened, all the time keeping up a well directed fire, they gradually forced the Confederates back toward their works on the summit of the ridge. When near the ridge the Unionists commenced loading and firing as they advanced. Unused to this style of warfare the enemy gave way. The supporting column hurried up at this juncture, pressed the advantage gained and drove the Confederates within their works. The road to Charlotte was closed and the opportunity to escape had passed. That night the Confederate generals held another council of war. The session was somewhat stormy, the criminations and recriminations between Buckner and Pillow growing at times especially bitter. Scouts were sent out to ascertain the position of the Federals and came back with the information that the Union lines occupied the same position as before the sortie. Some of the generals doubted the correctness of this statement and other scouts were sent out, who came back with the report that every foot of ground from which the Federals had been driven in the morning had been reoccupied. Pillow still clung to the notion that they could cut their way out. After canvassing the situation in all of its aspects the command was turned over to Buckner, who immediately announced his determination to surrender the fort. Floyd and Pillow declared they would never surrender, and Buckner agreed to their cutting their way out, or escaping as they could, provided it was done before an agreement was reached with the Federal commander as to the terms of capitulation. Pillow started out to make arrangements for his escape, at the same time giving Forrest directions to cut his way out. Calling his command together about 3 o'clock on Sunday morning of the 16th, Forrest went up the river road through the backwater, which in places came up to the saddle-skirts, and reached Nashville the following Tuesday. About 200 of his men refused to go and were surrendered. Pillow and his staff crossed the river in a small flatboat and walked to Clarksville. About daylight two steamboats, which had been sent up the river with prisoners and wounded Confederates, returned to the fort. Floyd took possession of the boats, embarked four Virginia regiments and steamed off up the river, leaving the 20th Miss, of his brigade behind. Shortly after daybreak the notes of a bugle were heard in the direction of the fort, announcing the' approach of an officer with a communication from Buckner, asking for an armistice until noon and the appointment of commissioners to agree on the terms of capitulation. Then it was that Grant sent his famous message, viz: "No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works." Having no alternative Buckner was forced to comply, and the Union forces marched in and took possession. The Union loss at Fort Donelson was 500 killed, 2,108 wounded and 224 missing. No accurate report of the Confederate casualties was made. Floyd estimated it at "about 1,500;" Pillow thought it was "about 2,000," and the Confederate Military History places it at "about 1.420." The same is true of the total strength of the Confederate army and the number of prisoners surrendered. McClernand, in his report, says: "Our trophies corresponded with the magnitude of the victory; 13,300 prisoners, 20,000 stands of small arms, 60 pieces of cannon, and corresponding proportions of animals, wagons, ordnance, commissary and quartermaster's stores fell into our hands." But the most important result of the fall of Fort Donelson was the opening of the Cumberland river to the passage of the Union gunboats and transports and the breaking of Johnston's line of defense.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 415-420.


FORT DONELSON, TENNESSEE, August 25, 1862. Detachment of 71st Ohio Infantry. About 1:30 p. m. on August 25 a Confederate force under Colonel Woodward approached Fort Donelson and, under a flag of truce, demanded a surrender. When the demand was refused their cavalry charged and were repulsed with a loss of 6 or 8 killed and wounded. After half an hour's fighting the enemy withdrew. The Union forces sustained no loss.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 420.


FORT DONELSON, TENNESSEE, February 3, 1863. Detachments of 5th Iowa Cavalry, 83d Illinois Infantry, and 2nd Illinois Artillery. About noon this post was approached by the Confederate cavalry forces under Generals Wheeler, Forrest and Wharton. A demand was made to surrender, which Colonel Abner C. Harding, commanding the post, immediately refused. Meantime the enemy had placed three batteries on the ridges to the east, south and southwest and were pouring a heavy fire into the fort. A charge from the direction of the river was repulsed, and then another assault, led by Forrest himself, was started. The attacking party moved down the river and turned southward, filling the space between the river and the north line of rifle-pits with mounted men. At the crest of the ridge directly in front of the rifle-pits the enemy was met by a volley from 300 Springfield rifles, followed by a bayonet charge, and the ground was soon cleared. From this time until sunset a heavy musketry fire was kept up. when another demand was made for the surrender of the fort. This was refused and shortly after dark the enemy withdrew. The Union loss was 13 killed, 51 wounded and 46 captured. The Confederate casualties were about 100 killed and wounded.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 420.


FORT DONELSON, TENNESSEE, July 29, 1863. Detachment of 13th Wisconsin Infantry. A party of some 30 or 40 mounted infantry proceeding from Clarksville to Fort Donelson was attacked by a Confederate ambush near the latter place and scattered, about 20 coming into Fort Donelson.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 420.


FORT DONELSON, TENNESSEE, October 11, 1864. Detachment of 4th U. S. Colored Artillery. On the morning of this date Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas R. Weaver, with a detachment of 85 men, started from Pine Bluff on a recruiting trip. When within 5 miles of Fort Donelson the advance came up with three regiments of Confederate cavalry under Colonel Chenoweth. The Union troops were formed in line of battle on an elevated position, occupied by the house and outbuildings of a farmer, where an attack was repulsed and Weaver, seeing that he was being surrounded, took possession of the buildings. After another fruitless attempt to drive the Federals from the hill, Chenoweth withdrew, having suffered a loss of 20 men killed and wounded. The Union loss was 4 killed and 9 wounded.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 420-421.


FORT ESPERANZA, TEXAS, November 27-29, 1863. Detachments of 1st and 2nd divisions, 13th Army Corps. By midnight of November 25, Major-General C. C. Washburn, commanding the expedition, had ferried his force to the southern end of Matagorda island and commenced his march on Fort Esperanza. The night of the 26th was spent within 10 miles of the fort and by noon the next day the Union command was within range of the enemy's guns. Owing to the severity of the weather and the fact that the gunboats which were to aid in the attack on the fort had not come up, little besides reconnoitering the enemy's position was done on the 28th. During the night, however, a rifle pit 210 yards in length, and sufficiently large to hold a regiment, was dug parallel with the enemy's works. Early in the morning the Union advance drove in the enemy's pickets and took a portion of the works without trouble. This enabled Washburn to bring up 2 pieces of the 7th Michigan battery where they could drop shells into the fort. The infantry was moved forward whenever opportunity offered, so that by evening four companies of the 8th Indiana and 5 of the 33d Illinois were in the sandhills within 275 yards of the fort. About midnight an explosion of gunpowder notified Washburn that the Confederates were evacuating the fort, and a rush was made for it to save as much property as possible. Six of the enemy's rear guard were captured. The ferry rope had been cut so that the pursuing troops were not able to follow. The Union loss was 1 killed and 4 wounded. The Confederate loss was not reported.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 421.


FORT FILLMORE, NEW MEXICO, July 27, 1861. Detachments of 7th U. S. Infantry and Mounted Rifles. After the unsuccessful attempt on the 25th to dislodge from Mesilla the Texas troops under Lieutenant-Colonel John R. Baylor, Major Isaac Lynde returned to Fort Fillmore with his command. The next day word was brought to Lynde that an artillery reinforcement was being sent the enemy, and if he attempted to intercept it the fort would be attacked in his absence; if he allowed the reinforcement to proceed without molesting it the joint command would attack the fort. Believing himself unable to cope with any considerable force, Lynde ordered the post evacuated, and at 1 a. m. took up the line of march for Fort Stanton. His idea was to reach St. Augustine springs the first day and there make camp. When within 6 miles of the springs a goodly portion of his men and horses gave out for lack of water, and Lynde and a part of his staff rode forward to the springs to bring back enough to enable the command to move on. On returning to the troops Lynde was joined by Captain Alfred Gibbs with 35 men, who had been sent from Albuquerque with beef cattle for the Fort Fillmore command. In the meantime the Confederate troops had come upon the Union rearguard and captured it without a struggle. Thinking it useless to resist Lynde sent an officer under a flag of truce offering to surrender his whole command under certain conditions. These the Confederates accepted and the Union force of nearly 500 men became prisoners of war. Lynde's name was dropped from the roll of the army because of his cowardly performance.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 421.


FORT FILLMORE, NEW MEXICO, August 7, 1862. California troops, commanded by General Canby.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 421.


FORT FISHER, NORTH CAROLINA, December 7-27, 1864. 2nd Division, 24th Army Corps, 1st Division, 25th Corps, and Porter's Fleet. While the siege of Petersburg and Richmond was in progress, General Grant determined on an expedition to reduce Fort Fisher and close the port of Wilmington, through which the Confederate army was receiving supplies. On December 8 Ames' division of the 24th corps and Paine's of the 25th, under command of Major-General Godfrey Weitzel and accompanied by General Butler, dropped down the James river on transports to Fortress Monroe. On the 18th the expedition effected a junction with Adm. Porter's fleet, but owing to rough weather did not reach the vicinity of the fort until the 24th, the gunboats already being in position and bombarding the fort. By noon of the 25th the Half-moon and Flag Pond hill batteries—2 miles up the coast from Fort Fisher—were silenced, and part of the troops landed. Curtis' brigade of Ames' division captured the Half-moon battery and advanced a skirmish line to within 75 yards of the fort, the gunboats keeping up an incessant fire that held the Confederates in their bomb-proofs. In the meantime General Lee had hurried Hoke's division from Richmond to the relief of the fort and two brigades close on the rear of the Union troops that had landed. A rough sea made it difficult to land more troops; Weitzel reported to Butler that it was impracticable to assault with the force then on shore; the troops were reembarked, and on the 27th the expedition returned to Fortress Monroe. Weitzel reported his loss as 1 man drowned while reembarking and 15 wounded. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded was not ascertained, but 300 were captured, with 2 heavy rifled guns, 2 light guns, 6 caissons and a battle flag. (See Fort Fisher January 13-17. 1865.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 421-422.


