Brigadier General Charles F. Smith’s Division

Brigadier General Charles F. Smith’s Division. . , U. S. A. , Brigadier General Charles F. Smith’s Division , Colonel John McArthur’s Brigade , Colonel John Cook’s Brigade , Colonel Jacob G. Lauman’s Brigade , Colonel Morgan L. Smith’s Brigade , 2nd Battalion, 1st Missouri Light Artillery , Major John S. Cavender, consisting of three , Batteries of four Parrott guns each, under , Captains Welker, Richardson, and Stone, This division, less Morgan L. Smith’s Brigade, marching from Fort Henry, arrived at this point on the evening of February 12, 1862. Cook’s and Lauman’s Brigades went into bivouac in the valley south of here. McArthur’s Brigade camped southeast of here near the old Fort Henry Road., Early on February 13, the regiments of Cook’s and Lauman’s Brigades occupied a position along the ridge to the front facing the Confederate trenches about 600 yards distant. McArthur’s Brigade remained in support of Cavender’s artillery. At 10 A.M., the entire command moved forward through the dense timber supported by Cavender’s batteries. Crossing the ravine, the line moved up the steep slopes against the Confederate works under heavy artillery and musketry fire until fallen timber and brushwood blocked further progress. There the flanking fire of Porter’s battery and the fire of Confederate sharpshooters in the trenches became so destructive that after submitting to it for over two hours and suffering heavy casualties, the troops were compelled to fall back beyond range. At nightfall, they returned to their bivouac of the night before., On February 14, in compliance with orders, the division limited itself to harassing action on a less ambitious scale. The 2d Iowa infantry, Colonel James M. Tuttle, which came by transport, arrived at General Smith’s headquarters about 11 A.M. and upon being assigned to Lauman’s Brigade, formed on the extreme left of the line, nearly opposite the right of the Confederate trenches., At nightfall all advance parties were recalled and the troops bivouacked in the same position as on the preceding nights.