Following in the 31st Indiana's Footsteps
(Page 2, Camp Calhoun & Ft. Donelson)
Let's now travel south to Calhoun, Kentucky. Calhoun is where close to 10,000 Union troops were eventually stationed under Thomas C. Crittenden from November of 1861 through part of February, 1862. This Kentucky Historical Marker is near the new bridge over the Green River. Nathan Bedford Forrest discovered the large concentration of Union Soldiers in November of 1861 and reported this information. The 31st was among those forces here. The N.B. Forrest camp of SCV is in the process of locating graves and planning a Museum and a Memorial to the soldiers stationed here. The 31st Indiana was not involved in the disastrous defeat at
Sacramento, Ky
just a few miles south of here.
Fort Donelson:
Fort Donelson was the first battle the 31st Indiana participated in. The battle
began on February 14, 1862 and ended with the Unconditional Surrender of the
Confederate troops on the 16th.
There is only one Position Marker Tablet directly related to the 31st Indiana at
Fort Donelson. Fort Donelson does not have many monuments or markers. This
tablet is located outside the park on the south side at the intersection of Wynn
Ferry Rd and Sandy Rd.
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U.S.A.
Brigadier General Lew Wallace's Division
Colonel Charles Cruft's Brigade
ON FEBRUARY 15, 1862. AFTER WITHDRAWING FROM THE FIRST POSITION
FARTHER EAST, THIS BRIGADE OCCUPIED AND SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED A SECOND LINE
ALONG THIS RIDGE ABOUT ONE MILE SOUTHEAST FROM THIS POINT AND FRUSTRATED A
CONFEDRATE ATTEMPT TO TURN THE RIGHT FLANK. AFTER THEIR INEFFECTUAL ATTACK, THE
CONFEDERATES RETIRED TO A RIDGE ABOUT ONE-HALF MILE FARTHER SOUTH. THIS THREW
THE CONFEDERATE FORCE TO THE RIGHT AND REAR OF CRUFT'S BRIGADE AND ENDANGERED
THE HOSPITAL BUILDINGS IN REAR. UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH GENERAL WALLACE,
CRUFT''S BRIGADE WITHDREW AND OCCUPIED A POSITION ALONG THE WOODED RIDGE JUST
NORTH OF THE HOSPITAL BUILDINGS WITH A VIEW OF PROTECTING THEM. IN THAT
POSITION, ABOUT A MILE SOUTH OF THIS POINT THE BRIGADE RESTED FOR SOME TIME
AFTER HAVING BEEN HOTLY ENGAGED WITH THE CONFEDERATES AT INTERVALS FOR MORE THAN
THREE HOURS..
AT 3P.M. GENERAL GRANT ORDERED AN ATTACK AGAINST THE
CONFEDERATE LEFT WHILE GENERAL SMITH'S DIVISION ATTACKED THE RIGHT. COLONEL
MORGAN L. SMITHS'S BRIGADE FORMED AT THE HEAD OF THE ATTACK. CRUFT'S BRIGADE IN
SUPPORT FORMED ON THE RIGHT OF THE LINE EXCEPT THE 44TH INDIANA, AND FIVE
COMPANIES OF THE 31ST INDIANA. WHICH WENT INTO ACTION ON THE EXTREME LEFT OF
MORGAN L. SMITH'S BRIGADE. CHARGING UP THE HILL IN A LINE ALMOST AT A RIGHT
ANGLE TO THE MAIN ATTACK, CRUFT'S BRIGADE STRUCK THE CONFEDERATE FORCE. UNDER
COLONEL DRAKE IN THE FLANK AND, AFTER A SHARP AND DESPERATE FIGHT, CARRIED THE
HILL IN CONJUNCTION WITH MORGAN L. SMITH'S BRIGADE. PURSUING THE RETREATING
CONFEDERATES TO THE OPEN GROUND IN FRONT OF THE INTRENCHMENTS, CRUFTS BRIGADE
RECEIVED ORDERS TO FALL BACK TO THE HILL JUST TAKEN WHERE HIS TROOPS WENT INTO
CAMP FOR THE NIGHT.
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Hutchinson
Last update: February, 2008
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