FORT FISHER, NORTH CAROLINA, January 13-17, 1865. Expedition under General Terry, and North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. Pursuant to orders from General Grant, Major-General Alfred H. Terry on January 2 selected 1,400 men from the 2nd brigade, 1st division, 24th corps, under Colonel J. C. Abbott; 3.300 from the 2nd division of the same corps under Brigadier- General Adelbert Ames; 3,300 from the 3d division of the 25th corps, under command of Brigadier-General Charles J. Paine; 4 guns of the 16th New York independent battery, and Battery E, 3d U. S. artillery, for an expedition against Fort Fisher. The troops were embarked on transports at Bermuda landing on the 4th and joined the North Atlantic Squadron, under Adm. Porter, 25 miles off Beaufort, North Carolina. Owing to stormy weather the fleet did not reach the vicinity of Fort Fisher until late on the afternoon of the 12th and landing was postponed until next morning. Fort Fisher was located on the narrow peninsula known as Federal point, between the Cape Fear river and the Atlantic ocean, and was garrisoned by a Confederate force of some 1,200 men with 47 pieces of heavy ordnance. When the enemy learned of Terry's approach General Whiting reinforced the garrison with 600 men and General Hoke, with his division of 6,000 infantry and cavalry took a position on the peninsula north of the fort to prevent the Federals from landing. About midnight of the 12th the gunboats began shelling the fort and at 4 a. m. on the 13th the transports moved close to the shore and the work of disembarking was commenced. By 3 p. m. 8,000 men were on shore, each with 3 days' rations in his haversack and 40 rounds of ammunition in his cartridge-box. Terry's advance soon encountered Hoke's outposts and exchanged shots with them, the Confederates gradually retiring. During the night Terry threw a line of intrenchments across the peninsula to guard against any attack from the rear, and early on the morning of the 14th the artillery was brought ashore and placed in the works. Curtis' brigade of Ames' division moved toward the fort and gained possession of. a small unfinished work facing the west end of the land front of the fort. As a result of the reconnaissance Terry determined to attempt an assault the next day and sent word to Porter, who at once moved his gunboats nearer the fort for the purpose of cooperating with the land forces. At 8 a. m. on the 15th, according to Terry's report, "all of the vessels, except a division left to aid in the defense of our northern line, moved into position, and a fire, magnificent alike for its power, was opened." At 2 p. m. 60 sharpshooters from the 13th Indiana, armed with Spencer repeating rifles, and 40 men from Curtis' brigade, advanced on a run to within 17S yards of the fort. They were provided with shovels, and in the sandy soil each man soon had a pit to shelter him while he directed his fire to the parapet. As soon as the sharpshooters had gained their position Curtis moved up to a slight ridge about 50 yards in their rear, Pennypacker's brigade occupied the outwork just vacated by Curtis, and Bell's brigade was placed about 200 yards in the rear of Pennypacker. At 3:25 p. m. the signal to advance was given. Curtis' men sprang from their cover and dashed toward the fort; Pennypacker occupied the position along the little ridge, and Bell moved up to the outwork. With Curtis were a number of axmen who did good service in making openings in the palisades, through which Curtis' line swept like a tornado and gained the parapet. At the same time a column of sailors and marines, commanded by Captain K. R. Breese, advanced up the beach and attacked the northeastern bastion, but were met by a murderous fire and compelled to retire to the boats. As soon as Curtis had gained a firm foothold on the parapet Pennypacker was moved up to his support and in a few minutes drove the enemy from the palisades extending toward the river, after which he took a position on Curtis' right on the north face of the fort. Bell's brigade was now moved between the fort and the river. On this side there was no parapet, but the enemy found shelter in the holes from which the sand had been taken to construct the fort, and here some desperate hand to hand fighting occurred, the enemy falling back from one to another of the traverses of the land face of the fort and using these traverses for breastworks, from which they fired on the advancing Unionists at short range. The contest for the possession of the traverses was continued until about 9 p. m., when Abbott's brigade drove the enemy from his last stand and Fort Fisher was in the hands of the Federal troops. Several prisoners were captured by Pennypacker in his first assault on the palisades and the rest of the garrison surrendered. About 4 p. m. Hoke attempted a diversion by threatening an attack on Terry's line of intrenchments across the peninsula, but after a slight skirmish with the Union pickets abandoned his intention. Terry's loss at Fort Fisher was 110 killed, 535 wounded and 13 missing. General Bragg, commanding the Confederate forces, reported his loss as about 500 in killed and wounded and 2,083 captured. With the prisoners all the stores, cannon, etc., fell into the hands of the Union forces. Besides the 47 heavy guns in position there were 122 pieces of artillery in the fort, 2.000 stand of small arms, full supplies of ammunition and a large quantity of commissary stores. Brigadier-General N. M. Curtis, Colonel Galusha Pennypacker and First Lieutenant John Wainwright, of the 97th Pennsylvania, and Private Z. C. Neahr, of the 142nd New York, were awarded medals of honor by Congress for distinguished bravery at Fort Fisher. On the 16th the enemy blew up Fort Caswell and Fort Campbell, and abandoned them, as well as their works at Smithville and at Reeves' point.


FORT FISHER, VIRGINIA, March 25, 1865. 2nd and 6th Army Corps. Fort Fisher was one of the redoubts in front of Petersburg. The assault by the 2nd and 6th corps was made immediately after the repulse of the Confederate attack on Fort Stedman. (See Petersburg.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 422-424.


FORT GAINES, ALABAMA, August 8, 1864. Fort Gaines was one of the Confederate defenses of Mobile bay. For an account of its reduction on the above date, see naval volume, operations of Farragut's fleet about Mobile.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 424.


FORT GIBSON, INDIAN TERRITORY, May 20, 1863. U. S. Troops under Colonel William A. Phillips. Because an Indian picket failed to do his duty, five regiments of Confederate troops were able to make a descent on the stock of Fort Gibson, within 5 miles of the fort, and carry off practically all the horses. Colonel William A. Phillips, commanding the post, sent out Majors Foreman, Wright and Pomeroy in pursuit, but the enemy being strongly posted were able to drive back the Federal troops. On the arrival of Phillips with artillery reinforcements the Confederates were dislodged and pushed over the mountain to Webber's falls, where they crossed the Arkansas river. In the mean-time Phillips received word that another force was crossing the river 2 miles below Fort Gibson, and leaving the cavalry to follow the original attacking force he took his infantry and artillery to the river, where he found a body of Confederates making a feint, so as to draw him from the other party. This force withdrew after firing one volley. The Union loss was 26 killed, wounded and missing. The enemy's loss, though not reported, was much larger.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 424.


FORT GIBSON, INDIAN TERRITORY, May 28, 1863. Indian Home Guards. A train, under escort of a portion of Colonel William A. Phillips' Indian regiment, was attacked by a considerable force of Confederates near Fort Gibson on the 28th. The enemy was repulsed, but not until after Phillips had lost 5 killed and several wounded. The Union report of the affair says 35 of the enemy were buried by the home guards. Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, December 16, 1863. An abstract from the "Record of Events" of the district of the frontier reads: "December 16, the rebels, under Colonels Stand Watie, Adair and Quantrill, moved to attack Fort Gibson, but fell back as troops moved out of the post. Federal loss, 2 men killed and 2 wounded. Rebel loss, killed and wounded, 5."  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 424.


FORT GIBSON, INDIAN TERRITORY, September 16, 1864. Detachments of 2nd Kansas Cavalry and 79th U. S. Colored Infantry. While guarding a hay party on the prairie 15 miles west of Fort Gibson, Captain Edgar A. Barker, with 125 men, received word of the advance of a Confederate force in the direction of his camp. Drawing his infantry up in line of battle, he moved out with a squad of cavalry and came up with the enemy about 2 miles away. He immediately fell back, thwarting several attempts of the Confederates to cut him off from his main column. The enemy then surrounded the camp and attacked from all sides, their cavalry charging three times, but each time being repulsed. Finding himself about to be overwhelmed, Barker with his cavalry made a dash for liberty, leaving the infantry to fight it out. The Confederates immediately closed in, captured all the white soldiers and killed all the colored troops. Only 15 men in the cavalry division succeeded in getting through, as the Confederates numbered 1,500. The total Federal loss was 40 killed and 66 wounded, missing or captured. The enemy's loss was not reported. All of the equipment of the hay party was taken or destroyed by the enemy.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 424.


FORT GILMER, VIRGINIA, September 29-30, 1864. (See Fort Harrison.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 424.


FORT HALLECK, DAKOTA, February 20, 1863. 9th Kansas Cavalry. On the 19th a band of Ute Indians broke up the stage line station at Pass creek and on the following day a detachment was sent in pursuit from Fort Halleck. An encounter occurred during which some of the Indians were killed and others wounded. One of the soldiers was wounded.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 424-425.


