Life and Letters of General W. H. L. Wallace

XVI. Congratulatory Correspondence. The Troops Move up the Tennessee River to Savannah.

CHAPTER XVI. CONGRATULATORY CORRESPONDENCE. THE TROOPS MOVE UP THE TENNESSEE RIVER TO SAVANNAH. T HE fellow townsmen of Colonel Wallace and Colonel Dickey sent the following letter of congratulation to them over their achievements at Fort Donelson: "OTTAWA, Feb. 22, 1862. "To COL. WILLIAM H. L. WALLACE, Eleventh Illinois. "Acting Brig. General: and "To COL. T. LYLE DICKEY, Fourth Illinois Cavalry. "SIRS :-On Monday morning last the gratifying intelligence of the capture of Fort Donelson was flashed to us along the wires. As you well imagine, so important and pregnant an event threw our citizens into the wildest excitement , and men soon gave themselves up to mutual congratulations , rejoicings and thanks to the brave men by whom it was accomplished. "All seemed to regard this crowning victory as a sure guaranty of an enduring Union. "Our rejoicings were dampened, it is true, by intelligence of the loss of many brave men who have fallen in the contest , conspicuous among whom was Lieutenant-Colonel Erwin , whose remains were deposited in their last resting place here on yesterday with appropriate funeral ceremonies. "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori. "We embrace this earliest opportunity of congratulating you and the gallant soldiers of your respective commands, upon the late brilliant achievements in which you and they have well acted so conspicuous a part. "Rest assured that in our rejoicings to-day the soldierly deeds of our Illinois Volunteers are remembered, and our prayers shan be offered, that on other fields they may gather new honors, and when the contest shall be ended (as end it must) in 'unconditional surrender' to the Old Honored Flag of the Union, you may all return to your [168] LIFE AND LETTERS OF GENERAL W. H. L. WALLACE homes to receive from numberless friends the welcome due the soldier, who has fully answered his country's call. "With emotions of pride, we subscribe ourselves, your fellow citizens and friends. S. W. Cheever. W m. Reddick. H. F. Eames. Wm. Osman. T. Hampton. D. Walker. O. C. Gray. E. L. Waterman. J. O. Glover. P. K. Leland. E. C. Henshaw. J. C. Champlin. G. S. Stebbins. J. V. A. Hoes. H. M. Swift. J. D. Caton. L. Leland. W. E. Hollister. W. Bushnell. A. W. Cavalry. J. Avery. A. B. Moore. J. F. Nash." In answer to this letter Colonel Wallace writes: "SAVANNAH, TENN., March 18, 1862. "J. V. A. HOES, H. M. SWIFT, and others, Ottawa. "GENTLEMEN :-Your letter of the 22d uit., addressed to myself and Col. Dickey, congratulatory of the victory at Fort Donelson, is just received. If there is anything more gratifying then the consciousness of having fulfilled a duty, it is the commendation of those to whom we are best known, and whose good opinion we prize. I thank you sincerely for your timely remembrance of this fact, and the graceful and patriotic manner in which you have conveyed your congratulations. "Illinois indeed has reason to be proud of her soldiers. In every field in which they have had an opportunity they have added new laurels to those the State already bore; and when the Union is again perfect, and the old, honored flag again hailed as the national ensign from the shores of New England to the banks of the Rio Grande, and from the Falls of St. Anthony to the capes of Florida, the part that Illinois has borne in the sacred work will be just matter of pride to every loyal citizen in the state. "Hoping that the consummation we all so devoutly wish [169] LIFE AND LETTERS OF GENERAL W. H. L. WALLACE for may soon come and that we in the field may return to receive those thanks you promise, I remain, "Very respectfully, "Your friend, "W. H. L. WALLACE." Colonel Dickey also answers the letter. "IN CAMP, NEAR PITTSBURG, TENN., March 27,1862. "5. W. CHEEVER, J. V. A. HOES and others:- "GENTLEMEN :-By reason of my absence from camp on account of illness brought on by exposure during the siege of Donelson, your kind letter (of the 22d of February addressed to Colonel Wallace and myself) was not put into my hands until this day. I assure you the approving words of 'fellow citizens and friends' and their congratulations (to me and the brave men of my command upon the achievement in which we bore an humble part), fell gratefully upon our hearts. "It did...