{"id":"01KG8AJKCSSBJ0JZFF9XYBQFAQ","cid":"bafkreiffr3ssrau6dmpbrxb3zjejlzcghrs6kaeipcfqawpwz5p2cl2jtu","type":"segment","properties":{"description":"# LATER FROM THE FORT.\n\n## Overview\n\"Later From The Fort.\" is a segment of poetry extracted from the larger work, [Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.](arke:01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9). This segment spans lines 539-592 of the source text and details the ongoing siege of Fort Donelson.\n\n## Context\nThis poetic segment is part of [Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.](arke:01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9), a collection of poems by Herman Melville, which is itself contained within the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. It was extracted from the digital text file [battle_pieces_and_aspects_of_the_war.txt](arke:01KG89J1G8S4TRWXNCBRKCRKS8). It follows the segment titled [Donelson.](arke:01KG8AJKCQKAJVEH1V8BXEHWC7) and precedes the segment titled [FURTHER.](arke:01KG8AJKCQXPFPDA279EN2YZQE), continuing the narrative of the Battle of Fort Donelson.\n\n## Contents\nThe poem describes the progress of General Grant's investment of Fort Donelson, detailing the completion of a semicircular siege line. It recounts the fighting for woods, hills, and glens, the constant skirmishing, and the harsh, unseasonable cold weather. The text mentions a sortie by the foe on Thursday, which was repelled, and a subsequent storming of their left flank. The poem also notes the loss of Colonel Morrison and concludes with a sense of impending victory for the Union forces, foreshadowing the fall of Donelson.","description_generated_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:21.891Z","description_model":"gemini-2.5-flash-lite","description_title":"LATER FROM THE FORT.","end_line":592,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:35.910Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"LATER FROM THE FORT.","source_file":"01KG89J1G8S4TRWXNCBRKCRKS8","start_line":539,"text":"LATER FROM THE FORT.\r\n_Grant’s investment is complete--\r\n    A semicircular one.\r\nBoth wings the Cumberland’s margin meet,\r\nThen, backwkard curving, clasp the rebel seat.\r\n  On Wednesday this good work was done;\r\n  But of the doers some lie prone.\r\nEach wood, each hill, each glen was fought for;\r\nThe bold inclosing line we wrought for\r\nFlamed with sharpshooters. Each cliff cost\r\nA limb or life. But back we forced\r\nReserves and all; made good our hold;\r\nAnd so we rest.\r\n\r\n               Events unfold.\r\nOn Thursday added ground was won,\r\n  A long bold steep: we near the Den.\r\nLater the foe came shouting down\r\n  In sortie, which was quelled; and then\r\nWe stormed them on their left.\r\nA chilly change in the afternoon;\r\nThe sky, late clear, is now bereft\r\nOf sun. Last night the ground froze hard--\r\nRings to the enemy as they run\r\nWithin their works. A ramrod bites\r\nThe lip it meets. The cold incites\r\nTo swinging of arms with brisk rebound.\r\nSmart blows ’gainst lusty chests resound.\r\n\r\nAlong the outer line we ward\r\n  A crackle of skirmishing goes on.\r\nOur lads creep round on hand and knee,\r\n  They fight from behind each trunk and stone;\r\n  And sometimes, flying for refuge, one\r\nFinds ’tis an enemy shares the tree.\r\nSome scores are maimed by boughs shot off\r\n  In the glades by the Fort’s big gun.\r\n  We mourn the loss of colonel Morrison,\r\n  Killed while cheering his regiment on.\r\nTheir far sharpshooters try our stuff;\r\nAnd ours return them puff for puff:\r\n’Tis diamond-cutting-diamond work.\r\n  Woe on the rebel cannoneer\r\nWho shows his head. Our fellows lurk\r\n  Like Indians that waylay the deer\r\nBy the wild salt-spring.--The sky is dun,\r\nFordooming the fall of Donelson.\r\n\r\nStern weather is all unwonted here.\r\n  The people of the country own\r\nWe brought it. Yea, the earnest North\r\nHas elementally issued forth\r\n  To storm this Donelson._\r\n\r","title":"LATER FROM THE FORT."},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9","peer_type":"poetry_collection","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1G8S4TRWXNCBRKCRKS8","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AJKCQKAJVEH1V8BXEHWC7","peer_type":"segment","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AJKCQXPFPDA279EN2YZQE","peer_type":"segment","predicate":"next"}],"ver":3,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:36.857Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:22.180Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF5C36SQEVDHC9CBNZZJH9K"}}