Fort henry and donelson a push book

Confederate cullum cumberland defense dispatches dover enemy february federal fight fire flotilla floyd foote footes force forrest fort donelson fort henry forts henry gideon pillow gilmer grant gunboats guns halleck harris headquarters heiman henry donelson. No attempt would be made to push mcclernand and smith from their camps into the river. Timothy makes the argument, which i agree with, that henry was of more strategic value than donelson. Jan 20, 2020 the battle of fort donelson cost grant 507 killed, 1,976 wounded, and 208 capturedmissing. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. If taken, it opened up the tennessee river as a route of invasion of the deep south. Rather than focusing solely on military events, however, engle provides a large amount of coverage to social and political. Fort henry custom knives custom knives online store. 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. Grant in the western theater on february 4 and 5, grant landed two divisions just north of fort henry on the tennessee river. Johnston and pierre beauregard had struck first and almost pushed the union army back out of tennessee altogether. Nine illustrations of the fort henry battle, the first important victory for the union and brig. Forts henry and heiman were garrisoned with only 2,500 men.

War and society in kentucky and tennessee, 18621863 by benjamin franklin cooling and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Visiting fort henry fort henry shiloh discussion group. The general service schools, fort leavenworth, kansas, 1923 conrad hammond lanza. Five books on the battle of fort donelson civil war books. The army commander also instructed commander henry walke and the carondelet to make a diversionary bombardment of the fort to enable the land forces to complete their encirclement. Fort heiman, which sat on the west bank, had been abandoned by the confederates and was easily taken. The twin rivers campaign, as the union campaign against fort henry, fort heiman, and fort donelson is also known, possibly was the most important weeks of the civil war. Forts donelson and henry were the twin confederate bastions which guarded the tennessee and cumberland rivers on the border. The fort looks over the cumberland river guarding it from enemy advancement. Forts henry and donelson the key to the confederate heartland. Fort donelson, tennessee, was built on top of a hill near dover, tennessee, and just to the east of fort henry and fort heiman. The fall of these forts opened the door to the deep south and the end of the confederacy. Battle of fort henry and the movements to fort donelson on february 4 and 5, grant landed his divisions in two different locations.

This surprised many people on both sides as some thought the ironclads were unbeatable. 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. See more ideas about american civil war, war and history. The maps in this book, while not the best, are well above average. Peter maslowski university of nebraska at lincoln forts henry and donelson. Nov 30, 2012 haunting pictures of the civil wars most bloody battle.

The battles for fort henry and donelson by timothy b. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862 stackpole books, 2003. Joining park staff will be historian and author kendall gott, author of where the south lost the war. Known by both union and confederate forces as battle of fort donelson. 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.

How was the importance of fort henry overlooked by a. In the west, as well as east, the confederates held that vital upperhand in warfarethe momentum. Early in the war, union commanders realized control of the major rivers would be the key to success in the western theater. In spite of familiarity with the roads and creek crossings in the vicinity, where he might have ambushed the blue coats as they floundered through knee deep mud en route to the fort, tilghman decided to concentrate on the river battle. 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. 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. The importance of the unions capture of forts henry and donelson cannot be over estimated. Jul 20, 2011 the book details the futile and brief defense of the poorly designed fort henry. Grant accepted the surrender of fort donelson on the cumberland river in tennessee. In both ghosts and haunts of the civil war and strange tales of the dark and bloody ground, i chronicled several different hauntings related to the battle of shiloh. I have recently finished the book grant invades tennessee. Grant advanced 12 miles crosscountry to invest fort donelson on the cumberland river. The fort henry trails system offers some of the most scenic forest settings in land between the lakes lbl.

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. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862, stackpole books, 2003, isbn 0811700496. The volume describes the preparation, logistics, and the execution of the. On february 6th 1862, union soldiers under general grant attacked fort henry on the tennessee river.

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. Found also in the house miscellaneous documents of the 52d to the 56th congress. Grant and the politics of war and reconstruction, 18611868 evaluates grants leadership by analyzing his. Exploring fort donelson in civil war books and games tocwoc. Turning eastward, grant marched an advanced force towards fort donelson on the cumberland river.

