February 14, 1862 - Friday - 160 years ago today

 Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment 

The 40th Indiana, with the 21st Brigade, received orders to move on February 11th:

February 11, 1862 - General Wood, Lebanon

Trains will be in readiness to transport your division (Twentieth and Twenty-First Brigades) to Bacon Creek, as follows: 10 o'clock a.m.,tomorrow (the 12th), two regiments, baggage and train; 3 o'clock a.m. (the 14th), three regiments, &c; 11 o'clock a.m. (the 13th), two regiments, &c; total 7 regiments.

The utmost punctuality and order must be observed.  The baggage must be on the wagons, ready to be rolled at once on the cars.  Under no circumstances must the baggage be thrown on loose, and the cars must be released as soon as they reach their destination.

Encamp your division at Bacon Creek until further orders, and be always ready to move at a moment's notice.

D. C. Buell    Brigadier-General

 Bacon Creek was located a few miles north of Munfordville, KY, and about 40 miles WSW of Lebanon.  The intent was to replace Mitchel's brigade in this area as Mitchel advanced on Bowling Green.  Unfortunately these things don't always go as planned, as we find from this dispatch on the 14th:

 Lebanon, February 14, 1862 -Capt. J.B. Fry. Assistant Adjutant-General

Want of trains is delaying the movement in a most unlooked-for, uncontrollable manner.  Regiments have been waiting at the depot for nearly twenty-four hours. Must delay occur by such detention for the want of arrangements in the meeting of the trains en route?  One train with troops of my division was detained two hours at the Junction.  Four regiments have gone and the fifth is embarking and will get off, I trust, in a short time.  Railway agent says it will be impossible to have transportation ready for remaining two regiments before tomorrow morning.  Movement will be conducted as rapidly as transportation is ready.

 Th. J. Wood - Brigadier-General, Commanding

 So the division was still in transit as of the 14th. 

Other Events

• General Mitchel, with part of the lead brigade, had reached a point opposite Bowling Green, KY by the 14th.  The Confederate army was evacuating and Mitchel was shelling them to try to prevent them leaving with their supplies.  As the bridge had been destroyed, the Union troops would have to create a temporary bridge to get into and occupy the town.
• On the 12th, Grant had begun moving his army toward Fort Donelson, and had reached there on the 13th. Initial attacks are repulsed by the Confederate garrison.  On the next day, the 14th, the Union gunboats come up.  This fort is has better and heavier guns that Fort Henry.  In the exchange, all four of the Union's ironclad gunboats are damaged and have to return downriver for repairs.  On the night of the 14th, the Confederate generals meet; believing that they cannot hold the fort, they agree to attempt to open a path for a breakout on the 15th.
  

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