Wharton's Cavalry Brigade in the Late Attack on Fort Donelson

WHARTON'S CAVALRY BRIGADE IN THE LATE ATTACK ON FORT DONELSON.-The following interesting account is an extract from a private letter, which has been furnished the Atlanta Confederacy by Lieut. W. T. Mead, the enrolling officer of Conscripts for that district:

In the late attack on Fort Donelson, on the evening of the 21st instant, Wharton's cavalry brigade greatly distinguished itself. They drove a superior force of the enemy before them for a long distance, and at night occupied the south end of Dover. Night, and want of ammunition, alone prevented complete success. Colonels Crews, Harrison, Smith and Cox, and Lieut. Col. Malone and Cates evinced the utmost intrepidity and daring. The batteries of Lieuts. Pue and Graves pushed their forces within two hundred yards of the enemy's rifle pits, and fired with great effect, until their ammunition was exhausted. Men and horses suffered severely. The 2d Georgia, under Col. Crews, with the assistance of Pue's battery, greatly distinguished themselves.

The horses of one of the enemy's pieces had been killed within a hundred and fifty yards of their rifle pits. Col. Crews was endeavoring to have it hauled away by hand. Gen. Wharton rode up and told them they should have the piece if they removed it from under the enemy's guns. With a shout, every man sprang forward, and brought it away under the concentrated fire of the enemy. It is a rifle piece, six pounder, weighing 900 pounds-the very best for cavalry. They also captured eight horses and harness complete. Private Maverick, of Texas, a member of Wharton's Scout Company, swam the Cumberland, freezing as it was, and burnt a laden boat. It is understood that Gen. Wharton has recommended him for promotion. He is a young man of fine education, the son of the most wealthy gentleman in the State of Texas-the grandson of that Maverick of South Carolina that first exported cotton to England.

The trip was one of the greatest hardships-rain, snow and intense cold prevailing all the time, which was manfully borne. We captured about one hundred Negroes and a number of prisoners, estimated from fifty to a hundred.