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. No terms except a complete and unconditional surrender can be. After capturing fort henry on the tennessee river on february 6, 1862, brig. Most of the confederate soldiers escaped to nearby fort donelson, but fort henry was delivered into union hands. 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. These northern victories set up the 1864 atlanta campaign that cut the confederacy in two. 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. Confederate losses were much higher due to the surrender and numbered 327 killed, 1,127 wounded, and 12,392 captured. The main unit of the park, in dover, tennessee, commemorates the battle of fort donelson. Before fort henrys surrender, the confederates had withdrawn troops to fort donelson, which became grants next objective. Our book recommendation for this episode is struggle for the heartland. On the other hand, i couldnt gin up more than two stars for the book s misspellings, typographical errors, amateurish. View maple, ash, and sweetgum bottoms, mature oakhickory uplands, as well as native shortleaf pine stands. Grant was not able to do so, but bearss argues that few could.

Smith, author of earlier works on shiloh and corinth, makes some conclusions that are both obvious and yet long overlooked about. Confederate forces were soon forced to give up claim to kentucky and major portions of western and central tennessee. 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. The troops serving under grant were the nucleus of the unions. The forts henry and donelson or twin rivers campaign of 1862 was one of the decisive campaigns in the american civil war. That victory, combined with grants success in reducing fort henry on the tennessee river a week earlier, brought the generals name into the national headlines and more importantly opened the state of tennessee and the rebel.

Shows the forts, roads, outwork fortifications in the vicinity of the forts, fortifications in the vicinity of the town of dover, outlying buildings, and streams. One would think the henrydonelson campaign was welltrod ground, but prof. O n february 25, 1862, the city of nashville fell to the union army of the ohio in the aftermath of grants famous victory at forts donelson and henry, the importance of this event has tended to be overlooked by history and of course, historians, but the significance of the capture of the confederate capitol cannot be underestimated. It began the concept of unconditional surrender as one. Fort henry trails are for hiking only, and offer some of the best opportunities for viewing a variety of hardwood and pine forests, deer and turkeys, and enjoying the solitude.

Sketch showing the relative positions of fort henry and. Battle of fort donelson 11 feb 186216 feb 1862 a u. The campaigns from fort henry to corinth by stephen d. Oct 23, 20 on february 6th 1862, union soldiers under general grant attacked fort henry on the tennessee river. 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. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862 by kendall d. Forts heiman, henry, and donelson american battlefield trust.

Maps numbered 1 to 147 are filed as part of the series of. The battle of fort donelson february 1116, 1862 was one of the unions first major victories in the american civil war 186165. The first thing he did on reaching the vicinity of donelson was to throw some five hundred men, under col. The union army of the tennessee, commanded by major general ulysses s. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862 the american civil war hardcover. Over thirty years old now yikes, coolings book has stood the test of time and is the classic standby when it comes to viewing the campaign through the widest lens. Fort henryfort donelson campaign essential civil war. The fort quickly surrendered after a bombardment from union ships. Five books on the battle of fort donelson civil war. On february 6, 1862, grant and flag officer foote captured fort henry.

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. Frank and virginia williams collection of lincolniana mississippi state university. The battle was fought at fort donelson in stewart county, tennessee. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862 four stars for being a comprehensive account of the civil war campaign against forts henry and donelson. More recently 1987, frank cooling, in a study of the fall of the two forts, wrote of the expedition that broke open the west. Preliminary plans have been approved to construct a new multipleuse trail system in. By february, grant had surrounded the fort with about 25,000 men and had conducted.

Fort donelson was a much stronger work than fort henry. This was my first time visiting the area, and i certainly hope it wont be my last. Fort henry and fort donelson campaigns, february, 1862. Fort donelson confederate order of battle wikipedia. This book presents one of the most detailed descriptions of the fort henry and fort donelson campaign. 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. Grant, it secured the norths hold on kentucky and paved the way for grants attacks deeper into tennessee. Forts henry and donelsonthe key to the confederate. Battle of fort donelson civil war map battle fort donelson.

