Battle of fort donelson civil war map battle fort donelson. Historical map of fort henry and fort donelson the relative positions of fort henry and fort donelson. The battle of fort donelson took place shortly after the battle of fort henry, tennessee, february 6, 1862, in which grant and foote captured the fort and opened the tennessee river for future union movements. The confederate plan was for pillow to push mcclernand away and take control. The battle of fort donelson was fought from february 12 to february 16, 1862, in the western theater of the american civil war. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862. The battle of fort donelson, tennessee taken from the confederate military history general grant invested fort donelson on the 12th of february, 1862, with 15,000 troops, reinforced that evening by six regiments of infantry and flagofficer footes fleet of four ironclad and two wooden gunboatsthe st. 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 confederate stronghold had seen nothing that could compare with the duality of both mother earth and the union army as both came clashing down on the base. Feb 17, 2016 another rebel fort on the ohio also fell with little fanfare. Fort donelson was a much stronger work than fort henry. They also demonstrated how effective properly executed joint operations could be during the civil war and served to catapult an obscure, but eminently able general named ulysses s. Christopher coleman battle of shiloh, civil war ghosts, civil war leaders, fort donelson, fort henry, forts donelson and henry, ghosts and haunts of the civil war, the american civil war, ulysses s. Forts henry and heiman were garrisoned with only 2,500 men. The battle of fort henry on february 6, 1862, was the first significant union victory. The troops serving under grant were the nucleus of the unions successful. The battle of fort henry was fought on february 6, 1862, in donelson middle tennessee, during the american civil war. 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 first modern naval war february 20, 2014 duration. The voynich code the worlds most mysterious manuscript the secrets of nature duration. They opened tennessee for union advances up the tennessee and cumberland. General grant looking over the battlefield at fort donelson by paul phillipateaux. An analysis of the fort henry fort donelson campaign, february 1862 by kendall d. This book presents one of the most detailed descriptions of the fort henry and fort donelson campaign. Following his victory at fort henry on the tennessee river, grant marched his troops to fort donelson.
It was a risky move, since grant had fewer troops than the force holed up at donelson. The confederate river batteries fort donelson national. The volume describes the preparation, logistics, and the execution of the campaign. Grants operations against fort donelson lasted from february 11 to february 16, 1862. The capture of the fort by union forces opened the cumberland river as an avenue of invasion of the south and elevated brig. The capture of forts henry and donelson buffalo gap.
This film took 2,033 pictures and took 4 days to make. The heavy guns of the union river gunboat fleet had essentially pounded fort henry into surrendering, and grant hoped the same scenario would play out at fort donelson. Subsequent victories at shiloh, vicksburg, and chattanooga would lead to his appointment as lieutenant general and commander of all. The battle of fort henry, fought on february 6, 1862 on the kentuckytennessee border, was the first major victory for the union and ulysses s. Robert underwood johnson, clarence clough buell, battles and leaders of the civil war. 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.
The fort looks over the cumberland river guarding it from enemy advancement. Pushing south into tennessee with assistance from flag officer andrew footes gunboats, union troops under brigadier general ulysses s. After the confederate army invaded kentucky in early september 1861, a long but thin line, stretching across southern kentucky from the mississippi river to cumberland gap, protected tennessee from certain federal invasion. An analysis of the fort henry fort donelson campaign. All three of the actions began in the morning and continued into the afternoon, set against a back drop of continuous and crackling sharpshooter fire and. The forts of henry and donelson in tennessee were captured by union forced in february 1862 under general ulysses s. The fall of these forts opened the door to the deep south and the end of the confederacy. The union army laid siege to fort donelson even though when grant initially arrived at the fort his forces were actually outnumbered by the confederates. Two sharp infantry attacks and a naval bombardment marked the first days battle at fort donelson. This map of fort donelson and its environs was done by lt. Cannon fire to echo over battlefield, along with various features to tell story of battle of fort donelson 155 years ago cannons fire during a past reenactment of the battle of fort donelson. The next day, a union gunboat opened fire on the fort but did minimal damage to the structure. Battle of fort henry american civil war britannica.
The battle of fort donelson was fought from february 1116, 1862, in the western theater of. The force at fort henry was necessary to aid fort donelson either in making a successful defense or in holding it long enough to answer the purposes of a new disposition of the entire army from bow ling green to columbus, which would necessarily follow the breaking of our center, resting on forts donelson and henry. Among the most precious documents from the american civil war is the official records of the war of rebellion. Louis, carondelet, louisville, pittsburg, tyler and conestoga. Grant, it secured the norths hold on kentucky and paved the. Fort henryfort donelson campaign essential civil war curriculum. Grant, a native ohioan, led a union force that captured fort donelson from the confederacy. General tilghman found himself in an ominous situation. Grant advanced crosscountry to invest fort donelson.
