Grant's infantry was to come up behind the rear of the fort while Foote's ships bombarded the fort from the river. Grant's operations against Fort Donelson lasted from February 11 to February 16, 1862. The advice of his subordinates, Gideon Pillow and Simon Buckner, did not improve upon his indecisiveness. As the long night wore on, surrender seemed to be the best option. Positions shown are as of Feb. 1862. Once they got through celebrating the victory against the gunboats, they began to take a long, hard look at their situation. The long, bloody day closed with the Confederates back inside the works on their left and with the works on their right firmly held by the Union army. In the first week of February, 1862, General Ulysses Grant led a massive assault composed of more than . However,moving these large ships required access to water. By February 6, 1862, General Grant had his force of 15,000 and Footes gunboats in place and ready to attack. Fort Henry Battle Facts and Summary | American Battlefield Trust Whose broad stripes and bright stars. Foote later claimed he never received any relay of these orders from Grant, but he went only as a far as Clarksville. Pushing south into Tennessee with assistance from Flag Officer Andrew Foote's gunboats, Union troops under Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant captured Fort Henry on February 6, 1862. The gunboat attack had failed. After he recalled the timberclads from their mission on the Tennessee river, Foote left Cairo with four of his ironclad steamersCarondelet,Louisville,Pittsburgh, andSt. Gen. Ulysses Grant received the long-anticipated word that he and Flag Officer Andrew Foote would lead a joint expedition against the twin fortsof Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. The combined victories at Forts Henry and Donelson propelled Grant into the national spotlight. 5 Where was the location of Fort Donelson? These positions were important for regulating access to the Mississippi River from the east. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 57,000 acres in 25 states! In April 1861, Winfield Scott, commander in chief of the U.S. Army, presented the Anaconda plan, which included a general blockade of the coast and a joint movement down the Mississippi River. Fort Knox, now Fort Knox State Park or Fort Knox State Historic Site, is located on the western bank of the Penobscot River in the town of Prospect, Maine, about 5 miles (8.0 km) from the mouth of the river.Built between 1844 and 1869, it was the first fort in Maine built entirely of granite; most previous forts used wood, earth, and stone. The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Help Save 125 Battlefield Acres in Virginia, Help Restore History at Gettysburg, Cold Harbor & More, Help Us Save Hallowed Ground in Tennessee and Kentucky, Help Save 820 Acres at Five Virginia Battlefields, Save 343 Acres at FIVE Battlefields in FOUR Western Theater States, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Support the American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act, Stop the Largest Rezoning in Orange County History, The Battle of Fort Donelson - February 15, 1862. Get HISTORYs most fascinating stories delivered to your inbox three times a week. March 31, 2020. Tennessee was now vulnerable. The U.S. Navy gunboats outgunned the fort and Tilgman knew that he would not be able to hold it. Fort Henry was also one of the first major Union victories in the war and had a significant impact on Union morale in the bleak months following the rout at Bull Run and the defeat at Wilson's Creek. Capturing Fort Henry and its sister, Fort Donelson, some five miles distant, would split Johnstons defensive line in two while opening the rivers to the Federals. This neutrality was first violated on September 3, when Confederate Brig. [8] Foote understood his obligation to cooperate fully with the Army in the campaign for control of the Mississippi River. The two officers had a bit of a rocky start with arguments centered around the sharing of resources, but they at least agreed on the need for coordinated movements against the enemy. Every purchase supports the mission. Kentuckys decision not to follow Tennessee out of the Union forced Southern leaders to defend the Tennessee border. [2] Without a navy, fortifications built on the banks of the western rivers were the Souths best option for defending its inland waterways. Fort Henry and Donelson are significant because they provided successful defense for the Union army. 2. Walker requested permission from the governor to build a defensive fortification on the banks of the Mississippi River at Memphis. The gunboats finally reached the empty city in March. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. On February 45, Grants infantry disembarked, out of range of Fort Henrys guns. Located in central Tennessee, Forts Henry and Donelson guarded the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers with interconnecting roads and telegraph lines between the two Confederate fortifications. Early in the afternoon a furious roar broke the stillness, and the earth began to shake. Tilghman surrendered his nearly empty fort to Foote before Grants troops arrived on foot. Most notably,Franklin D. Roosevelt mirrored Grants tactical moveduring World War II when hesaid the objective of the warwasto secure anunconditional surrenderfromthe Axis powers. [14] Further ascending the river, Phelps captured a half-finished Confederate vessel,Eastport. Confederatecannoneersput up a fight against the flotilla of gunboats in the river, but it was not enough todeter the Union offense. Johnston sent Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman to take command of both Fort Henry and Donelson. 3 Where was Fort Donelson during the Civil War? The final position on the Tennessee River was not the one that the engineers had selected. 2 (1898): 56. Grant and Buckner met at the Dover Hotel, site of Buckners headquarters, to formalize the surrender. He gave his men an inspiring talk, saying that they had volunteered to die and that now was their chance. In January of 1862,Brig. Fort Henry answered with its eleven heavy guns, but the bow guns of the gunboats had more firepower than the fort could match. There were very few Confederate forces at the top of the hill to greet them and Smiths Division easily captured the right wing of the earthworks. