Buckner's Defense
To stop the Confederate break-out attempt on February 15, Grant sent his reorganized troops against the Confederate left. At the same time, to take advantage of the weakened enemy line, he sent C.F. Smith's Division against the Confederate right. Smith's forces rolled over the Confederate outer defenses and pushed the Southerners back to a position along the ridge in front of you. There the charge was halted by Buckner's forces who had arrived just as the Union assault had begun. Afterwards, Buckner paid tribute to the field artillery for its role in checking the Yankee advance. The strong new defensive position on the ridge and the coming of night ended the fighting. The Union forces grudgingly withdrew to the old Confederate defensive line. In this desperate fighting several hundred men lost their lives. Many of them still lie in this area in unmarked graves.
Marker is on Fort Donelson Park Road, on the right when traveling south.
Courtesy hmdb.org
