Monday, 17th–This is a very beautiful morning. The good news came that Grant has really taken Fort Donelson. Lieutenant Compton called out the company with arms, and we fired a feu de joie to celebrate the victory.
17th. Sunday. At Fort Leavenworth. Read the papers and wrote home. Saw the regulars on parade. Very exact and nicely dressed. Very strict officers–too exact and overbearing. Major Prince made Reeve Spencer stand on the porch and me take off my cap.
Monday 17th After a day or two of great anxiety we have today rcd ample confirmation of the reports in reference to the great Victory at Fort Donoldson, 15000 prisoners, 4 Generals, and an immense quantity of Military Stores. I[t] must have been a most desperate fight. We have no particulars to be relied on [...]