FORT HARRISON, VIRGINIA, September 29-30, 1864. 10th and 18th Army Corps, and Kautz's Cavalry Division. Fort Harrison was a redoubt on the Confederate line of defenses north of the James river, and about a mile directly east of Chaffin's bluff. A short distance north was another redoubt known as Fort Gilmer, both forts being connected with the works at Chaffin's bluff by lines of intrenchments, while an advanced line, held by the enemy's pickets, extended northeast from Fort Harrison. On September 28 Major-General David B. Birney, commanding the 10th corps, was directed to cross the James river at the upper pontoon bridge at Deep Bottom (q. v.) and advance upon Richmond by the Newmarket and Darbytown roads. Kautz, with his cavalry division, was to move on the latter road in support of Birney's movement, and as a diversion Major-General E. O. C. Ord, with the 18th corps, was directed to cross the river by a pontoon 2 miles below Dutch gap and move up the Varina road against the Confederate works about Chaffin's bluff. The movement was made secretly, and by daylight on the 29th both corps were north of the James. The Confederate pickets and skirmishers were driven in and about 7:30 the head of Ord's column reached the open fields of the Chaffin farm in front of Fort Harrison, when the enemy immediately opened fire with artillery from the fort and the adjacent trenches. Ord reconnoitered the ground and made dispositions to attack. Stannard's division was directed to push forward on the left of the road, advance at quick time across the open ground, and at the double-quick upon arriving at the foot of the hill in front of the fort, while Heckman's division was to move to the right of the road and attack in front. Heckman went too far into the woods and when the time came for him to assault his brigades were scattered and could not be brought up in time to be of service. Stannard's men, Burnham's brigade in the lead, advanced across the open ground in the face of a severe fire, swept over the parapet, and after a sharp encounter carried the fort, capturing 16 guns and a number of prisoners. The guns were turned on the works to the right and left of the fort and two lunettes, about 600 yards apart, with 6 more pieces of artillery, fell into the hands of the Federals. Ord then tried to form his men to swing round inside the trenches toward Fort Gilmer, but in the excitement and confusion, and owing to the heavy loss in brigade and regimental commanders, the attempt did not succeed. Burnham had been killed early in the assault and two other officers that succeeded him in command of the brigade were wounded in quick succession. While trying to rally his men Ord was severely wounded and the command of the corps devolved on General Heckman, who was just about to attack Fort Gilmer. Ord had been instructed to occupy such works as he took, after which he was to push on with any spare force he had, and attack the works toward Richmond. These instructions were imparted to Heckman when he assumed command, and he afterward made an attack on Fort Gilmer, but as that work had been strongly reinforced the assault was repulsed with considerable loss. The 10th corps, Foster's division in advance, moved forward on the Kingsland road from Deep Bottom about 6 a. m. and shortly after 9 o'clock met the enemy s pickets along the line of works at the junction of the Mill and New Market roads. Part of the 142nd New York, under Lieutenant-Colonel Barney, was deployed as skirmishers, and closely followed by the remainder of the 1st brigade, charged the works, driving the enemy in some confusion back to Laurel Hill Church, where the Confederates had a battery of 12-pounders in position. This battery was quickly dislodged and Foster formed his command along the New Market road, his right resting at the church, where he remained until about the middle of the afternoon, when the corps was ordered to make an assault on Fort Gilmer and the main line of works as far as New Market road. In this assault the only Union troops that reached the fort were those belonging to the colored brigade. They jumped into the ditch and endeavored to scale the parapet by climbing upon each other's shoulders, but their determined efforts were finally defeated and the brigade driven back with severe loss. The corps then fell back to Laurel hill, where it intrenched. During the night of the 29th and the forenoon of the 30th large parties of Stannard's division worked arduously to made Fort Harrison an enclosed work in anticipation of an attempt to recapture it. General Ewell, who was in command of the Confederate forces on the north side of the James, was joined by General Lee soon after Stannard's successful assault on the fort, and steps were at once taken to recover the lost position. Troops were hurried over from the south side of the river and by daylight on the 30th ten brigades were concentrated near Fort Gilmer ready for an attack on Stannard. About 2 p. m. the enemy opened fire with 12 pieces of artillery on Stannard's center and left and Anderson, now in command of Longstreet's corps, advanced on the right with the brigades of Law, Anderson, Bratton, Colquitt and Clingman. Stannard ordered his men to reserve their fire until the Confederates came out of the chaparral, when the whole line opened a most effective fire, which drove the enemy back to the cover of the underbrush. At this unfortunate juncture it was discovered that the Federal supply of artillery ammunition was exhausted and Stannard ordered the guns to be removed by hand. Two subsequent attacks were repulsed in like manner and the day closed with the Union troops still in possession of the fort. The Federal loss during the several engagements about Fort Harrison, Fort Gilmer, New Market Heights, Laurel Hill Church, etc., was 383 killed, 2,299 wounded and 645 missing. The "Medical and Surgical History of the War" gives the total number of Confederates killed and wounded at 2,000. In addition to this list of casualties about 300 were captured, together with 22 pieces of artillery and a large quantity of ammunition, camp equipage, etc. Although the expedition was not entirely a success its principal object—that of preventing Lee from sending reinforcements to Early in the Shenandoah valley—was accomplished. Had it not been for Heckman's unfortunate error in taking position and the destructive fire of the Confederate gunboats in the river just at the time Ord was trying to rally his men for an attack on Fort Gilmer, that work would have undoubtedly fallen into the hands of the Union forces, thus opening the way for an entry into Richmond.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 425-426.


FORT HATTERAS, NORTH CAROLINA, August 28-29, 1861. (See Naval Volume.) Fort Heiman, Kentucky, October 28-30, I864. Gunboat Undine. The Confederate cavalry under Forrest made its appearance on the left bank of the Tennessee river on the 28th and captured the steam-boat Mazeppa and a barge, both laden with quartermaster's supplies for the depot at Johnsonville. The supplies were taken off in wagons and the vessels were burned. Two days later the Federal gunboat Undine and the steamboats Cheeseman and Venus, bound from Johnsonville down the river, got between the batteries which the Confederates had placed at Fort Heiman and Paris Landing, 4 miles above, and after 6 hours' fighting the Undine was abandoned, after having had 2 of her crew killed and 8 wounded. The crew of the other vessels were captured. Fort Henry, Tennessee, February 6, 1862. U. S. forces under General Grant and Commodore Foote's Fleet of Gunboats. When General Albert Sidney Johnston was placed in command of the Confederate Department of the West, in the fall of 1861, he established a line of defenses from Columbus, Kentucky, to the Cumberland mountains, with Bowling Green as the center. Two forts were built on this line— Fort Henry on the Tennessee river, near the Kentucky state line, and Fort Donelson, 12 miles east on the Cumberland. Fort Henry stood on the right bank of the river, in a slight bend, commanding a straight stretch of the river for several miles in either direction. It was on a slight elevation, but little above high water mark, and was commanded by higher hills on both sides of the river. Should these fall into the hands of the Federals it would be impossible for the fort to hold out, so a secondary fortification, called Fort Heiman, was commenced on the bluff opposite Fort Henry, but was not completed in time to be of any service when the attack came. Back of the fort was a second line of earthworks, in front of which the timber had been felled to form an abatis, and below the fort a line of rifle-pits extended from the river bank to the second line of works. The garrison consisted of about 3,200 men, under the command of General Lloyd Tilghman, and the armament included 20 guns, mostly of heavy caliber. During the months of December, 1861, and January, 1862, Generals Grant and Sherman and Commodore Foote all urged the importance of taking these forts, thus breaking Johnston's line in the center and opening the two rivers to the passage of Union vessels, the Tennessee to Florence, Alabama, and the Cumberland to Nashville, but it was not until February 1 that Grant received orders from General Halleck, at St. Louis, to proceed against them. The next day Grant left Cairo with 17,000 men on transports, under the convoy of Foote with 7 gun-boats, viz: the Cincinnati (flagship), Essex, Carondelet, St. Louis, Conestoga, Tyler and Lexington, the first four being ironclads. About 8 miles below the fort McClernand's division was landed for the purpose of making a reconnaissance to ascertain the range of the enemy's guns, after which the troops were reembarked on the transports and moved up the river about 5 miles to Bailey's ferry, where the whole force was landed on the 5th. That night Smith's division was sent to capture Fort Heiman, but found it evacuated. About 11 a. m. on the 6th McClernand was ordered to move to the rear of the fort and secure the roads leading to Dover and Fort Donelson, in order to cut off the line of retreat, while Smith was to hold Fort Heiman. Owing to a storm the night before the roads were almost impassable, so that McClernand's progress was slow. Tilghman had anticipated a move of this character and early that morning had sent Colonel Heiman with the infantry to Fort Donelson, while he remained with barely enough men to work the guns. At 12:30 the first shot was fired from the flagship at a distance of 1,700 yards. This was quickly followed by others from the Carondelet and Essex, the vessels gradually ascending the stream until within less than 600 yards of the fort, the fire, both from the fort and the gunboats, increasing in rapidity and accuracy of range. A shot penetrated one of the boilers on the Essex, scalding 29 men, among whom was Captain W. D. Porter, commander of the vessel. In the fort an 80-pound shell disabled every man at one of the guns, a premature explosion of a 42-pounder killed 3 men and wounded several others, while 4 of the guns were dismounted by shots from the fleet. At 1:45 Tilghman ordered the Confederate flag to be lowered and Foote sent two of his officers to take possession of the fort and raise the Stars and Stripes. Tilghman then went on board the flagship and formally surrendered the fort with its equipment and about 70 men as prisoners of war. The Union casualties, including the men scalded on the Essex, was 44 in killed and wounded. The Confederate loss was reported as being 5 killed, 11 wounded and 5 missing. The Tennessee river was now open and it only remained to reduce Fort Donelson to open the Cumberland.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 426-428.


FORT HINDMAN, ARKANSAS, January 11, 1863. (See Arkansas Post.)


FORT HOLLY, VIRGINIA, December 10, 1864. Kautz's Cavalry Division. Fort Holly was a Federal earthwork between the Darbytown and New Market roads, a short distance west of Fussell's mill. Early on the morning of the loth the pickets were driven in and reported a large Confederate force advancing down the Darbytown road from the direction of Richmond. This force proved to be Field's and Hoke's divisions, supported by Kershaw's, and by 2 p. m. the Union troops had all been driven inside their works. The enemy then attempted 311 assault, but finding the works too strong to be carried by that method retired to the woods, from which a desultory fire was kept up until dark. Late in the afternoon an effort was made to turn Kautz's right, but the movement was repulsed with some loss. About 8 p. m. the Confederates withdrew and were pursued for some distance, several stragglers being captured. Kautz reported his loss at 7 killed, 23 wounded and 22 missing. The enemy's loss was not learned.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 428.


FORT JACKSON, LOUISIANA, April 18-28, 1862. Fort Jackson was one of the Confederate defenses of New Orleans. For its reduction see account in the naval volume of the capture of New Orleans by the fleet under Adm. D. G. Farragut.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 428.


