On february 6, grant was ordered by general henry halleck to assault fort donelson immediately and capture it by february 8. Five books on the battle of fort donelson civil war books. After the fall of fort donelson, the general assembly met in memphis for. May 31, 2020 there, the battles at fort henry and fort donelson stand out as momentous ones, which, to a great extent, paved the way ahead for the battle, and even for the war. Grant advanced 12 miles to invest fort donelson on the cumberland river. An analysis of the fort henry fort donelson campaign, february 1862 mechanicsburg. Fort henry fort henry and fort donelson military map of country between tennessee and cumberland, february 4th to march 10, 1862, plus 4 smaller maps. At fort henry, approximately 3,0003,400 men in two brigades were commanded by colonels adolphus heiman and joseph drake. As an alternative, the kindle ebook is available now and can be read on any device. But inclement weather delayed the federal movement until february 12. 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.
Grant, forrest and the campaign that decided the civil war, jack hurst. Forts henry and donelson the key to the confederate heartland by. American military history, volume 1 army university press. Battle of of fort henry and fort donelson key victory for union general ulysses s.
Fort henryfort donelson campaign essential civil war. After the capture of fort henry he simply telegraphed the somewhat surprised halleck. Dec 31, 1987 the forts henry and donelson or twin rivers campaign of 1862 was one of the decisive campaigns in the american civil war. The forts were located near dover, tn in what is now called the land between the lakes which was actually the land between the rivers about an hours drive northwest of nashville. Grant and the politics of war and reconstruction, 18611868 evaluates grants leadership by analyzing his. Taking fort henry was just the first step, as grant well knew. Near the point where this parallel course begins, fort henry was built. During the battle at fort donelson, the union capture of the fort closed. Grant marched unopposed from fort henry to fort donelson. Battle of island number ten wikipedia the most famous early use of the phrase occurred during the 1862 battle of fort donelson in the american civil war. Aaron paul leads an allstar cast in the black book audio drama. Selected as honorable mention for the 2004 albert castel book award with the collapse of the confederate defenses at forts henry and donelson on the tennessee and cumberland rivers, the entire tennessee valley was open to union invasion and control. The following books are suggested reading for additional insights into the civil war and its key battles.
Grant, it secured the norths hold on kentucky and paved the way for grants attacks deeper into tennessee. The men were armed primarily with antique flintlock rifles from the war of 1812. S grant and flag officer andrew foote, who surrounded the fort and captured it after a short siege. The rebels had sited fort henry on low, wet ground and had not completed the work when grants men showed up. Exploring fort donelson in civil war books and games. Winning reluctant permission from his superior, major general henry w. Daring river raid puts bow on union conquest of forts henry and donelson. Grant targeted forts henry and donelson, he penetrated the confederacy at one of its most vulnerable points, setting in motion events that would elevate his own status, demoralize the confederate leadership and citizenry, and, significantly, tear the western confederacy asunder. This number refers to a numbering system used in the compilation of the atlas to accompany the official.
After capturing fort henry, on the tennessee river feb. Were excited to announce the partial reopening of fort henry national historic site on saturday, may 22, 2021. As he sent word of the capture of confederate fort henry on february 6, 1862, brig. The fall of these forts opened the door to the deep south and the end of the confederacy. Fort donelson and fort henry, two fortifications in n. Fort donelson national battlefield preserves fort donelson and fort heiman, two sites of the american civil war forts henry and donelson campaign, in which union army brigadier general ulysses s. These northern victories set up the 1864 atlanta campaign that cut the confederacy in two. Bluff station in nashville, later known as fort nashborough. Rear admiral david dixon porters assembled flotilla. Our rich history is home to tales of passion and determination.
Your institution does not have access to this book on jstor. Forts henry and heiman were garrisoned with only 2,500 men. Exploring fort donelson in civil war books and games tocwoc. The fall of the two forts, on the tennessee and cumberland rivers in the west, handed the confederacy its first major defeat, bolstered northern enthusiasm for war, and opened an invasion route to nashville and the deeper south. On february 6, 1862, grant and flag officer foote captured fort henry.
What were the causes and effects of the battle of fort henry. What was the geographic significance of the forts henry. Visit kingston, ontarios historic site and living history museum, fort henry, where visitors enter the realm of the 19th century military life in the beautiful fortification originally built in the 1830s. This is a very well researched and readable account of one of the most significant campaigns of the american civil war the federal attacks on fort henry and fort donelson, two victories that broke the confederate defensive line in the west, and set the tone for the rest of the war. Then, a decisive confederate breakout attempt on february 15 fell prey to. With the collapse of the confederate defenses at forts henry and donelson on the tennessee and cumberland rivers, the entire tennessee valley was open to union invasion and control.
