COLLECTION NAME:
Western Kentucky Civil War Collection
Record
Filename:
MCPL_2015.71.6.pdf
Identifier:
MCPL_2015.71.6
Title:
Frank B. Smith Letter, March 17, 1862
Creator:
Frank B. Smith
Subject:
Civil War -- U.S., 1861-1865
Subject:
Letters
Description:
Letter from Frank B. Smith to a friend, dated March 17, 1862, from aboard the Stw. Boston.
THE INFORMATION INSIDE THIS LETTER REVEALS THAT FRANK B. SMITH WAS IN THE 1ST ILLINOIS LIGHT ARTILLERY BATTERY “A” (ALSO KNOWN AS WOOD’S BATTERY). THE INCIDENT IN THE LETTER IS WELL KNOWN AND CAN BE FOUND IN THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE ARMY, VOLUME 7, IN TAYLOR’S REPORT OF THE CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON.
THE INFORMATION INSIDE THIS LETTER REVEALS THAT FRANK B. SMITH WAS IN THE 1ST ILLINOIS LIGHT ARTILLERY BATTERY “A” (ALSO KNOWN AS WOOD’S BATTERY). THE INCIDENT IN THE LETTER IS WELL KNOWN AND CAN BE FOUND IN THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE ARMY, VOLUME 7, IN TAYLOR’S REPORT OF THE CAPTURE OF FORT DONELSON.
Transcription:
Tennessee River 10 miles from Ala Tenn & Ky state line Monday March 17/62 My Dear Friend Your kind letter – Feb 20 is at hand and this may be the last mail for sometime. I hasten to acknowledge the ( ? ) of your kind letter with the (cash ?) & (news ?) inclosed. There is great difficulty about our mail I ( ? ) ( ? ) with much doubts of my friend even receiving my letters. I wish much that I had time to write you a full account of our engagement at Donelson. I can only say that I was in the ( ? ) of the fight and we arrived on the ground just in time to turn the tide of battle in our favor. The enemy was making a desperate charge to break our lines and thus make their escape it being their only hope. Taylors Battery was just about to spike their guns and were out of canister shot we came up at a run the balls were whistling about our heads and the enemy was almost on us. We just two guns in our battery (ours squad No 1 and No 3) opened fire on them with double canister shot and drove them back with great slaughter. I was afterward told by a col of one of the Tenn Reg that we killed two hundred of his men with our two guns alone. In seventeen minutes we fired twenty six rounds each. Taylors which shortly after we came on the field. They had fought long and their men were much exhausted. They are a noble set of (boys ?) and their friends must ( ? ) ( ? ) (proud ?) of them. I ( ? ) with my many remarkable escapes the nearest I had to a wound was a ball passing through my shirt waistband and the nearest to death was a six pound shell passing four inches over my head ( ? ) a ( ? ) killing two men beyond. Balls flew all around hitting horses and limber chests fortunately we had but three men wounded and they but slightly. I was the first of our battery to enter Donelson and had a dozen Rebel bayonets put at my breast ( ? ) guards (informed ?) me that the ( ? ) was not ( ? ). I captured a splendid horse saddled and bridled and have her yet with me. Of course she is the lawful property of Uncle Sam and I may not be allowed to keep her but others who have taken guns and other such trophies still have them. This is delightful climate and I am enjoying it very much it seems very much like the month of May. We are quite ignorant of our destination. We are in force about thirty-thousand strong under Maj Gen C. F. Smith our battery is divided on two boats the Sunny South and our two guns on the Boston. I hope we will be able soon to give another Victory to our friends at home. With much love to all your family. Believe me your affectionate friend. Frank B Smith (Str ?) Boston
Publisher:
McCracken County Public Library
Date:
March 17, 1862
Type:
Still image
Format:
Image/pdf
Language:
English
Rights:
Permission for reuse must be obtained from the McCracken County Public Library, Local and Family History Department