Louis, pittsburgh, louisville, and carondolet, and the timberclads conestoga and tyler, had arrived from fort henry via the tennessee and ohio rivers and were exchanging iron valentines with the eleven big guns in the southern water batteries. Louis, hung in the balance between slaveholding and non slaveholding elements. It was the first important victory for the union and brig. Grant advanced crosscountry to invest fort donelson. Lloyd tilghman to surrender fort henry, which, thanks to heavy rains and a low. Confederate forces evacuated fort henry on the tennessee river and general grant followed up with a successful assault on fort donelson, located on the cumberland river. The volume describes the preparation, logistics, and the execution of the campaign. On february 16, 1862, after the failure of their allout attack aimed at breaking through grants investment lines, the forts 12,000man garrison surrendered unconditionally.
Forts henry and donelson, tennessee places in history. The battle of fort donelson official records and battle. An analysis of the fort henry fort donelson campaign, february 1862. Before fort henrys surrender, the confederates had withdrawn troops to fort donelson, which became grants next objective.
The 1862 battles for forts henry and donelson modern war studies hardcover smith, timothy b. Tilghman, once his scouts announced the presence of the enemys soldiers and gunboats, sent most of the garrison over land to fort donelson. It was explained that union gunboats came at the fort very quickly and seized it. The three maps seen here are examples of maps prepared to document the history of this campaign as opposed to planning maps. The next day, a union gunboat opened fire on the fort but did minimal damage to the structure. Located in tennessee, fort donelson guarded the cumberland river. Two battalions of troops were able to escape the fort before it was captured by the union. Historical map of fort henry and fort donelson the relative positions of fort henry and fort donelson. The fall of these forts opened the door to the deep south and the end of the confederacy. The big push to flee starvation, yankee prison camps, and the stigma of surrender had begun. The union victory at the battle of fort donelson made ulysses s. Fort heiman in nearby calloway county, kentucky, was a confederate battery in the battle of fort henry. Battle of fort donelson american civil war britannica. The news of the union buildup close to fort henry was reported to confederate general lloyd tilghman, commander of forts heiman, henry, and donelson.
Roll of honor fort donelson national cemetery roll of honor soon after the war, fort donelson national cemetery was established and the remains of 670 union soldiers were reinterred here. After nashville fell, grant continued his tenacious push along the. Footes union gunboat fleet, consisting of the ironclads st. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862 by kendall d. Grant in the western theater on february 4 and 5, grant landed two divisions just north of fort henry on the tennessee river. The study also raises the strategic stature of the fall of fort henry, an event most often sidelined in campaign evaluations in favor of the much larger, bloodier, and dramatic donelson battle and surrender that followed it. Along with fort donelson on the cumberland river, fort henry bisected southern lines and. On february 4 and 5, grant landed two divisions just north of fort henry on the tennessee river. On february 6, 1862, grant and flag officer foote captured fort henry. Today marks the sesquicentennial of the major civil war battle fought at fort donelson in kentucky and tennessee. By february, grant had surrounded the fort with about 25,000 men and had conducted several small attacks to probe the fort s defenses. These soldiers had been buried on the battlefield, in local cemeteries, in hospital cemeteries, and in near by towns. Smith cairo camp campaign cannon captain cavalry claimed clarksville colonel columbus command confederacy confederate cullum cumberland defense dispatches dover enemy february federal fight fire flotilla floyd foote footes force. No attempt would be made to push mcclernand and smith from their camps into the river.
Fort donelson national battlefield protects 559 acres surrounding the fort near dover, tennessee, including the earthen fort itself, upper and lower batteries, the dover hotel site of confederate surrender, and two miles of outer earthworks. Fort henry had been a key position in the center of a line defending tennessee, and the capture of the fort now opened the tennessee river to union troop and supply movements. The forts of henry and donelson in tennessee were captured by union forced in february 1862 under general ulysses s. Louis, hung in the balance between slaveholding and non slaveholding. The events of february, 1862 at forts henry and donelson have long been overshadowed by other civil war events. With support from footes gunboats, grant captured fort donelson, opening the cumberland and tennessee rivers to union traffic and forcing the confederates to retreat and abandon their defensive line in kentucky and tennessee. This was the first major union victory of the war, which opened up much of kentucky and. It contains 346 pages, of which 280 are text, with the rest dedicated to two appendices, notes, bibliography, and index. This surprised many people on both sides as some thought the ironclads were unbeatable. Grant had wanted to move fast, to prevent reinforcements arriving at all, but rainy weather delayed him and the confederate troops arrived safely. This book presents one of the most detailed descriptions of the fort henry and fort donelson campaign. The first thing he did on reaching the vicinity of donelson was to throw some five hundred men, under col. Battle of of fort henry and fort donelson key victory for union general ulysses s. This was the first major union victory of the war, which opened up much of kentucky and tennessee to union control.