The big push to flee starvation, yankee prison camps, and the stigma of surrender. African americans at forts henry, heiman, and donelson. Fort donelson and fort henry the cumberland and tennessee rivers run nearly parallel, at a distance of about 10 m. Lloyd tilghman assumed command of both forts henry and donelson, with a combined force of 4,900 men. The fall of fort henry, followed 10 days later by the capture of fort donelson, opened up both the cumberland and tennessee rivers to union. Forts henry and donelsonthe key to the confederate. The capture of forts henry and donelson in tennessee were major victories for. Operations against donelson were part of an amphibious campaign launched in early 1862 to push the confederates out of middle and western tennessee, thereby opening a path into the. The federals had been driven back from the forge road and westward along wynns ferry road toward fort henry. Selected as honorable mention for the 2004 albert castel book award. The losses of fort henry and fort donelson were disasters for the confederates. History comes alive at fort henry, home of the award winning sunset ceremonies. Confederate strength in kentucky and western tennessee was centered at two fortified positions, one on the tennessee river fort henry and the other 20 miles away on the cumberland river fort donelson.
Grant was an innovator in what we now call operational art. This old map of forts henry and donelson is truly a fine piece of forts henry and donelson civil war history in the late part of the 19th century from the atlas that is often described as the definitive, or go to, reference resource for united states civil war history. Join us for a virtual lecture with author and historian john v. The civil war in the east maintained a napoleonic char. Original forts henry donelson civil war antique map 1895 for. During the battle for fort henry, the union army secured an important victory for the union. Tennessee, near the border of kentucky, erected by the confederates late in 1861, and captured by the union forces in february, 1862.
Principally a commanding water battery with adjacent armed camp for garrison, fort donelson was expanded to defend against land assault following the fort henry debacle. The flooded fort henry fell to the gunboats on february 6, 1862 and most of the garrison fled to fort donelson, which was eleven miles away. The battle of fort henry was fought on february 6, 1862, in donelson, stewart county, tennessee, during the american civil war. Grant and flag officer andrew foote captured fort henry on the tennessee river near the kentuckytennessee border, opening up the river to federal shipping as far south as alabama. It was the first important victory for the union and brig. Dec 17, 2018 robert henry, in his book story of the confederacy 1931, echoed these thoughts when he wrote, fort donelson, in many ways, may be considered the critical event of the civil war.
Forts heiman, henry, and donelson american battlefield trust. Fort donelson, on the cumberland river, hosted the momentous battle of the western theater where the confederate forces surrendered, giving way to the fall of confederate rule in the. Civil war maps, available online, fort henry, tennessee. From cairo, grant saw that he could use the ohio river to attack fort henry on the tennessee river and fort donelson on the cumberland river. War departments atlas to accompany the official records of the union and confederate armies.
Near the point where this parallel course begins, fort henry was built on the tennessee, and fort donelson on the cumberland. Battle of fort donelson and similar military conflicts. Grants mississippi campaign culminating in the capture of vicksburg. The cumberland and tennessee rivers run nearly parallel, at a distance of about 10 m. Five books on the battle of fort donelson civil war. A history of tennessee tennessee secretary of state. An analysis of the fort henry fort donelson campaign, february 1862 by kendall d. Grant took the first big step that would take he and his. Union capture of forts henry and donelson february 1862 the capture of forts henry and donelson, and the confederate surrender at the latter, were the first significant union victories during the war and the start of a mostly successful campaign in the western theater. Jul 02, 2020 fort henry, on the tennessee river had falled to union forces on february 6, 1862, but not before most of the rebel garrison had retreated to the much stronger fort donelson, 12 miles away on the cumberland river. In early february confederate department commander albert sidney johnston concentrated some 15,000 men to defend against union general u. Union forces take forts henry and donelson in tennessee. These vital forts, athwart jugular veins, were grants first targets.