FORT JOHNSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, June 16, 1862. (See Secessionville.) Fort Johnson, South Carolina, July 3, 1864. Hoyt's Expedition. On the evening of July 2 this expedition, consisting of the 52nd Pennsylvania infantry, detachments of the 127th New York infantry and the 3d Rhode Island artillery, commanded by Colonel Henry M. Hoyt, left Morris island for James island. The plan was to land between Fort Johnson and Battery Simkins and carry both works. Through a mistake on the part of the guide, the passage of the channel was lost and some delay was occasioned in getting to the landing. Meanwhile the enemy had discovered the approach of the boats and opened fire. Hoyt and about 135 of the command had landed about daybreak when the others became panic-stricken and returned to Morris island. A water battery was easily taken and Hoyt pushed on toward Fort Johnson. His attack was repulsed and he was obliged to surrender after losing 7 killed and 16 wounded. The Confederate loss was not reported.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 428.


FORT JONES, KENTUCKY, February 18, 1865. Detachment of 12th U. S. Colored Heavy Artillery. While on their way from Fort Jones to Colesburg to draw rations 3 members of this troop were attacked and killed by Magruder's band of guerrillas. Sue Mundy's force meanwhile had ridden to within 200 yards of the fort, drawing the fire of the garrison. This skirmish was an incident of the raid of guerrilla bands in the vicinity.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 728.


FORT KELLY, WEST VIRGINIA, November 28, 1864. (See New Creek.) Fort Lamed, Kansas, January 20, 1865. Detachments of the 1st and 2nd Colorado Cavalry. These troops, 31 in number, while acting as escort for a sutler's train, were attacked by a band of Indians three days after they left Fort Lamed. The fight resulted in the killing of 1 soldier and the wounding of 2 others, while the Indians had 3 killed and as many wounded. The train was compelled to return to Fort Larned.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 428-429.


FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, October 20-26, 1864. Troops not given.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 429.


FORT MCALLISTER, GEORGIA, February-March, 1863. Naval Bombardments. Fort McAllister was located on Genesis point, on the Ogeechee river, about 15 miles from Savannah. On the morning of February 1 the Montauk engaged the fort at a distance of 1,400 yards, the shoal water making it impossible for her to get any closer. Slight damage was done to the parapets of the fort, the guns of which replied and in the cannonade the vessel was struck 46 times, but was not materially damaged. By the last of the month several ironclads had reached the vicinity and Adm. Dupont ordered a concentrated attack on the fort. On March 3 the Passaic, Patapsco and Nahant moved up toward the fort. The first named was brought up to within 1,000 yards and remained there until her ammunition was expended. The other vessels were unable to approach so near, but continued the fire at longer range for the greater part of the day. But little damage was done to the fort and the Passaic, which was struck 34 times, was the only one of the gunboats injured in the least. She was taken to Port Royal and soon repaired. (See the following article.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 429.


FORT MCALLISTER, GEORGIA, Dec 13, 1864. 2nd Division, 15th Corps, Sherman's Army. Incidental to the taking of Savannah by Sherman's army, the 2nd division of the 15th corps, under Brig-General W. B. Hazen, moved down the right bank of the Ogeechee river to take Fort McAllister, garrisoned by a force of 250 men under Major G. W. Anderson. Hazen reached the vicinity about 11 a. m. About a mile from the fort a picket was captured, who revealed the whereabouts of a line of torpedoes in the road. Some time was lost in removing them, and leaving eight regiments at that point as a reserve, Hazen pushed on with the other nine to within about 600 yards of the works. Here the troops were deployed, the skirmishers keeping the attention of the Confederate gunners. At 4:45 p. m. a charge was ordered and at precisely 5 o'clock the fort was carried, after 15 minutes of desperate fighting which drove the Confederates to their bomb-proofs. Just outside the works a line of torpedoes had been placed, many of which were exploded by the tread of the men, and worked havoc in some parts of the Union line. The Federal casualties amounted to 24 killed and 110 wounded. The enemy's loss was 48 in killed and wounded, and the rest of the garrison captured, together with 24 cannon, 40 tons of ammunition, all the small arms, horses and equipments of the garrison, a month's supply of provisions and a large amount of private stores which had been sent to the fort for safe-keeping.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 429.


FORT MCCOOK, TENNESSEE, August 27, 1862. (See Battle Creek, same date.)


FORT MCREE, FLORIDA, January 1-2, 1862. (See Fort Barrancas.)


FORT MACON, NORTH CAROLINA, March 23-April 26, 1862. 3d Division, Department of North Carolina and Gunboats. Fort Macon was located at the east end of a long narrow island opposite the town of Beaufort, and has been described as an "old style, strong, casemated work, mounting about 50 guns." In the spring of 1862 it was garrisoned by four companies of the 10th North Carolina artillery (Confederate) under command of Colonel M. J. White. Toward the latter part of March General Burnside, commanding the department of North Carolina, ordered Brigadier-General John G. Parke to move against the fort with his division and attempted its reduction. Parke arrived in front of the fort on March 23, and sent in a demand for a surrender. This was refused and some time was spent in bringing up artillery and constructing batteries. On April 25 Parke opened fire at 5 a. m. with four batteries of mortars and Parrott guns, and by 4 p. m. over 1,100 shells and solid shot had been thrown at the fort, about one-half of which took effect, dismounting over half the guns in the Confederate works. About 7:30 a. m. the gunboats Daylight, Georgia and Chippewa, and the bark Gemsbok, came into action and kept up a bombardment on the water side of the fort until the high winds made the sea so rough that they were compelled to withdraw. At 4:30 p. m. a white flag was displayed above the ramparts of the fort and the firing ceased. The next morning at 9:30 the fort was formally surrendered, 54 guns, 400 prisoners, a large amount of ammunition, commissary and quartermaster's stores, 40 horses with their equipments, 500 stands of small arms and a considerable quantity of clothing, etc., fell into Federal hands. The Union loss was reported as 1 killed and 2 wounded; that of the enemy as 7 killed and 18 wounded.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 429-430.


FORT MORGAN, ALABAMA, January 20, 1862. Capture of a British Schooner. The British schooner Andracita, formerly the J. W. Wilder, had been run aground at the mouth of a lagoon, near Fort Morgan, Alabama, and Camp Bragg, in order to save her cargo. Two Federal steamers sought to remove the schooner from any possibility of falling into the hands of the Confederates, but they were resisted by two companies from Fort Morgan and Camp Bragg. Under a galling fire the Federals got a hawser on the schooner, and as the tide rose dragged her out to sea. It appears that in bringing about this affair, a British consul conspired with the Confederates to compromise the United States, but it is not recorded that it resulted in international complications. (For the reduction of this fort in August, 1864. see naval volume, operations of Farragut's fleet about Mobile.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 430.


FORT MORGAN, ALABAMA, June 30, 1862. Capture of a Blockade Runner. On the night of the 29th, the English steamer Ann, passed the Federal blockade and sought the assistance of the Confederate garrison at Fort Morgan in discharging a valuable cargo. Assistance was provided early the following morning, but under the menace of a Federal gunboat was timorous and inefficient. The steamer was then scuttled, but being constructed in water-tight compartments, she did not sink, and with her cargo was towed off by the Federal squadron.


FORTS MORTON AND SEDGWICK, VIRGINIA, October 27, 1864. Detachments of the 1st Division, 2nd Army Corps. Fort Morton was a redoubt on the Federal lines in front of Petersburg, near the point where Burnside sprung his mine, and Fort Sedgwick was another redoubt about a mile farther south. From signal stations, General Miles, commanding the division, learned that the Confederates had but a small force in front of the two forts, and planned a reconnaissance to determine the enemy's strength. Shortly after dark on the 27th Captain J. Z. Brown, with 100 men of the 148th Pennsylvania, left Fort Morton, cut away the abatis in front of the enemy's works, and captured 17 prisoners, the remainder of the Confederates hurriedly evacuating their position under the impression that the movement was an assault in force. About the same time Colonel D. F. Burke, with 130 men of the 88th New York, made a similar movement in front of Fort Sedgwick, capturing about 200 yards of the line and 8 prisoners. The Union loss was 4 killed, 25 wounded and 38 missing.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 430.


FORT MYERS, FLORIDA, February 20, 1865. Garrison under Captain James Doyle. About 400 Confederates approached Fort Myers a little after noon, after having captured the picket of 4 men. A demand for a surrender was sent in, but it was at once refused and at 1:10 p. m. the enemy opened with his artillery. An artillery duel was kept up all afternoon and the 2nd Kla. cavalry thrown out as skirmishers. Soon after dark the Confederates withdrew. The only Federal loss was a few men taken prisoners. Fort Pemberton, Mississippi, March 1 1 to April 5, 1863. (See Vicksburg, Siege of.)


FORT PICKENS, FLORIDA, October 9, 1861. (See Santa Rosa Island.)


FORT PILLOW, TENNESSEE, April 14, 1862. Bombardment by U. S. Gunboats.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 431.


FORT PILLOW, TENNESSEE, Evacuation of, June 4, 1862. Fitch's Brigade and the Mississippi Flotilla. The abandonment of Corinth, on May 30, made it inexpedient for the Confederates to attempt to hold the Upper Mississippi any longer. On June 5, Colonel Graham N. Fitch, commanding the land forces then in front of Fort Pillow, sent the following despatch to General Pope: "Arrangements were completed for a general assault on the fort at 7 a. m. at a weak and accessible point, but the works were abandoned last night, and the guns and commissary stores destroyed. We are in possession, but propose proceeding today toward Memphis."  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 431.


FORT PILLOW, TENNESSEE, March 16, 1864. Troops not stated.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 431.