The way to fort donelson and dover lay over steep hills and deep ravines. Gotts book is a slightly revisionist view of the henrydonelson campaign and was a very good read. Walke drew heavy fire from hayness water battery gunners without accomplishing much, but as the soldiers slang of the day would have it, the ball was opened. Fort henry, tennessee and cumberland, fort donelson.

Continue reading fort henry and donelson campaign february 1862 author andrea scibona posted on january 15, 2019 january 16, 2019 categories campaigns and battles tags american civil war, battle of fort donelson, battle of fort henry, fort henry donelson campaign, western theater leave a comment on fort henry and donelson campaign. If youve heard folks talk about how beautiful is the. Grant would continue his push southward until the fall of vicksburg a little over a year later. 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 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 battle of fort donelson, which began on february 12, took place shortly after the surrender of fort henry, tennessee, on february 6, 1862. What fort henry and fort donelson needed was firm leadership and unity of control over the defensive preparations. An analysis of the fort henry fort donelson campaign. The battle of fort henry was fought on february 6, 1862, in donelson middle tennessee, during the american civil war. It was the first important victory for the union and brig. Civil war lectures are free with museum admission, but reserving a seat is suggested as seating is limited. The fort was named after confederate general daniel s. On february 4 and 5, grant landed two divisions just north of fort henry on the tennessee river. Confederate cullum cumberland defense dispatches dover enemy february federal fight fire flotilla floyd foote footes force forrest fort donelson fort henry forts henry gideon pillow gilmer grant gunboats guns halleck harris headquarters heiman henrydonelson ibid.

This number refers to a numbering system used in the compilation of the atlas to accompany the official records of the union and confederate armies. It contains 346 pages, of which 280 are text, with the rest dedicated to two appendices, notes, bibliography, and index. One could easily argue that the first step to capturing the mississippi was placed at fort henry and fort donelson. Located in southwestern lbl, the system consists of nearly 30 miles of trail through forest uplands and bottomlands. Ten days later, grant forced the unconditional surrender of fort donelson and its 15,000 confederate soldiers.

Grant usv, cullum 1187, and confederate forces under brigadier general john b. General tilghman found himself in an ominous situation. With the start of the civil war, kentucky declared neutrality and stated it would align against the first side to violate its territory. Fort heiman in nearby calloway county, kentucky, was a confederate battery in the battle of fort henry. The battle of fort donelson is a story of geography as much as it is one of military blunder and cowardice. By february, grant had surrounded the fort with about 25,000 men and. More troops landing, with about 20,000 men in the fort and the woods around it. It demonstrates the willingness of general ulysses grant, unlike many of his general officer brethren in the union army at that time, to take action with his immediate move against fort donelson, even though he was not sure of what awaited him. Fort donelson national battlefield offers events to. Civil war battle fought between union forces under brigadier general ulysses s.

But an air of gaiety pervaded the march as it seemed like a picture book war in dixie. The events of february, 1862 at forts henry and donelson have long been overshadowed by other civil war events. He knew fort henry was untenable but was determined to make a stand against the gunboats. Exploring fort donelson in civil war books and games. Henrydonelson campaign timeline february 6th 16th, 1862. The advancements and uproar began when tennessee pulled out of the union. A combined naval and land action then resulted in the fall of fort henry. The battle of fort henry took place february 6, 1862, during the american civil war 18611865 and was one of the first actions of brigadier general ulysses s.

The day after the fort donelson hike with historian tim smith, a few of us ventured out to the site of fort henry along the tennessee river now kentucky lake. It was much larger, with a stronger garrison, about 100 feet above the river, and on a ridge which narrowed routes for infantry attack. They cover the fighting at the fort in very good detail, and are plentiful enough considering that, compared to other battles, relatively little fighting actually took place at fort donelson. Why were forts henry and donelson important to the us. A week after capturing fort henry on the tennessee river.

In which we look at the opening stages of the battle of fort donelson february 16, 1862. No terms but unconditional surrender, the history press, 2011isbn 9781609491291. Mcclernand and smith set out with their commands, leaving wallace and 2,500 men to guard the fort henry base. 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. Battle of of fort henry and fort donelson key victory for union general ulysses s. Woodward, on the fort henry road, between donelson and henry, to prevent reinforcements.