Grant captured fort donelson, along with more than. Jan 26, 2017 i made an attack on fort donelson yesterday, the 14th instant, at 3 oclock p. Forts henry and donelson controlled the tennessee and cumberland rivers, respectively. Grant left fort henry and headed upriver south, arriving at savannah. Union forces take forts henry and donelson in tennessee and. General tilghman found himself in an ominous situation. It contains 346 pages, of which 280 are text, with the rest dedicated to two appendices, notes, bibliography, and index. Grant in the western theater on february 4 and 5, grant landed two divisions just north of fort henry on the tennessee river. An analysis of the fort henry fort donelson campaign, february 1862 has 2 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. From the traditional grace of the grand hotel to the comfort of the premium east and standard west rooms, all of our accommodations enjoy access to our extensive amenities, including an indoor pool with sauna and whirlpool spa, olympicsize outdoor pool, and.
Grant and flag officer andrew hull foote captured three confederate forts and opened two rivers, the tennessee river and the cumberland river, to control by the union navy. Even though halleck advised restraint, on february 11 grant began the advance overland from fort henry to fort donelson. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. Grant completed both actions by february 16, 1862, and by doing so, opened the tennessee and cumberland rivers as. Unfortunately the two forts proved to be right in the way of the driving general grant. Fort henry and donelson are significant because they provided successful defense for the union army. 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.
Historically speaking forts henry and donelson at 150. Quarstein when he presents on the capture of forts henry and donelson and how. The news of the union buildup close to fort henry was reported to confederate general lloyd tilghman, commander of forts heiman, henry, and donelson. The troops serving under grant were the nucleus of the unions. I shall take and destroy fort donelson on the 8th and return to fort henry. Grant, forrest, and the campaign that decided the civil war new york. Grant proposed to move 15,000 men along the rivers to fort henry, supported by a flotilla of the. Gotts book is a slightly revisionist view of the henry donelson campaign and was a very good read. Archived from the original pdf on february 24, 2017.
Johnston and pierre beauregard had struck first and almost pushed the union army back out of tennessee altogether. After capturing fort henry on the tennessee river on february 6, 1862, brig. Then river craft carried some of the troops by water around to fort donelson. Ulysses grant kept his emotions in check, his victory telegraph an. Buell began a march with much of his army from nashville, tennessee, and headed. The weakest points were fort henry on the tennessee river and fort. In conclusion, i wish to dedicate this book to the finest soldiers in the world, to the men.
Grant, at this point the commander of the federal forces at cairo, where the ohio and mississippi rivers meet. General scott prepared a new manual of infantry tactics for. Feb 05, 2012 surrender of fort henry and fort donelson, tennessee on february 6th, a joint armynavy operation under brigadier general ulysses s. The events of february, 1862 at forts henry and donelson have long been overshadowed by other civil war events. An analysis of the fort henry fort donelson campaign. Winter of 186162 the union army was still sitting at cairo il and paducah kentucky while confederate forces had invaded kentucky and were holding a line with leonidas polk at cairo, as johnston at bowling green and a force of 16000 under floyd an. The key to the confederate heartland has 1 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. Louis, carondelet, louisville, and pittsburg, with the tyler and conestoga, and after a sever fight of an hour and a half, being in the latter part of the action less than 400 yards from the fort, the wheel of. More recently 1987, frank cooling, in a study of the fall of the two forts, wrote of the expedition that broke open the west. The importance of the new madrid bend rose dramatically when fort henry and then fort donelson fell to union forces in early february 1862. The union army scored its first major victories at forts henry and donelson in 1862. The battle of fort donelson was the first major union victory in the civil war and a major victory for ulysses s. The battle of shiloh was one of the first battles in the western theater of the american civil war. Three days of subsequent land fighting, plus successful defeat of footes flotilla in a pivotal battle with the forts water batteries on valentines day, gave the confederates the upper hand for much of the time.
These positions were important for regulating access to the mississippi river from the east. This surprised many people on both sides as some thought the ironclads were. Mindful of the threat, the confederates built fort henry and fort donelson to choke off traffic up the tennessee and cumberland rivers, respectively. The 1862 battles for forts henry and donelson modern war. What fort henry and fort donelson needed was firm leadership and unity of control over the defensive preparations. Fort henry plan your visit main season opening date.
The forts of henry and donelson in tennessee were captured by union forced in february 1862 under general ulysses s. Historians usually cite forts henry and donelson as victories for the northern cause, but scholars fail to show the significance of these gains. Civil war maps, available online library of congress. General albert sydney johnston delegated the task of preparing defenses along the tennessee and cumberland to brigadier general lloyd tilghman, who assumed command of both forts on november 17th. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862 has 2 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace.
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