FORT PILLOW, TENNESSEE, April 12, 1864. Detachments of 6th U. S. Colored Heavy Artillery, 13th Tennessee Cavalry and 2nd U. S. Colored Light Artillery. As an incident of Forrest's raid into Tennessee his force marched on the morning of the 12th to attack the garrison at Fort Pillow. The pickets were driven in with little trouble, but the Confederates found the Union troops ready in the rifle-pits. After repulsing three cavalry attacks of the enemy, the Federals withdrew into the fort. A demand for surrender was sent in by Forrest and upon its being refused an attack was made, but without success. Another demand for surrender was made and refused and about 4 p. m. the fort was stormed and carried by the Confederates. No quarter was given and the colored troops were indiscriminately slaughtered. Of the original garrison of 500 over 350 were killed, the majority after the fort had been carried. The enemy's losses were not reported.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 431.


FORT POWHATAN, VIRGINIA, May 21, 1864. 22nd U. S. Colored Troops, .and 3d Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. At noon of the 21st a detachment of Confederate cavalry made a demonstration in front of Fort Powhatan, on the south bank of the James river, 25 miles below Richmond. Reinforcements were hurried from City Point but before they arrived the enemy had been dispersed by a few well directed shots of the artillery.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 431.


FORT PULASKI, GEORGIA, January 3, 1861. There was no engagement at Fort Pulaski on this date, the stronghold being seized by Georgia state troops under command of Colonel A. R. Lawton, by order of Governor Brown, in anticipation of the early secession of the state.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 431.


FORT PULASKI, GEORGIA, April 10-11, 1862. U. S. Troops under Major- General Hunter. After the capture of the forts at Port Royal the Confederates abandoned all the seaboard cities south of Charleston except Savannah, which was guarded by Fort Pulaski at the mouth of the Savannah river. In December, 1861, operations were begun for the reduction of this fort. Captain Q. A. Gilmore, of the U. S. engineer corps, had direct charge of this work. Eleven batteries were placed on Tybee island, adjacent to Cockspur island, upon which Fort Pulaski was located, and other works were erected on the islands surrounding. The Union force on April 10 consisted of the 46th and 48th New York infantry, the 1st New York engineers, the 6th and 7th Connecticut, the 8th Maine, and the 8th Michigan infantry, the 3d Rhode Island artillery and a detachment of U. S. engineers. A company of seamen from the U. S. S. Wabash also manned one of the batteries. Early on the morning of the 10th Major-General David Hunter demanded the surrender of the fort. The demand was refused and at 8 a. m. the bombardment was begun, and was continued without interruption until 2 p. m. of the 11th, when the Confederates surrendered. The Union loss was 1 killed; the enemy had 3 wounded. The whole armament of the fort, 47 guns, a large supply of fixed ammunition, 40,000 pound's of powder, and a large quantity of commissary stores, came into the hands of the Federals. Some 360 Confederates were surrendered as prisoners. Fort Randolph, Tennessee, October 27, 1864. Attack on Steamer Belle Saint Louis. Six government paymasters, who had been engaged in paying off the Union troops in and around Memphis, took passage on the Belle St. Louis for St. Louis. About midnight the boat landed at Fort Randolph, 60 miles above Memphis, for the purpose of taking on some cotton. As soon as the deck-hands went ashore about 100 armed guerrillas suddenly appeared on the bank and rushed for the boat. Captain Zeigler immediately gave orders for the vessel to back into the stream, and this was done so promptly that only 8 or 10 of the guerrillas succeeded in getting on board. Some of these threatened the engineers with instant death if they did not run the boat to shore, while others hurried to the cabin and commenced robbing the passengers. On board was Colonel Loren Kent, of the 29th Illinois infantry, who assumed command and organized the passengers into a defensive force. Through his influence the engineers were slow in running the boat to shore, despite the threats of the enemy, and in a short time the passengers, armed only with pistols, had those on board at their mercy. In the melee Majors Smith and Beeler, two of the paymasters, were mortally wounded. When the boat had almost touched the bank the engineers again commenced backing her out with all the power of the engines, the guerrillas on board jumped into the river and swam to shore, while those on the bank contented themselves with firing a volley of musketry at the Belle as she backed out to a place of safety. Leaving the crew behind, the boat then proceeded on to Cairo without further molestation.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 431-432.


FORT RICE, DAKOTA TERRITORY, September 11-30, 1864. U. S. Troops under Captain Daniel J. Dill. An expedition left the post to relieve the emigrant train of one Captain Fisk. The command numbered 850, of which 350 were cavalry, and a section of artillery. Captain Daniel J. Dill, of the 30th Wisconsin infantry, commanded. On the tenth day out, after marching 180 miles, the detachment reached the fortified corral oi the emigrant train, and the following morning the emigrants all returned to Fort Rice with the relief expedition. No Indians were seen until within 40 miles of the fort, when a band of them managed to stampede the horses of the expedition and capture 15 of them.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 432.


FORT RICE, DAKOTA TERRITORY, April 26. 1865. Detachment of 1st U. S. Volunteer Infantry. Seven men guarding the herd of horses belonging to the regiment were attacked by some Cheyenne:; or Platte river Indians, who made several desperate attempts to take the herd but were each time repulsed, with a loss of 8 killed and wounded. The soldiers had 1 man wounded and 2 horses and 2 mules captured.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 432.


FORT RIDGELY, MINNESOTA, August 20-22, 1862. Detachment of 5th Minnesota Infantry and Renville Rangers. A large force of Sioux Indians attacked Fort Ridgely on the 20th. The garrison consisted of detachments of two companies of the 5th Minnesota and a newly  organized militia company called the Renville Rangers, all under command of Lieutenant Timothy J. Sheehan. The attack was repulsed by the free use of the artillery and at night the Indians withdrew. On the 22nd they again appeared in greater numbers and made a more determined attack. Some outbuildings which afforded them protection were fired by the rangers. An attempt to storm was frustrated by the artillery and by evening the Indians again retired. The casualties in the garrison were 3 killed and 13 wounded.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 432-433.


FORT ROSEDEW, GEORGIA, December 14, 1864. (See Fort Beaulieu.) Fort Saint Philip, Louisiana, April 18-28, 1862. The engagement at Fort St. Philip between these dates was part of the operations of Farragut's fleet in the capture of New Orleans and the opening of the Mississippi river. (See Naval Volume.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 433.


FORT SANDERS, TENNESSEE, November 29, 1863. (See Knoxville, Siege of.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 433.


FORT SCOTT, KANSAS, Sept 2, 1861. Kansas Brigade. This action really occurred about 12 miles east of Fort Scott, on Dry Wood creek, Missouri, where the Confederates under Price were fortifying a position. (See Dry Wood, Missouri)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 433.


FORT SEDGWICK, VIRGINIA, October 27, 1864. (See Forts Morton and Sedgwick.)


FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS, September 1, 1863. (See Devil's Back Bone.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 433.


FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS, July 27, 1864. 6th Kansas Cavalry. While a detachment of about 200 men of this regiment, commanded by Captain Mefford. was doing outpost duty, guarding the horses of the post on Mazzard's prairie, it was attacked by some 600 Confederates under General Gano. Sharp fighting was continued for about an hour, but the Federals were finally overpowered, Mefford and 82 of his men being taken prisoners. The enemy retired before reinforcements from the fort reached the scene. The Confederate loss was 12 killed and 20 wounded, left on the field; the Union casualties, besides those captured were 10 killed and 15 wounded.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 433.


FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS, August 24, 1864. 16th U. S. Colored Troops.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 433.


FORT STEDMAN, VIRGINIA, March 25, 1865. (See Petersburg.)  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 433.


FORT STEVENS, D. C, July 11-12, 1864. U. S. Troops under Lieutenant- Colonel John N. Frazee. The garrison at Fort Stevens consisted of detachments of the 150th Ohio infantry, 13th Michigan artillery and 52 convalescent soldiers of different commands. At 11 a. m. of the 11th the Confederates attacked the picket line on the front of the fort, driving it back slowly until they came within 150 yards of the fort in front and 50 yards on the right. The artillery of the post then opened upon them and drove them back. During the day the enemy advanced several times, but each time was driven from the positions he took. The same tactics were pursued on the 12th, until about 4 p. m., when the Confederates saw the futility of their efforts and retired. The Federal losses were 2 killed and 1 wounded. The Confederate loss was not reported.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 433.


FORT SUMNER, NEW MEXICO, January 4, 1864. Company B, 2nd California. Apaches, and citizens; fight with the Navajo Indians.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 433.