Jan 20, 2020 the battle of fort donelson cost grant 507 killed, 1,976 wounded, and 208 capturedmissing. It contains 346 pages, of which 280 are text, with the rest dedicated to two appendices, notes, bibliography, and index. On february 4 and 5, grant landed two divisions just north of fort henry on the tennessee river. Fort donelson confederate order of battle wikipedia. This was seen as a test of confederate strength and defenses but not a pitched battle. An analysis of the fort henry fort donelson campaign, february 1862, stackpole books, 2003, isbn 0811700496. No terms but unconditional surrender, the history press, 2011isbn 9781609491291.
Its about the battles of fort henry and fort donelson. Apr 25, 2017 the battle of fort donelson was fought from the 11th to the 16th of february, 1862 in the western theatre of the american civil war. Fort henry lay on the east bank of the tennessee, and twelve miles away was fort donelson on the west bank of the cumberland. Bushrod rust johnson october 7, 1817 september 12, 1880 was a confederate general in the american civil war and an officer in the united states army. Fort donelson, on the cumberland river, and fort henry, on the tennessee river, guarded the positions where those rivers bisected confederate lines. Battle of fort henry and the movements to fort donelson on february 4 and 5, grant landed his divisions in two different locations.
Grant at fort donelson it was not possible for brave men to endure more. General grant had 25 regiments and seven batteries. On february 6, 1862, grant and flag officer foote captured fort henry. The battle of fort donelson, which began on february 12, took place shortly after the surrender of fort henry, tennessee, on february 6, 1862.
He knew fort henry was untenable but was determined to make a stand against the gunboats. The battle of fort donelson was fought from february 11 to february 16, 1862, in the western theater of the american civil war. 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. Grant and his army captured during an offensive to control the mississippi river, from u. Hand in hand with the new brown water navy, on february 4 and february 5, grant landed two divisions just north of fort henry on the tennessee river. Gotts book is a slightly revisionist view of the henry donelson campaign and was a very good read. Gotts book is a slightly revisionist view of the henrydonelson campaign and was a very good read. The official records provide tremendous documentation and are essential reading. As a university professor he had been active in the state militias of kentucky and tennessee and on the outbreak of hostilities he sided with the south, despite having been born in the north in a family of abolitionist quakers. Footes fleet suffered 32 casualties, while battle damage to the. Exploring fort donelson in civil war books and games tocwoc. He was wounded during the exchange of artillery on february 14, 1862. After capturing fort henry on the tennessee river on february 6th of that year, grant moved on fort donelson, located on the cumberland river about 12 miles from fort henry.
It was much larger, with a stronger garrison, about 100 feet above the river, and on a ridge which narrowed routes for infantry attack. Nine views of fort donelson during the civil war, when it was garrisoned by the confederacy and captured by union general ulysses s. The confederates won almost every major battle, but this started to change at the battle of fort donelson. 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. No attempt would be made to push mcclernand and smith from their camps into the river. Johnston and pierre beauregard had struck first and almost pushed the union army back out of tennessee altogether. From frontier retreat on the upper ohio, 17791781, edited by louise phelps kellogg madison. It was the first important victory for the union and brig. Flag officer andrew hull foote was in charge of the naval fleet at fort donelson. Along with fort donelson on the cumberland river, fort henry bisected southern lines and. Battle of fort donelson in february 1862, general ulysses s. After capturing fort henry on the tennessee river on february 6, 1862, brig. Fort donelson, a confederate fort, rose about 100 feet on dry ground above the cumberland river, which allowed for plunging fire against attacking gunboats. This is a history of the tennessee river campaign, in the unions western theater of operation, and the battle of fort donelson, february 16, 1862, the unions first major victory in the civil war.
Battle of of fort henry and fort donelson key victory for union general ulysses s. Ap us history key terms chapter 21 flashcards quizlet. The advancements and uproar began when tennessee pulled out of the union. The battle of fort donelson february 1116, 1862 was one of the unions first major victories in the american civil war 186165. Smiths book is by far the deepest and best operational and tactical treatment of the campaign and its battles. Fort henry and fort donelsonmy civil war project youtube.
The sites, especially in the case of fort henry, were not too well chosen, and in both cases the fortifications were too large for defence by a small garrison, and rather resembled entrenched camps. About 2,500 of fort henry s confederate defenders escaped. Joining park staff will be historian and author kendall gott, author of where the south lost the war. Command combat battle reports the battle of fort donelson. 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 guarded rich mineral. Located in tennessee, fort donelson guarded the cumberland river. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862 by kendall d. 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. Grant in the western theater on february 4 and 5, grant landed two divisions just north of fort henry on the tennessee river.
