Battle of Fort Donelson

The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought on February 14 through 16, 1862. John E. Wilkins fought in this battle with the 11th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment. In his diaries he gives a description of the battle: "The battle field presents a singular appearance. Limbs of trees cut off, and the underneath at places w[h]ere the contest was most deadly is cut off close to the ground as though cut by a scythe. I can hardly realize how so many escaped."