FORT SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, April 12-14, 1861. Detachments of the 1st U. S. Artillery. Fort Sumter stood upon a small artificial island at the entrance to Charleston harbor, and was the strongest of the defenses about the city. It was a five-sided structure, with walls 8 feet thick and 40 feet high, provided with two tiers of casemates and enclosing a space about 300 by 350 feet. Quarters were provided for a garrison of 650 men, with an armament of 140 guns, though in the early winter of 1860 it was garrisoned by a storekeeper and 14 men. About a mile distant, on Sullivan's island, was Fort Moultrie, garrisoned by 78 officers and men of the 1st U. S. artillery  under command of Major Robert Anderson, who was also in command of all the harbor defenses. On December 20, 1860, South Carolina passed the ordinance of secession, Anderson soon became convinced that it was the intention of the state authorities to seize Fort Moultrie, and decided to remove the garrison and stores to Fort Sumter, which was better equipped for defense. The change niuJc on the night of December 26, and was regarded as an act of hostility by the secessionists, who were already organizing and drilling troops about Charleston. They immediately took possession of Fort Moultrie and commenced the construction of two sand batteries at the entrance to the harbor. Early in January the Federal government decided to send reinforcements and supplies to Anderson, and on the night of the 5th the merchant vessel Star of the 1st left New York with a large stock of provisions and 250 men on board. On the morning of the 9th she entered Charleston harbor, where she was immediately fired upon by the guns of the newly constructed batteries and compelled to put back to sea. This incident resulted in some spirited correspondence between Anderson and Governor Pickens, in which the latter demanded the formal surrender of Fort Sumter. The matter was "referred to Washington," but nothing further was done until April 8, when a messenger from President Lincoln arrived in Charleston to notify Governor Pickens that an attempt would be made to reinforce the garrison. In the meantime the Confederates had organized and equipped a considerable force, which was placed under the command of General Beauregard. Lincoln's message was delivered to Pickens and Beauregard on the evening of the 8th, and the next morning the relieving expedition left New York. It consisted of the transport Baltic, with the provisions and reinforcements, the war steamers Pawnee, Harriet Lane and Pocahontas, the steam tugs Uncle Ben, Freeborn and Yankee, all under command of Captain G. V. Fox. As soon as the Confederates saw that the government was determined to reinforce the fort they assumed the offensive. On the 10th Beauregard was instructed to demand the surrender of the fort, and in case of refusal to reduce it. Several messages were exchanged and at 3:20 a. m. on the 12th Beauregard notified Anderson that he would open fire upon the fort within an hour. At 4:30 the first shot of the Civil war, after an open declaration of such an intention had been made, went crashing against the solid walls of Fort Sumter. It was fired by Edmund Ruffin, an old white-haired Virginian, who had been a personal and political friend of John C. Calhoun, and who was at the time the oldest member of the Palmetto Guard of South Carolina. This first shot came from the battery near old Fort Johnson. The guns of the other batteries promptly responded to the signal and within an hour Fort Sumter was the center of a general bombardment. At 7 o'clock the first gun from the fort was fired by Captain Abner Doubleday, and was directed against the battery on Cummings' point. In a short time all the guns in the casemates were sending back a spirited reply, but owing to the accuracy of the enemy s aim no attempt was made to work the guns on the barbette, where the men would be too much exposed. By noon it became evident that the stock of ammunition was not sufficient to keep up the fire at the rate it was then being conducted and for the remainder of the day only 6 guns were kept in action. During the night bombs were thrown at intervals of 10 or 15 minutes by the Confederate batteries and on the morning of the 13th the bombardment was renewed with increased vigor and greater accuracy of aim. The barracks were several times set on fire by hot shot on the 12th, and the enemy now sent in a greater number of this class of missiles. About 9 o'clock the barracks were once more in blaze and the men turned their attention to removing the powder from the magazine. The flames made headway, in spite of the efforts of the garrison to extinguish them, and when, about 1 p. m., the flagstaff of the fort was shot away, the Confederates concluded that Anderson was ready to surrender. The flag was soon raised again on a jury-mast on the parapet, but the smoke prevented its being seen by the enemy, and about J:30 Anderson was notified that a flag of truce was outside, the bearer of which wished to see him. After some negotiations, Anderson agreed to evacuate the fort, provided he was permitted to take with him all arms, private and company property, etc.; to salute the United States flag as it was lowered; and to be conveyed, with his command, to some northern port. These terms were acceded to by Beauregard and at noon on Sunday, the 14th, Stars and Stripes were lowered to a salute of 50 guns, the garrison marched out with music and flying colors, and on the 17th reached New York. During the bombardment 5 men in the fort were wounded, and while saluting the flag 1 was killed and four wounded by the premature discharge of a gun and the explosion of a pile of cartridges. These were the only casualties on either side.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, pp. 433-435.


FORT SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, April 7, 1863. South Atlantic Squadron. (See Naval Volume.)


FORT SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, September 8, 1863. This was a night attack by marines under command of Commodore Stevens. For a full account see naval volume. Fort Tyler, Georgia, April 16, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Wilson's Raid. Fort Tyler was a Confederate fortification near West Point. It was 35 yards square, surrounded by a ditch, situated on an eminence commanding the Chattahoochee river, and was supplied with 4 pieces of artillery. On the above date it was garrisoned by 265 men, under General Robert C. Tyler. About 10 a. m. the 2nd and 4th Indiana began the attack from sheltered positions, keeping up a steady fire until 1:30 p. m., when the rest of the brigade, commanded by Colonel O. H. La Grange, arrived. Three regiments were dismounted, a battery placed in position and the fort was assaulted from three sides. Bridges were hurriedly thrown across the ditch and the Union troops rushed into the fort. Tyler and 17 of his men were killed, 28 wounded, and 218 surrendered as prisoners of war. AH the arms, ammunition and stores fell into the hands of the Federals, whose loss was 7 killed and 29 wounded. The latter were left in the hands of 16 of the prisoners, who were paroled for that purpose, and the stores turned over to the mayor of West Point to be used for both parties.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 435.


FORT WAGNER, SOUTH CAROLINA, July 10-11, 1863. Troops under Major-General Q. A. Gillmore, Department of the South. In this attack on the Confederate fortifications about Charleston Harbor the capture of Charleston was the ultimate object in view. A complete blockade of the harbor was important. The capture of Morris island, thereby enabling blockading vessels to lie inside the bar, even without occupying the waters of the inner harbor, would secure that end. In the opinion of the naval authorities at Washington, Fort Sumter was the key to the position. The barbette fire of Sumter was dreaded because of the comparative vulnerability of the monitors' decks to falling missiles. The stronghold demolished or its efficiency destroyed, monitors and ironclads could remove channel obstructions, gain control of the harbor and reach the city. It was therefore determined to attempt the destruction of Fort Sumter unless it should be necessary to detach troops from the Atlantic coast to reinforce Banks at Port Hudson. Briefly stated, the plan of attack was as follows: (i) To capture the south end of Morris island; (2) to lay siege to and secure Fort Wagner, a heavily armed earthwork of strong plan and relief, near the north end of the island, 2,600 yards from Fort Sumter; Cummings point would fall with Fort Wagner. (3) From the position thus secured, to demolish Fort Sumter and with a strong artillery fire to cooperate with the fleet whenever it should be ready to move in. (4) The monitors and ironclads to enter, remove the channel obstructions, pass the batteries on James and Sullivan's islands and reach the city. The plan for occupying the south end of Morris island comprised three distinct operations: (1) A real attack from Folly island to be made a surprise if possible. (2) A demonstration in force on James island by way of the Stono river to prevent reinforcement of the enemy on Morris island from that quarter and, if possible, to draw a portion of the Morris island garrison in that direction. (3) The cutting of the Charleston & Savannah railroad at Jacksboro by ascending the South Edisto river, in order to delay reinforcements from Savannah, should the real attack be postponed or prematurely divulged. The attempt to cut the railroad was entrusted to Colonel Higginson, of the 1st South Carolina colored infantry, who with 250 officers and men of his regiment and a section of the 1st Conn, battery under Lieutenant Clinton, was sent on July 9 from General Saxton's command at Beaufort for that purpose. He was accompanied by the armed steamer John Adams, the transport Enoch Dean and the tug Governor Milton. This movement signally failed, with a Federal loss of 3 killed and 2, including Higginson, wounded. Two field pieces were lost and the Governor Milton was burned to prevent its capture by the Confederates. On the afternoon of the 8th Brigadier-General Terry's command of about 3,800 men proceeded up the Stono river and confronted the enemy on James island. The immediate effect of this demonstration was to draw off a portion of the Confederate force on Morris island. Folly island had been occupied by the Federals under General Vogdes since early in April. Batteries had been constructed on the north end of the island, where 32 rifled guns and 15 mortars had been placed in position with skill and secrecy. This artillery was in command of Lieutenant-Colonel R. H. Jackson. The south end of Morris island was protected by a number of batteries, most of which had only 1 gun each, but that was of heavy caliber. These batteries were covered in the rear by an extensive series of rifle-pits. Under instructions given him by General Gillmore July 9, General Strong that night embarked all his infantry except six companies of the 48th New York, in row boats, near the southwestern extremity of Folly island. Convoyed by 4 howitzer boats, he proceeded, at 1 a. m. on the 10th, up Folly river and Folly Island creek and thence to a point in Light House inlet a mile northwest of the Federal masked batteries at the northern extremity of Folly island, arriving there just before daybreak. The boats kept close to the east side of the creek and were screened by marsh grass from the enemy on Morris island. The Federal batteries opened fire shortly after daylight. The crushing effect of a concentrated and well directed fire of artillery has seldom been better illustrated than in this action. At the beginning the Confederates were so bewildered that they were unable to serve their guns effectively. The incessant rain of shot and shell drove their artillerists from their posts, killing and wounding many. The Confederate infantry were prevented from taking position in the rifle-pits about 800 yards in advance of the Federal batteries and did not attempt to occupy them until Federal troops were disembarked on Morris island. Soon after the first fire from the batteries, Lieutenant Bunce opened fire from the howitzer boats on the nearest works of the enemy. About 6 o'clock a line of skirmishers approached from the Federal rear in the direction of Secessionville. The flotilla dropped down the inlet and was assailed by the Morris island batteries with no loss except that of one launch. At 7 a. m. Strong was signaled by Gillmore to land and assault the enemy's works. Four companies of the 7th Connecticut, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Rodman, immediately landed at the extremity of the Confederates' extensive series of rifle-pits opposite the left of the Federal batteries. They were followed by four companies of the 48th New York under Lieutenant-Colonel Green; the 9th Maine under Colonel Emery; the 3d New Hampshire under Colonel Jackson and the 76th Pennsylvania under Colonel Strawbridge. This main column drove the enemy's infantry out of the rifle-pits, while the 6th Conn, under Colonel Chatfield having passed along the entire front of the enemy's line and effected a landing, was forming on the southeastern point of the island, constituting alone the Federal right column of assault. Under a lively discharge of shell, grape and canister, the two columns now moved forward, converging toward the works nearest the southern extremity of the island. They marched along the ridge and eastern coast of the island, capturing successively the eight batteries of 1 heavy gun each occupying the commanding point of that ridge and the two batteries which together mounted three 10-inch sea coast mortars. All of this ordnance was fit for service. The head of the column was halted within musket range of Fort Wagner, to which the enemy had retreated. Meanwhile, as soon as the troops had disembarked, the boats were sent across the inlet to the northern point of Folly island and had brought thence, the 7th New Hampshire, the remainder of the 48th, and all of the 100th New York The promptness of this reinforcement was remarkable. Including 11 commissioned officers, 150 prisoners, and 5 stands of colors, were taken, with much ammunition, camp equipage and several horses and mules. Owing to the excessive heat and the fatigue of the men an assault on Fort Wagner was not ordered that day. On the morning of the 11th a column of assault was formed, consisting of companies A, B, I and K of the 7th Connecticut, the 76th Pennsylvania, and the 9th Maine, the 3d and 7th New Hampshire being held in reserve. The assault was made at daybreak. The four companies of the 7th Conn, deployed in advance, supported by the Pennsylvania, and Maine regiments, each in close columns of divisions, The Connecticut men were ordered to move steadily forward until the pickets fired, then to follow them close and rush for the works. They were not more than 500 yards from the works when they started and had not gone far when the pickets fired. Then they made the rush, but before they reached the outer work, they received a murderous fire from protected riflemen, though encouraged by their officers, they reached the outer work and Lieutenant-Colonel Rodman led his men to the top of the parapet, where under a heavy fire of both artillery and musketry some of them bayoneted two of the enemy's gunners. But just at this time the enemy opened simultaneously along his whole line at a range of some 200 yards which caused the 76th Pennsylvania to halt and lie down on the ground. Though they remained in that position but a few moments and afterward moved gallantly forward, some of them even to the ditch, that halt cost the Federals the battle, for the interval was lost and the remnant of the four Connecticut companies was driven from the parapet. The whole column, including the 9th Maine, which had reached the ditch on the left, gave way and retreated from the field. The Federal loss in the attack on Morris island July 9 was 106 killed, wounded and missing; in the assault on Fort Wagner, 339. Only 88 of the 191 officers and men of companies A, B, I and K, 7th Connecticut, remained. The Confederate loss in the two engagements was 303 (See also Naval Volume.)  pp. 435-438.


