GRANT AND FOOTE AT FORT HENRY.

45

with his gunboats, proceeded cautiously up the river, shelling the woods on either side to discover any masked batteries that might there be planted. Having pushed this reconnoissance far enough to receive a 32pound ball through the unprotected side of one of his boats, Gen. Grant decided that the proper landing-place for the troops was about four miles below the fort, where he and they were debarked" accordingly. The next day was spent in preparations, and the next appointed for the attack: Gen. Grant directing the main body of his forces, under Gen. John

structed-mainly by slave laborat a point some 80 or 90 miles up the Tennessee and Cumberland, where those rivers first approach within 10 or 12 miles of each other, a few miles south of the Kentucky line, and north of the Louisville and Memphis Railroad, two strong and spacious works; FORT HENRY, commanding the Tennessee from its eastern bank, and FORT DONELSON, controlling the passage of the Cumberland from the west, a little below the Tennessee village of Dover. A dirt road connected the two forts, whereof the garrisons were expected to support | A. McClernand, to move diagonally each other if assailed. Fort Henry, situated on a point or bend of the river, and scarcely above its surface when in flood, menaced the approach by water for a mile on either hand, but was overlooked by three points" within cannon-shot on either bank of the river. It covered two or three acres of ground, mounted 17 large guns, 11 of them bearing upon any vessels approaching from below, with a spacious intrenched camp in its rear, and a wide abatis encircling all. It was defended by Gen. Lloyd Tilghman, of Kentucky, with 2,600

men.

To Brig.-Gen. U. S. Grant, of Illinois, was assigned the task of its reduction, with the powerful aid of • Commodore A. H. Foote and his fleet of seven gunboats, four of them partially iron-clad. Leaving Cairo" with some 15,000 men on steam transports, he moved up the Ohio to the mouth of the Tennessee, then ascended that stream to within ten miles of Fort Henry, where his transports halted," while Com. Foote, "So says Gen. Tilghman's official report.

across the country and seize the road leading from the fort to Donelson and Dover, while Gen. C. F. Smith, with his brigade, advanced along the west bank of the river, and Com. Foote, with his gunboats, moved slowly up and attacked the fort from the water.

Com. Foote formed his vessels in two lines: the iron-clads Cincinnati (flag-ship), Essex, Carondelet, and St. Louis, in front, while the old wooden Conestoga, Tyler, and Lexington, formed a second line some distance astern, and out of the range of the enemy's fire, throwing shell over the iron-clads into and about the fort. Thus advancing slowly and firing deliberately, the iron-clads steadily neared the fort, using only their bowguns, because unwilling to expose their weak, unsheltered sides to the heavy guns of the fort, one of them having a caliber of 128 and another of 60 pounds, and but 12 of ours in all of our front line being available. For a moment only was there hesitation in the attack; when, after an "Feb. 2, 1862.

12 Feb. 4-5.

13 Feb. 4.

GEN. GRANT BEFORE FORT DONELSON.

ing at discretion." Our loss in this conflict, in addition to that on the Essex, was 1 killed and 9 wounded on the Cincinnati; none on our other vessels. Gen. Tilghman says our total casualties were reported to him at 73, while his own were 21. Com. Foote reports his captures at 60 or 70 men, besides the General and his staff, and a hospital-ship containing 60 invalids, with barracks, tents, &c., sufficient for 15,000 men."

FORT DONELSON-two miles below Dover, where the Cumberland makes a short bend westward from its northerly course-was a much larger and stronger work than Fort Henry, covering a level plateau of nearly a hundred acres, which surmounts the steep bluff, 100 feet high, with two strong water batteries on the bank at its base, of 9 and 3 guns respectively, one of them a 10-inch columbiad, three 64-pounders, and the rest 32-pounders; all protected by very heavy earthworks, and all bearing on the approach up the river. The fort itself had but 8 heavy guns mounted in addition to the field batteries of its garrison. Gen. Gideon J. Pillow" had been in command there" until the arrival" of Gen. John B. Floyd," when the number of its defenders had been swelled by successive re

"Gen. Grant's official dispatch says: "In a little over one hour, all the batteries were silenced" Com. Foote says: "The Rebel flag was hauled down after a very severe and closely contested action of one hour and fifteen minutes." Gen. Tilghman says he surrendered "after an engagement of two hours and ten minutes." The time probably seemed longer on that side than on ours.

