GDG- Re: Memorial Day - Ft. Donelson National Cemetery

[Biggsk at aol.com]

Hello,'
 
One of the hats that I wear out here in Tennessee is president of the  
Friends of the Ft. Donelson Campaign.  This past Sunday night we held a  memorial at 
the National Cemetery using over 1700 luminaries to light each  headstone.  
Included in the cemetery are over 650 Union soldiers, mostly  killed in the Ft. 
Donelson Campaign and others in the area from bullets and  disease.  Once 
they were all up and burning it was a true sight to  behold.  If anyone on this 
list is interested in some pictures please email  me privately and I will be 
happy to send them along.
 
Of special interest is the first circle of 62 graves (numbered 1-62) that  
are men from the 11th Illinois Infantry, all of whom were killed in action  
during the Confederate breakout attack of Feb. 15th while stubbornly defending  
the crossroads of Wynn's Ferry Road, the road to Bufford Hollow and Forge  Lane. 
 After holding for some time, the 11th Illinois was struck on two  different 
sides by a coordinated Confederate attack involving the 2nd Kentucky  Infantry 
(Buckner's elite unit) and Forrest's 3rd Tennessee Cavalry.  The  11th 
finally crumbled and broke to the rear - and this is where those 62 men  died.  The 
11th Illinois suffered 50 per cent casualties at Donelson and  then went on to 
suffer 60 per cent at Shiloh!
 
We also had 250 luminaries lined up on the outer wall honoring the 250  
Confederates killed in the battle, many of whom were from the same county where  
Ft. Donelson is today. 
 
I honored my two known military ancestors - LTC James Biggs (WW2), my dad,  
and Thomas L. Keeling, 22nd Virginia Infantry, CSA.
 
I am very fortunate to live in a city filled with the heroes of the 101st  
Airborne (Air Assault) Division, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment  
(Night Stalkers) and the 5th Special Forces Group.  I also thank the  
veterans of this list for their service.
 
Hoo-ah from Clarksville!
 
Greg Biggs



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