FORT WALKER, SOUTH CAROLINA, November 7, 1861. (See Port Royal.)


FORT, Greenberry Lafayette, soldier and politician, born in French Grant, Scioto County, Ohio, 11 October, 1825; died in Lacon, Illinois. 13 January, 1883. In May. 1834, his parents left Ohio and settled in Marshall County, Illinois, where he was brought up on a farm and attended school. He then studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began practice in Lacon, where he was elected sheriff in 1850, was clerk of the circuit court in 1852, and county judge in 1857-'61. In his first case Abraham Lincoln was  the opposing counsel, and David Davis the presiding judge. On the first call for troops in 1861, he volunteered in the National Army, served in the Army of the Tennessee on both field and staff duty through all its campaigns, and was chief quartermaster of the 15th Army Corps on the march from Atlanta to the sea, and until the final surrender of Johnston's army. He was afterward ordered with Sheridan's command to Texas, where he was mustered out as colonel and brevet brigadier-general of volunteers at Galveston in 1866. He was elected to the state senate of Illinois in that year, and was afterward chosen to Congress as a Republican, serving from 1873 till 1879.  Appletons’ Cyclopaedia of American Biography, 1888, Vol. II, pp. 507-508.


FORTEN, Charlotte, see GRIMKÉ, Charlotte Forten “Lottie”


FORTEN, James, Jr., Philadelphia, PA, African American, abolitionist, son of James Forten, Sr.  American Anti-Slavery Society, Manager, 1843-1844.  (Pease, 1965, pp. 233-240)


FORTEN, James, Sr., 1766-1842, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, businessman, social reformer, free African American community leader, led abolitionist group. Co-founder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Organized first African American Masonic Lodge in 1797. Petitioned Congress to pass law to end slavery and the changing of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1793.  Opposed Pennsylvania Senate bill that would restrict Black settlement in the state.  Supported temperance and women’s rights movements. American Anti-Slavery Society, Vice President, 1834-1835, Manager, 1835-1840.  (Basker, 2005, pp. 296-317; Billington, 1953; Douty, 1968; Dumond, 1961, pp. 170-171, 328, 340; Mabee, 1970, pp. 93, 104, 105, 161, 308; Rodriguez, 2007, pp. 34, 105, 290; Winch, 2002; American Reformers: An H.W. Wilson Biographical Dictionary, New York, 1985, pp. 305-306; Dictionary of American Biography, Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1936, Vol. 3, Pt. 2, p. 536; American National Biography, Oxford University Press, New York, 2002, Vol. 8, p. 276; Gates, Henry Louis, Jr., & Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, eds. African American National Biography. Oxford University Press, 2013, Vol. 4, p. 446)


FORTEN, Margaretta, 1808-1875, free African American, officer, Female Anti-Slavery Society of Philadelphia, daughter of James Forten.  (Rodriguez, 2007, p. 416; Winch, 2002; Yellin, 1994, pp. 7, 79, 75, 115-116, 164, 237; Gates, Henry Louis, Jr., & Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, eds. African American National Biography. Oxford University Press, 2013, Vol. 4, p. 447)


FORTEN, Robert, free African American, abolitionist, social activist, son of James Forten, father of Charlotte Forten. (Rodriguez, 2007, p. 288; Winch, 2002)


FORTEN, Sarah Louisa, free African American, Female Anti-Slavery Society of Philadelphia (Yellin, 1994, pp. 7, 98, 103-104, 114-116, 206)


FORTIFICATION. A fortification in its most simple form consists of a mound of earth, termed the rampart, which encloses the space fortified; a parapet, surmounting the rampart and covering the men and guns from the enemy's projectiles; a scarp wall, which sustains the pressure of the earth of the rampart and parapet, and presents an obstacle to an assault by storm; a wide and deep ditch, which prevents the enemy from approaching near the body of the place; a counterscarp wall, which sustains the earth on the exterior of the ditch; a covered way, which occupies the space between the counterscarp and a mound of earth, called a glacis, thrown up a few yards in front of the ditch for the purpose of covering the scarp of the main work. The work by which the space fortified is immediately enveloped is called the enceinte, or body of the place. Other works are usually added to the enceinte to strengthen the weak points of the fortification, or to lengthen the siege by forcing the enemy to gain possession of them before he can breach the body of the place. These are termed outworks, when enveloped by the covered way, and advanced works, when placed exterior to the covered way, but in some manner connected with the main work; but if entirely beyond the glacis and not within supporting distance of the fortress, they are called detached works. In a bastioned front the principal outwork is the demi-lune, which is placed in front of the curtain; it serves to cover the main entrance to the work, and to place the adjacent bastions in strong re-enterings. The tenaille is a small low work placed in the ditch, to cover the scarp wall of the curtain and flanks from the fire of the besiegers' batteries erected along the crest of the glacis.

The places of arms are points where troops are assembled in order to act on the exterior of the work. The re-entering places of arms, are small redans arranged at the points of juncture of the covered ways of the bastion and demi-lune. The salient places of arms, are the parts of the covered way in front of the salients of the bastion and demi-lune. Small permanent works, termed redoubts, are placed within the demilune and re-entering places of arms for strengthening those works. Works of this character constructed within the bastion, are termed interior retrenchments; when sufficiently elevated to command the exterior ground, they are called cavaliers.

Caponnieres are works constructed to cover the passage of the ditch from the tenaille to the gorge of the demi-lune, and also from the demilune to the covered way, by which communication may be maintained between the enceinte and outworks. Posterns are underground communications made through the body of the place or some of the outworks. Sortie passages are narrow openings made through the crest of the glacis, which usually rise in the' form of a ramp from the covered way, by means of which communication may be kept up with the exterior. These passages are so arranged that they cannot be swept by the fire of the enemy. The other communications above ground are called ramps, stairs, &c. Traverses are small works erected on the covered way to intercept the fire of the besiegers' batteries. Scarp and counterscarp galleries are sometimes constructed for the defence of the ditch. They are arranged with loopholes, through which the troops of the garrison fire on the besiegers when they have entered the ditch, without being themselves exposed to the batteries of the enemy.

In seacoast defences, and sometimes in a land front for the defence of the ditch, embrasures are made in the scarp wall for the fire of artillery; the whole being protected from shells by a bomb-proof covering overhead; this arrangement is termed a casemate. Sometimes double ramparts and parapets are formed, so that the interior one shall fire over the more advanced: the latter in this case is called a fausse braie. If the inner work be separated from the other, it is called a retrenchment; and if it has a commanding fire, a cavalier. The capital of a bastion is a line bisecting its salient angle. All works comprehended between the capitals of two adjacent bastions, are called a front.

In the Prussian system of fortification, the defence of the ditch being provided for by casemated caponnieres, the necessity for breaking up the outline of the enceinte into a succession of salient and re-entering angles, as in the bastion tracings, is altogether removed. The enceinte may, therefore, have that outline which in the particular case is most advantageous for defence, and best adapted to the natural features of the position. This will generally be a polygon, more or less regular, according to the regularity or irregularity of the site. The caponnieres for the defence of the main ditch may either be on the centre of the front, or at the alternate salient angles; the latter, as being more secure from an enemy's distant fire, appears the better position. The length of the exterior side may be of almost any magnitude, though 600 yards are, perhaps, as great as under any ordinary circumstances would be requisite. The enceinte is a massive rampart and parapet, fronted by a revetment, from 24 to 30 feet in height, which is sometimes wholly or partially loopholed for musketry. The centre of the ditch is occupied by the casemated caponniere, a massive work of masonry, capable of containing two stages of five guns each, one on either face; so that the ditch on either side of the caponniere is swept by the fire of ten guns.