The waters of the tennessee river were lapping at the sides of the earthen fort, fort henry, in the winter of 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. Grant, it secured the norths hold on kentucky and paved the way for grants attacks deeper into tennessee. All in all, the losses of fort henry and fort donelson were disastrous for the confederates, and worsened the state of their logistical and tactical positions in the western theater for the remainder of the war. The capture of forts henry and donelson were major victories for grant. Tilghman, once his scouts announced the presence of the enemys soldiers and gunboats, sent most of the garrison over land to fort donelson. He had a total of 15,000 troops when he arrived at fort donelson, by the end of the battle this number had grown to 27,000. Jul 03, 2014 the forts of henry and donelson in tennessee were captured by union forced in february 1862 under general ulysses s. 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. Early in the war, the union realized control of the major rivers would be the key to success in the western theater. Fort donelson national battlefield offers events to. Louis, hung in the balance between slaveholding and non slaveholding. After fort henry fell to union forces on february 6, 1862, fort donelson stood as a lone sentry protecting important southern agricultural lands and the city of nashville, the capital of tennessee and a munitions centre.
Grant from an obscure and largely unproven leader to the rank of major general, earning him the nickname unconditional. An analysis of the fort henry fort donelson campaign, february 1862 the american civil war hardcover. Kendall gott talked about the civil war battle of fort donelson. Gideon johnson pillow june 8, 1806 october 8, 1878 was an american lawyer, politician, speculator, slaveowner, united states army major general of volunteers during the mexicanamerican war and confederate brigadier general in the american civil war before his military career, pillow practiced law and was active in democratic party politics. Grant landed his troops at fort henry and then, instead of waiting on the methodical but slow halleck, marched his small force overland to fort donelson, which protected the cumberland river. Exploring fort donelson in civil war books and games. Fort donelson, tennessee, was built on top of a hill near dover, tennessee, and just to the east of fort henry and fort heiman. There were three miles 5 km of trenches in a semicircle around the fort and the small town of dover.
Grant captured fort henry in tennessee and marched towards fort donelson, a confederate post on the tennesseekentucky border that could open up. Battle of fort donelson american civil war britannica. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862, stackpole books, 2003, isbn 0811700496. Five books on the battle of fort donelson civil war. The twin victories at forts henry and donelson were the first major union successes of the war and opened tennessee to union invasion. The news of the union buildup close to fort henry was reported to confederate general lloyd tilghman, commander of forts heiman, henry, and donelson. I shall take and destroy fort donelson on the 8th and return to fort henry. Grant advanced 12 miles crosscountry to invest fort donelson on the. Fort henry and fort donelson, battle of 1862 key victory for union general ulysses s. The fort was named after confederate general daniel s. In an effort to gain control of rivers and supply lines west of the. The battle of fort donelson official records and battle. Confederate losses were much higher due to the surrender and numbered 327 killed, 1,127 wounded, and 12,392 captured. In his official report from the battle, foote described the united states navy not prepared.
The battle of fort henry on february 6, 1862, was the first significant union victory of the american civil war 186165. The battle of fort donelson is a story of geography as much as it is one of military blunder and cowardice. Forts heiman, henry, and donelson american battlefield trust. After capturing fort henry on february 6, 1862, brig. The events of february, 1862 at forts henry and donelson have long been overshadowed by other civil war events. The 1862 battles for forts henry and donelson modern war studies.
Battle of fort henry and fort donelson february 1862 key victory for union general ulysses s. This is a video i made for my social studies class. Aug, 2015 flag officer andrew hull foote was in charge of the naval fleet at fort donelson. A week after capturing fort henry on the tennessee river. Fort henry, situated on the tennessee river, was a linchpin in confederate general albert sidney johnstons defense lines. The battle of fort donelson was an early battle in the american civil war 18611865. About 2,500 of the confederate defenders at fort henry escaped before the surrender, marching the 12 miles 19 km east to fort donelson. Victories at fort henry and donelson in february 1862 were the first major steps on the norths long, hard road to victory in the western theater.
Fort henry, at wheeling, was built at the expense of the english government, by the order of the earl of dunmore, while on his campaign against the indians in the summer of 1774, who. 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. The fort had 12 heavy guns about 100 feet above the cumberland river, and 3 miles of trenches in a semicircle around the fort, which was more of a. 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. About 2,500 of fort henry s confederate defenders escaped before its surrender. Grants name noterity in the north and paved the way for the rest of his civil war career.
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