The rebels had sited fort henry on low, wet ground and had not completed the work when grants men showed up. Our battle of fort donelson page includes history articles, battle maps, photos, travel information, and a wealth of related material related to this important civil war battle. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862 the american civil war hardcover. Battle of fort donelson civil war map battle fort donelson. The rebels retreated east to fort donelson and grant followed. Early in the war, union commanders realized control of the major rivers would be the key to success in the western theater. Fort donelson, a confederate fort, rose about 100 feet on dry ground above the cumberland river, which allowed for plunging fire against attacking gunboats.
Henry and donelson, fought on both the tennessee and cumberland rivers, as well as on land in. Fort donelson was a fortress built by the confederacy during the american civil war to control the cumberland river leading to the heart of tennessee, and the heart of the confederacy. Fort henry only twelve miles away was under attack. The federals had been driven back from the forge road and westward along wynns ferry road toward fort henry. Fort donelson was a much stronger work than fort henry. A section of the union army under the command of the relatively unknown brigadier general ulysses s.
An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862 gott, kendall d. The 1862 battles for forts henry and donelson modern war studies hardcover. Fort donelson by february 14, grant had his army in place and was waiting for the gunboats to attack fort donelson, flag officer foote brought his ironclads to within 400 yards of the fort before they were forced to withdraw. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862. The battle of fort henry on february 6, 1862, was the first significant union victory of. The battle of fort henry was fought on february 6, 1862, in donelson middle tennessee, during the american civil war. After capturing fort henry on the tennessee river on february 6, 1862, brig. Johnston and pierre beauregard had struck first and almost pushed the union army back out of tennessee altogether. Jul 03, 2014 the forts of henry and donelson in tennessee were captured by union forced in february 1862 under general ulysses s. Smith cairo camp campaign cannon captain cavalry claimed clarksville colonel columbus command confederacy confederate cullum cumberland defense dispatches dover enemy february federal fight fire flotilla.
The troops serving under grant were the nucleus of the unions successful. Forts henry and heiman were garrisoned with only 2,500 men. While most people, then and now, focus on the eastern theatre of the war, it was in the west that the war was won and lost. Battle of shiloh twoday april 67, 1862 battle in tennessee ending in union victory and 23,000 combined dead even though confederate troops under joseph e.
Fleishmans depiction of the first civil war battle relies on individual voices to give a human face to history. The capture of forts henry and donelsonthe first major union victories in the waropened up. Just a personal what if, i have wondered about for some time. The fort was named after confederate general daniel s. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862 as an etextbook and get instant access. Following his victory at fort henry on the tennessee river, grant marched his troops to fort donelson. The confederate river batteries fort donelson national. The main unit of the park, in dover, tennessee, commemorates the battle of fort donelson. Henry and donelson, fought on both the tennessee and cumberland rivers, as well as on land in and around dover was the first major victory in the.
The battle of fort henry on february 6, 1862, was the first significant union victory of the american civil war 186165. Before he was a corps commander in the union army, james b. The battle of fort henry was fought on february 6, 1862, in western middle tennessee, during the american civil war. Kendall gott talked about the civil war battle of fort donelson. Feb 15, 2012 this battle report tells the true story of the battle of fort donelson using civil war miniatures and the game command combat.
Historically, grant moves up to fort donelson and takes the fort after 4 days of battle, as near as i can tell, at the end of the battle he had 24,000 me with him to the confederates 21,000. Five books on the battle of fort donelson civil war. Battle of fort donelson, american civil war battle february 1862 that collapsed southern defenses in the midsouth and forced the evacuations of columbus, kentucky, and nashville, tennessee, as well as a general confederate retreat in kentucky. The volume lays out the preparation, the logistics, and the. In his official report from the battle, foote described the united states navy not prepared. Fort donelson national battlefield offers events to. Aug, 2015 flag officer andrew hull foote was in charge of the naval fleet at fort donelson. Pushing south into tennessee with assistance from flag officer andrew footes gunboats, union troops under brigadier general ulysses s.