The advocates for the Prussian system claim for it the following advantages: 1st. When the range of musketry is given up as the standard length of a line of defence, and that of artillery substituted for it, the exterior sides of the polygons of fortification may evidently be much extended. 2d. The Prussian engineers prefer the construction of casemated flanks for the defence of ditches, as being more secure than the ordinary flanks of the bastion system; that is, the guns are protected from enfilade and vertical fire from a distance, and cannot be counter-battered by direct fire, until the assailant crowns the glacis. They use caponnieres for the defence of the main ditch, and for the ditches of the ravelin. 3d. The ravelins can be made as salient as the detached ravelins of Chasseloup and Bousmard; while the caponnieres or casemated projections by which their ditches are defended, protect the body of the place from the breaching batteries of the enemy on the counterscarp, at the salient angles of the ravelins. These ravelins are more under the fire of the enceinte, than detached ravelins; they contain a greater interior space; there is a saving of masonry at the gorge: and fewer troops secure the work from assault. 4th. In the attack of these fronts, the approaches are opposed on the capital of the ravelin, by three mortars in casemates under the parapet, cutting off the salient of the ravelin, and by guns on the terre-plein above. The glacis is protected on each side, by the fire of 90 yards of the enceinte, and from 80 yards of the faces of the ravelin, which (being covered by the advanced portions of greater elevation) is very difficult to enfilade. 5th. The establishment of batteries on the counterscarp of the salient angle of the ravelin, is rendered very difficult by countermines, and by a double tier of fire along the whole width of the ditch, viz., from the caponniere and from the enceinte behind it; even supposing this caponniere to be silenced, its massive ruins would prevent a serious breach being made in the enceinte. 6th. The attempts of an enemy to lodge himself on the advanced part of the ravelin 'are opposed by countermines, prepared in the work during its construction, and by the retrenchment behind: moreover, any endeavor to establish a battery in the narrow part of the angle, would be opposed by the fire of the whole enceinte behind the ravelin; by that of the casemated keep; and by sorties having their flanks fully protected. 7th. The permanent possession of the ravelin can only be obtained after the destruction of the keep, (which commands every part of the interior, and is not seen from the exterior;) and until this is accomplished the enemy cannot make his approaches on the glacis, for the purpose of constructing his breaching batteries against the enceinte; or he would be taken “both in flank and in reverse. 8th. The great caponniere flanking the ditch of the enceinte is independent of the keep of the ravelin, (which, after being taken, would be open to the fire of the enceinte and its detached escarp ;) while its double tier of guns, sweeping the whole width of the ditch, can only be opposed by batteries directly in front. The establishment of these batteries, and of others for breaching the escarp at the salient, would, of course, require the capture of two ravelins, between which the approaches would be sheltered from the collateral works; but the ground would be diminished in extent on advancing near the place, and consequently expose the troops (concentrated in larger numbers) to a more destructive fire. 9th. From the great projection of the ravelin, and the obtuseness of the angles of the polygon, the effects of ricochet on the enceinte are prevented in an octagon, as the prolongations of the sides of the polygon, or the enceinte, are intercepted by the ravelins; which ravelins might (in cases where the ground is favorable) be made to project still further, so as to cover the ditch from enfilade by distant batteries, and thus secure the great caponnieres from annoyance. 10th. The salient angles of the enceinte may also be retrenched by a detached loopholed wall, which would bring a great extent of fire on the breach, llth. The Prussians consider that, by these arrangements, they obtain much superiority over the ordinary bastion systems, including those of Bousmard and Chasseloup de Laubat. That greater means of resistance are obtained at a comparatively small expense, which means might be increased when required, by cavaliers, by interior retrenchments, and by a covered way, with redoubts. 12th. The armament required would be comparatively small, as in the flanks or caponnieres, which completely enfilade the main ditches at a short range, a few pieces only would be necessary to prevent a coup-de-main, while a full supply to resist a serious attack might be brought by easy and secure communications. A few guns placed on the salients of the ravelins would be sufficient to keep off an enemy until he had broken ground; while the whole disposable guns of the place might easily be brought upon the enceinte on that side, and the second part of the collateral ravelins. 13th. The fatigue attending the usual arrangements would also be greatly diminished by the easiness and security of the communications. The garrison need not be numerous, as they are not required to expose themselves in outworks beyond the main ditch; they are protected by casemates in the flank defences, which are sufficiently strong to allow of their concentrating nearly the whole force on the points of importance, and which, being concealed from the enemy, do not give known points to his vertical fire.

Fort Alexander, which crowns a height commanding the town of Coblentz, (Fig. 131,) is a beautiful specimen of the German system. The position around Coblentz occupies the four opposite angles, made by the Moselle and the Lahn, which rivers empty themselves into the Rhine, nearly opposite to each other; for the Lahn runs into the Rhine about a league above Coblentz. The general form of the ground is very favorable for the offensive or defensive operations of an army in possession of it, and its fortresses; and many of the high roads from the most important towns in Germany pass in this direction; whilst the country is so difficult of access, that it is next to impossible to avoid the main road. Coblentz is situated in the angle formed by the junction of the Moselle with the Rhine. It extends about three-fourths of a mile in each direction. The enceinte of the town is secure against a coup-de-main. Its rampart forms a succession of salient and re-entering angles, which being obtuse are little liable to enfilade; while the ditches are flanked by good casemated batteries, having three guns in each flank. The gateways are strong casemated barracks, containing batteries to flank the ditches and approaches. These casemates are separated from the ramparts on each side, and form a kind of citadel: the profile of the rampart is nearly similar to Carnot's: the wall is well covered. Should the neighboring works on the heights be reduced, the town would be commanded and exposed to an enemy's fire. It is, however, no easy matter for an enemy to get possession of these commanding sites. The two most important of these are, Ehrenbreitstein on the right bank, and Fort Alexander on the left bank, of the Rhine.

Ehrenbreitstein occupies a commanding rocky site, 400 feet above the river, inaccessible on three sides, and on the approachable side from the north, it is defended by strong double works; having abundant casemates for its garrison, stores, and artillery. It is the key of the whole position, commanding all the surrounding works within its range, and having smaller works detached from it, for looking into hollows, that cannot be seen from the main works. It has a fine well, 300 feet deep. The faces of the works defending the only approachable side, can mount forty-three pieces of ordnance in casemates; the ditches are well defended by casemated batteries; and the escarps are about 35 feet in height. It is altogether a most formidable work. The piers that separate the casemates and support the arches are made to project right through to the front of the revetment, which is 10 feet thick: and the courses, instead of being horizontal, are laid in successive arches, the joints forming rays from a centre. The whole is built of rough stone, and grouted in, so as to settle in time into a solid mass.

Fort Alexander with its dependencies, commands all the approaches to Coblentz between the rivers. The principal front of this work has its exterior side about 650 yards, and its interior side about 500 yards in length. The ravelins and the counterguards have their faces directed so, that their prolongations do not fall upon the plateau in front, but upon the hollows and ravines, &c., from which they cannot be enfiladed. The flanking caponniere is very strong, being a casemated work for two tiers of guns; each flank has five guns in the lower tier for flanking the ditch, and five in the upper tier for flanking the terre-pleins of the counterguards. The casemates in the faces or angular parts are loopholed for musketry. Each caponniere serves as a good barrack for 160 men, besides stores. This work is completely covered in front by the counterguard or ravelin, which is only two feet lower than the body of the place. Each flank of the enceinte contains six casemates for guns to flank the ditches before them. The faces and ditches of the ravelins are flanked by solid casemated caponnieres, which cover the body of the place from any batteries that might be established at the rounding of the counterscarp of the ravelin. The ditches of the counterguards are flanked by casemated batteries, placed in the faces of the ravelins. The body of the work is an oblique parallelogram, about 5 from a right angle: the side fronts are about 420 yards, and the rear front 500 yards in length, in order to suit the ground. There is a strong casemated tower at the gorge connected with a communication from Fort Coristantine. There is no covered way; the counter-guards answer the purpose. Good ramps and other arrangements are made in the countersloping glacis and its salients, favorable for sorties. It is calculated that 5,000 men would be sufficient to man all these works on both sides of the river; while it is evident that a vast army might be securely cantoned within the circuit of the works. A great number of trees have been planted all around Fort Alexander; the roots of which, left in the ground, would defy the ordinary work of sappers and miners; and would therefore prove formidable obstacles in the process of a regular attack, while the timber would be invaluable in a siege; (HYDE'S Fortification.) (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 310-316).


FORTIFICATION (FRONT OF) consists of all the works constructed upon any one side of a regular polygon, whether placed within or without the exterior side; or, according to St. Paul, all the works contained between any two of the oblique radii. Some authors give a more limited sense to the term “front of fortification,” by confining it to two half bastions joined by a curtain. If the polygon be regular, that is, if all the sides be of equal length, and the fronts of the same description, it is called a regular work; but if they differ, it is called an irregular work. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 317).


FORTIFICATION (IRREGULAR) is that, in which, from the nature of the ground or other causes, the several works have not their due proportion according to rule; irregularity, however, does not necessarily imply weakness. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 317).


FORTIFICATION (NATURAL) consists of such objects formed by nature, as are capable of impeding the advance of an enemy; and a station is said to be naturally fortified, when it is situated on the top of a steep hill, or surrounded by impassable rivers, marshes, &c. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 317).


FORTIFICATION (REGULAR) is that in which the works are constructed on a regular polygon, and which has its corresponding parts equal to each other. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 317).


FORTRESS. A fortress is a fortified city or town, or any piece of ground so strongly fortified as to be capable of resisting an attack carried on against it, according to rule. (Scott, Military Dictionary, Van Nostrand, 1862, p. 317).


FORTY HILLS, MISSISSIPPI, May 3, 1863. Fort Zarah, Kansas, December 4, 1864. Detachment of 7th Iowa Cavalry. About dusk of this day, while 4 men of the 7th la. were guarding an ammunition train for Fort Zarah, they were attacked by a band of Indians, when on Cow creek 15 miles from their destination. One of the teamsters of the train was killed.  The Union Army, 1908, Vol. 5, p. 438.