- description
- # FRIDAY’S GREAT EVENT!
## Overview
This is a segment of text extracted from a larger file, specifically lines 688-746 of `battle_pieces_and_aspects_of_the_war.txt` ([01KG89J1G8S4TRWXNCBRKCRKS8]). It is part of the poem within [Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.](arke:01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9), a poetry collection by Herman Melville. The segment is labeled "FRIDAY’S GREAT EVENT!" and describes events related to the Battle of Fort Donelson.
## Context
The segment is part of a larger collection of Melville's complete works, found in the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. It is preceded by the segment [FURTHER.](arke:01KG8AJKCQXPFPDA279EN2YZQE) and followed by [LATER.](arke:01KG8AJKCSKR8RQG2XRNFGPW6Y), forming a sequence of reports or updates on the battle's progress. The text was extracted automatically using a structure-extraction-lambda function.
## Contents
The segment primarily consists of a poem describing the events of a Friday during the Battle of Fort Donelson. It recounts a victory where "THE ENEMY’S WATER-BATTERIES BEAT!" and "WE SILENCED EVERY GUN!" The poem then shifts to describing the arrival of reinforcements for Grant, the extent of the enemy's field-works, and a fierce fight between gun-boats and the Fort, including damage to the Louisville. The segment concludes with a brief mention of artillery exchanges and an unknown plan afoot as Friday closes around Donelson.
- description_generated_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:23.784Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- FRIDAY’S GREAT EVENT!
- end_line
- 746
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:47:35.910Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 688
- text
- FRIDAY’S GREAT EVENT!
THE ENEMY’S WATER-BATTERIES BEAT!
WE SILENCED EVERY GUN!
THE OLD COMMODORE’S COMPLIMENTS SENT
PLUMP INTO DONELSON!
“Well, well, go on!” exclaimed the crowd
To him who thus much read aloud.
“That’s all,” he said. “What! nothing more”
“Enough for a cheer, though--hip, hurrah!”
“But here’s old Baldy come again--”
“More news!”--And now a different strain.
(Our own reporter a dispatch compiles,
As best he may, from varied sources.)
Large re-enforcements have arrived--
Munitions, men, and horses--
For Grant, and all debarked, with stores.
The enemy’s field-works extend six miles--
The gate still hid; so well contrived.
Yesterday stung us; frozen shores
Snow-clad, and through the drear defiles
And over the desolate ridges blew
A Lapland wind.
The main affair
Was a good two hours’ steady fight
Between our gun-boats and the Fort.
The Louisville’s wheel was smashed outright.
A hundred-and-twenty-eight-pound ball
Came planet-like through a starboard port,
Killing three men, and wounding all
The rest of that gun’s crew,
(The captain of the gun was cut in two);
Then splintering and ripping went--
Nothing could be its continent.
In the narrow stream the Louisville,
Unhelmed, grew lawless; swung around,
And would have thumped and drifted, till
All the fleet was driven aground,
But for the timely order to retire.
Some damage from our fire, ’tis thought,
Was done the water-batteries of the Fort.
Little else took place that day,
Except the field artillery in line
Would now and then--for love, they say--
Exchange a valentine.
The old sharpshooting going on.
Some plan afoot as yet unknown;
So Friday closed round Donelson.
- title
- FRIDAY’S GREAT EVENT!