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. Gen. Lloyd Tilghmanmannedthe defenses of Fort Henry. Battle of Fort Donelson | Union Victory, Confederate Surrender In February 1862 one of Hallecks subordinates, Ulysses S. Grant, was delayed in reaching Fort Henry, leaving Commodore Andrew Foote to carry out the attack from a flotilla of gunboats. Before the naval bombardment, the Confederate command at the fort had intended to attack the land forces that were quickly surrounding them. Illustration from Battles & Leaders of the Civil War, vol. Grant was facing an army roughly the same size or perhaps slightly larger than his own. Buckner questioned the order. [9] On 22 January,Lexingtoncame into range of the guns at Fort Henry for a brief and uneventful exchange of fire during a final reconnaissance mission. The Confederacy abandoned southern Kentucky and most of middle and west Tennessee. 52, Pt. As he was riding along, he yelled to the men to rally, not to let the enemy escape, and the men responded well. The size of this department had grown since June. At point-blank range, the fire from the fort disabled three of the four ironclads within a few hours. Pillow wanted to leave the sick and wounded behind and force their way out. Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. Battle of Fort Donelson - Wikipedia C.F. The Cincinnati took 32 hits, the St. Louis seven, and the Carondelet six. [21] Naval History Division, Riverine Warfare: The U.S. Navys Operations on Inland Waters (Washington: GPO, 1969), 25. SHARE: Civil War | Article Forts Heiman, Henry, and Donelson Jim Jobe, for Hallowed Ground On May 7, 1861, the state of Tennessee decided to withdraw from the Union and join the Confederacy. 1, which required a combined Union advance within a month. The fort had been partially flooded by recent rainstorms, and the bad weather had left many of the troops left to defend it ill. To make matters worse, much of the Confederate weaponry dated from the War of 1812. When Foote demanded an unconditional surrender at Fort Henry, he shattered the protocols of normal, gentlemanly surrender. It will never be removed.[25] After the surrender of Fort Donelson, Foote returned to Cairo to carry out repairs and to prepare for what he expected to be a continuation of the campaign on the Cumberland river. [5] John McMurray Lansden,A History of the City of Cairo, Illinois(Chicago, IL:R. R. Donnelley & Sons,1910), 1301. Reaching the bridge, Phelps spotted a group of Confederate steamers in retreat. Table of Contents 1 What was the significance of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in the western campaign? With the ironclads in the front, the fleet approached Fort Henry. Grant began ferrying his troops to a spot just north of Fort Henry. He found confusion among some of the Union forces; men wandering around with empty cartridge boxes while wagons of ammunition stood nearby. The defenses along the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers were neglected compared to those on the Mississippi river. The Confederates were ready, and opened fire with their two largest cannons, a ten-inch Columbiad and a six-and-one-half-inch rifle. The defense of the Mississippi River was the top priority to the Confederate high command, but not high enough. Every cannon trained on the single boat and forced it to fall back with the remainder of the fleet. February 5, 2021. Historical map of Fort Henry andFort Donelson, The relative positions of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. In the same month as Captain Footes arrival in Cairo, the new Army commander of the District of Southeast Missouri arrived there: Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant. I propose to move immediately upon your works. General Buckner accepted what he named ungenerous and unchivalrous terms. Now the Cumberland River was also open to the Union army. Join us online July 24-26! [3] Polk hurried to fortify his positions along the Mississippi river. [34] In the last week of February, Nashville was abandoned by the enemy before Foote was granted orders to attack. Northern newspapers reporting the events dubbed the Union commander, Unconditional Surrender Grant. The Confederates fell back to the next ridge to regroup. Scale 1:95,040; 1 1/2 miles to an in. [9] ORA, 1, 4(1882):308; ORA 4:345; ORA, 1, 7(1902):73. (LC,80691156). But they made no effort to hamper, harass, or delay General Grant as he prepared to move against Fort Donelson. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. The Confederate command was in dismay. The site on the Cumberland River was never challenged by the team leadership, but the site on the Tennessee river was moved twice. Simon Buckner was in command of the Confederate right while Bushrod Johnson was in command of the Confederate left. The ability to keep this army supplied and reinforced was so critical that victory could not be achieved without the use of rivers and railroads. accepted." U.S. Grant From Henry to Donelson Bells rang jubilantly throughout the North at the news, but they were silent in Dixie. Fort Heiman History - Fort Donelson National Battlefield (U.S. National What was the significance of the unconditional surrender? Captured Confederate soldiers with knapsacks and bedrolls had caused fear that the Confederates were prepared to fight the Union army back to Fort Henry. Buckners Division arrived in time to hold this ridge against the attacking Union soldiers. "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. Despite this accomplishment, Rodgers had often overstepped his purview. Courtesy of Library of Congress. The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Every purchase supports the mission. On 30 January, Halleck finally gave permission for an assault on Fort Henry. The four ironclads moved into battle formation, four abreast with their bows pointed toward the fort to open fire. Gen. Gideon J. Pillow, acting on orders from Maj. Gen. Leonidas Polk, occupied Columbus, Kentucky. This is a line engraving based on a sketch by Alexander Simplot. On June 29, the provisional army of Tennessee formally transferred into service of the Confederacy. The army transports followed, carrying most of the 15,000 soldiers. After the fall of Fort Henry, Foote had returned with his damaged vessels to Cairo for repairs. Fort Donelson - Wikipedia Most of the Confederate soldiers escaped to nearby Fort Donelson, but Fort Henry was delivered into Union hands. [7] Despite frustration with his orphaned command, Foote did his best with limited resources and frequent, carefully worded letters to his superiors. He rode off to order General Smith to attack the Confederate right wing. From then on, Northern newspapers usedthe nickname to reinforce Grants reputation as a stronghold of the Union army.
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