"Tilghman says he surrendered 66 beside his staff (11), and 16 on the hospital-boat; and adds that his escaping force was overtaken, some three miles from Fort Henry, by our

20

47

enforcements to about 15,000 2o men. Most of them were Tennesseans, with about 2,000 Mississippians, 1,200 Virginians, 1,000 Kentuckians, and a thin regiment each from Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas. The fort was commanded by two or three points farther inland, within cannon-shot; the country rolling to the bluffs of the Tennessee: some of the hills midway having an elevation of about 300 feet. Deep ravines, with steep, rocky sides, especially near the bluffs of the Cumberland, separated these hills, and, with the tall, dense, primitive forests generally prevailing, afforded admirable positions for defensive warfare. A heavy and difficult abatis in good part surrounded the fortress landward, rendering assault at many points all but impracticable.

Gen. Grant, bringing Smith's division across the Tennessee, and sending an officer down that river to turn back all vessels ascending it with troops or supplies, crossed from Fort Henry" to the neighborhood of Donelson, gradually extending his lines" so as to invest the Rebel stronghold nearly from river to river, by a line some three miles long, and 100 to 300 rods distant from the Rebel rifle-pits and batteries, which formed an irregular crescent, encircling their fort at a distance of one

cavalry, who were easily repulsed, but who
picked up about 20 of his stragglers, while
several of his field-guns were lost on the way,
owing to poor teams and bad roads.

16 Of Nashville, Tennessee. 17 Since Jan. 18.
18 Feb. 13.
19 Of Virginia.

20 The Richmond Dispatch has a letter from
one of the officers, dated Augusta, Ga., Feb. 22,
who says: "Our troops number about 18,000."
The Nashville Patriot, of about Feb. 19, gives
a list of the regiments present, with the strength
of each, which foots up 13,829, and is evidently
incomplete.
21 Feb. 12,
22 Feb. 13.

or two miles. Skirmishing by sharp-L shooters on both sides was maintained with spirit throughout the day, mainly from behind the trees of the great forest, which at most points covered our army and the space between the hostile lines. The weather was thus far like a clear, bright, Northern October, and our men in the highest spirits. Com. Foote now arrived" with his gunboats-four iron-clad, and two wooden-and it was determined that he should attempt to silence and carry the water batteries. He did so at 3 P. M. next day, steadily advancing with his iron-clads to within 400 yards of the Rebels' great guns; when, by an hour's desperate fighting, he had driven most of the enemy's gunners from their batteries, and seemed on the point of complete success. Just here, however, the wheel of his flag-ship St. Louis and the tiller of its consort, the Louisville, were shot away, rendering both boats unmanageable, and causing them to drift helplessly down the river. All his iron-clads had endured serious damage: the St. Louis having received 59 shots, and each of the others about half so many, with an aggregate loss of 54 killed and wounded. Of his twelve guns, one had burst, while the enemy had brought over 20-most of them very heavy-to bear upon him from Donelson, as well as the water batteries, to which the gunners returned on observing his predicament, and again poured in their hottest fire. Com. Foote, perceiving victory hopeless, gave up the contest, and retired with his boats down the river, badly crippled.

24

Gen. Grant decided to complete the investment of the fort, at least on that side, while he fortified his weak points, and awaited the return of the gunboats in fighting condition. Floyd, however, not concurring in that view of the matter, decided to assume at once a vigorous offensive, while his men were elated with their defeat of the gunboats. Massing heavily on his extreme left, commanded by Pillow, and ordering Buckner," in the center, to attack likewise, he made a desperate effort to beat back our investing and augmenting forces, and open for his army a line of retreat up river toward Nashville. The attack of Pillow on our right, held by Gen. McClernand, was impetuous, daring, and persistent.

After two hours' desperate fighting, McClernand was worsted and fell back on our center, sending urgently for rëenforcements, but still contesting every inch of ground. Two or three of his regiments were badly broken, and several more reported out of ammunition; which should not have been, since it was not yet noon. Our men, however, had the bad habit generally of using ammunition wastefully, loading and firing as fast as possible, even when there was not one chance in a thousand of hitting an enemy. The Rebels usually economized their cartridges, firing only when they could do so with effect.

Pillow, still successful and slowly advancing, about noon joined hands with Buckner in the center, and took command of their united forces, when a charge was made by Forrest's cavalry on our infantry supporting a

26 Gen. Simon B. Buckner, of Kentucky; for merly commander of her State Guard.

THE FIGHTING AT FORT DONELSON.

battery of six pieces, which was went into them on a run, closely foltaken."