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[41] from Fort Henry were landed, their advance having arrived in the night. These, commanded by Brigadier-General Lewis Wallace, were at once put into line. Grant added to them the other reenforcements, now coming up the river, and gave them the centre, between Smith and McClernand; but one brigade (McArthur's) of Smith's division was moved to the extreme right of the line. This day Grant, who had received no word from Halleck, except orders to fortify Fort Henry, sent back a dispatch to his chief, dated: ‘In the field, near Fort Donelson. We will soon want ammunition for our ten and twenty-pound Parrott guns. Already require it for the twenty-four pound howitzers. I have directed my ordnance officer to keep a constant watch upon the supply of ammunition, and to take steps in time to avoid a deficiency.’ General Cullum replied from Cairo: ‘The ammunition you want is not here, and scarcely any ordnance.’ Cullum, however, wrote encouragingly, ‘You are on the great strategic line;’ and prophesied speedy success. During the whole of the 14th, a rambling and irregular fire of sharpshooters was kept up, varied with occasional discharges of artillery; the rebel shells and round shot fell at times thickly within the national lines, but the casualties were few. This day, Grant ordered Colonel Webster, of his staff, to make a reconnoissance, with a view to sending a force above the town of Dover, to occupy the river bank.

At three o'clock on Friday, six gunboats, four of which were iron-clad, attacked the fort at a distance of four hundred yards. The elevation of the rebel batteries was at least thirty feet, and gave them a fine command of the river. Traverses secured them against an enfilading fire, and the task of attacking

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U. S. Grant (3)
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