Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 4.
Frank Moore, Ed.

During Saturday no attack was made by the gunboats, several of them having been seriously crippled and Commander Foote being wounded.

During the entire engagements of the three days, Generals Floyd, Pillow, and Buckner behaved with a gallantry which excited the admiring cheers of their entire command. They were constantly among the brave men who were falling by scores, encouraging them by their eloquence and example. As the Fourteenth Mississippi advanced to make a charge, Gen. Floyd rode up, and, raising himself in his stirrups, his words were: “Be steady, boys, and aim low.” Col. Baldwin, commanding the regiment, was detached for the time being, and acted as a Brigadier-General in another part of the field, his place being supplied by Major Doss, of the Choctaw Agency.

Lieut. D. says that the enemy fought nobly. Those who were taken prisoners were from Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana.

As in other engagements during the war, it was found. necessary to adopt some mark by which friend could be recognised from foe, and that adopted was a white band o.n the arm. The flag carried for the same purpose, had a blue ground with a white globe in the centre. This and the confederate flag were always borne together.

The appearance of the field, and the hospitals during and after the fight, is represented to have been horrible. On the first, the dead lay on every side. Wherever the eye rested, there was a gory corpse. They could be counted not by scores but by hundreds. Subsequent reports bring us intelligence that at least four thousand of the Federals and fifteen hundred confederates were killed and wounded.

The latter were carried to Nashville as rapidly as steamboats from Dover could convey them; no less than four boat-loads starting at nearly the same time. The attention paid to their wants, however, was excellent. There were plenty, both of physicians and refreshments.

I have endeavored to learn the names of some of the killed and wounded, but the following is the fullest list I can yet make out:

killed.

Lieut.-Col Clough, of Texas; Lieut.-Col. Robb, of Clarksville Capt. May, of Memphis; Capt. Porter of Nashville.

Fourteenth Mississippi regiment.

Judge Rogers, Monroe County, Mississippi; Sergeant John Clark, R. M. Bell, J. Q. Wall, George James.

wounded.

Major Hewitt, Second Kentucky regiment, (since reported dead;) Capt. Many, of Nashville; Capt. Crigier, Fourteenth Mississippi; Capt. Gholson, Fourteenth Mississippi; Lieut. Duquecron, Fourteenth Mississippi.

Company C, to which the latter gentleman belonged, had seventeen killed and wounded.

Col. Baldwin, of the same regiment, had his horse shot under him.

We had four light field-batteries in the fight, namely, those of Captains Porter, Graves, Jackson, (a Virginia battery,) and another, name unknown.

It is the opinion of Lieut. D. that ten thousand troops were not taken prisoners. First, the character of the men does not admit of the supposition; and second, the avenues of escape were such that thousands must have got away, though in a disorganized condition. Some of them could have crossed the Cumberland, and others have stolen through the Federal lines. It was the general belief at Nashville, that fully five thousand of Gen. Floyd's division were safe. What became of the cavalry, of which there were several splendid regiments, is not known; but throughout the day they fought nobly, and are reported to have done great execution in several charges.

The opinion prevalent in the army of the West is, that if the troops retired from Bowling Green could have concentrated at Donelson, or a reenforcement of ten thousand fresh men been added to the exhausted army at noon on Saturday, despite the fact that seventy-five or eighty thousand Federals were opposed to us, we should have put them to utter rout. It is much easier, however, to criticise a battle after it is over than before — especially if one has not been there.

Lieut. Duquecron left Fort Donelson on Saturday night on a steamboat in company with the prisoners, and arrived at Nashville Monday morning about eight o'clock. At that time the city was in a ferment, and apparently all the enemy had to do was to step down and ask permission to come in to have the request granted. He intimates that a strong Union feeling exists there, and in proof of the statement quotes the assertion of Gen. McClernand, that he was daily in receipt of information from the city concerning the strength and disposition of our forces. During the panic which followed the battle, the streets were thronged with people in the greatest state of excitement. The government stores were thrown open to the poor, or anybody who chose to avail themselves of the privilege of taking away all they could carry.

Barrels of meat and barrels of flour were also thrown into the river, while enough soldiers and idle men were in the city to have made a long and not ineffective stand against any force brought against it. The armory at Nashville has been moved to Atlanta, together with much valuable machinery. When Lieut. D. arrived in the city, he was told that it had been surrendered at three o'clock on Sunday afternoon, and from this false statement probably originated the absurd reports that have since gone the length and breadth of the Southern Confederacy.

Certain it is that, up to Wednesday night, Nashville had not fallen into the hands of the enemy, though it was likely to do so in a few hours, Gen. Johnston having indicated his inability to defend the place effectively.

Our army has fallen back upon Murfreesboroa, upon the line of the Chattanooga and Nashville Railroad, thirty miles from the latter city, where it is supposed another stand will be made.