Woodward, on the fort henry road, between donelson and henry, to prevent reinforcements. The book is an entry in the university of nebraska press great campaigns of the civil war series of books and covers the time frame of the military campaign from fort henry to corinth, including the battle of shiloh. General tilghman found himself in an ominous situation. On february 6, grant was ordered by general henry halleck to assault fort donelson immediately and capture it by february 8. I shall take and destroy fort donelson on the 8th and return to fort henry. Grant during that generals 1862 campaigns, including the battles at fort henry and fort donelson in tennessee. Grant, it secured the norths hold on kentucky and paved the way for grants attacks deeper into tennessee. Grant, a native ohioan, led a union force that captured fort donelson from the confederacy. Johnston had dispatched about 12,000 reinforcements from bowling green, kentucky, under floyd, to bolster the defense of the fort. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign. Grant, captured the fort from the confederate army in. Grant captured fort henry in tennessee and marched towards fort.
The battle of fort donelson was fought from february 1116, 1862, in the western theater of. There were three miles 5 km of trenches in a semicircle around the fort and the small town of dover. Exploring fort donelson in civil war books and games tocwoc. Roll of honor fort donelson national cemetery roll of honor soon after the war,fort donelson national cemetery was established and the remains of 670 union soldiers were reinterred here. Battle of fort henry american civil war britannica. Forts heiman, henry, and donelson american battlefield trust. This battle report tells the true story of the battle of fort donelson using civil war miniatures and the game command combat. Grants operations against fort donelson lasted from february 11 to february 16, 1862. Battle of fort henry, american civil war battle along the tennessee river that helped the union regain western and middle tennessee as well as most of kentucky fort henry, situated on the tennessee river, was a linchpin in confederate general albert sidney johnstons defense lines. Donelson the union army of the tennessee, commanded by major general ulysses s.
The confederate plan was for pillow to push mcclernand away and take control of wynns ferry. Exploring fort donelson in civil war books and games. Ulysses grants letter from fort donelson smithsonians. The battle of fort donelson, which began on february 12, took place shortly after the surrender of fort henry, tennessee, on february 6, 1862. After capturing fort henry on february 6, 1862, brig. Nine illustrations depicting the battle of fort donelson, which was fought from february 11 to february 16, 1862, in the western theater of the american civil war, from u. A summary of outbreak of the civil war in s ulysses s. Gotts book is a slightly revisionist view of the henrydonelson campaign and was a very good read. With the capture of fort donelson and its sister fort, henry, the north had not only won its first great victory, it had also gained a new herounconditional surrender grant, who was promoted to major general. Grant moved up the tennessee river to attack fort henry, which surrendered to.
Nathan bedford forrest, were able to push the union troops out of the way to. In an effort to gain control of rivers and supply lines west of the. He was wounded during the exchange of artillery on february 14, 1862. Smith, a native of kentucky, escaped from his situation as an enslaved man and, once gaining protection from the union army, witnessed much of the battles of fort henry and fort donelson, and was later wounded at the battle of shiloh in april of 1862. This map of fort donelson and its environs was done by lt.
Smiths book is by far the deepest and best operational and tactical treatment of the campaign and its battles. The battle of fort donelson was an early battle in the american civil war 18611865. Battle of fort donelson in february 1862, general ulysses s. The result is at once intimate and sweeping, a heartbreaking and remarkably vivid portrait of the civil war and war itself.
He knew fort henry was untenable but was determined to make a stand against the gunboats. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The battle of fort donelson would take place over several days. At midnight on february 7th survivors of fort henry arrived at fort donelson. S grant and flag officer andrew foote, who surrounded the fort and captured it after a short siege. Grant and the battle of fort donelson in western tennessee. He is the author of the forthcoming book rebels on the border. Forts henry and donelson controlled the tennessee and cumberland rivers, respectively. Command combat battle reports the battle of fort donelson. Jan 20, 2020 the battle of fort donelson cost grant 507 killed, 1,976 wounded, and 208 capturedmissing.