Fort TDonelson NATIONAL MILITARY PARK

TENNESSEE The Fall of Fort Donelson the Confederate commanders, fearing that they were being trapped behind Fort T)onelson Grant marched his army with difficulty their own fortifications, determined to across the watershed between the Ten­ cut their way out and escape to Nashville. NATIONAL MILITARY PARK nessee and the Cumberland, and, on Feb­ Early on the morning of February 15 they ruary 12, arrived before Fort Donelson attacked the Federal right flank and drove with 15,000 men. This force was later in­ it back from the river in confusion. UNITED STATES creased to about 27,000. The Confed­ Before noon the road was completely DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR erates holding the fort now numbered opened to a Confederate retreat. It has NATIONAL PARK SERVICE about 21,000 men commanded by Gen. been said that this moment was the crisis John B. Floyd, with Gen. Gideon J. of the battle, perhaps the crisis of Con­ federate fortunes. Two courses of action Important in the western campaigns of the Civil War, the fall of Fort Donelson, Entrance to Fort Donelson. Pillow and Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner in.February 1862, also gave Grant the famous title of "Unconditional Surrender." as his chief subordinates. While await­ were now possible. A good leader might Green, and delivering western Tennessee The Confederate authorities at first ing the arrival of the gunboats which had have saved the army by immediate re­ and all of Kentucky into Federal hands. sought to rest their line of defense on the to steam around from the Tennessee, treat, or he might have taken advantage FORT DONELSON NATIONAL MILITARY of the break in the Federal line to throw The Campaign Plan The battle marked the beginning of a Ohio River, although they did not have Grant invested the place on the west and PARK was the scene of one of the early his entire force into the fight and boldly campaign which, after 17 months of sufficient troops to hold Kentucky. But, south. On February 13 a Federal brigade decisive battles of the Civil War. A vic­ In his campaign against Fort Donel­ bloody fighting, resulted in the complete attacked the batteries near the center of try to win a victory. Floyd did neither. In in September 1861, Grant, then a briga­ this moment, which required swift and tory for the Union forces under the com­ son, General Grant, for the first time in control of all strategic points in the Mis­ the line and was repulsed with heavy dier general, frustrated this design by fearless action, he failed as a leader. In mand of Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the the war, made successful use of a river for sissippi Valley, thus splitting the Con­ losses. The next day Commodore Foote seizing Paducah and Cairo. In conse­ indecision, he permitted Pillow to order surrender of Forr Donelson and some large-scale operations. His attack, bril­ federacy. arrived with the gunboat flotilla and at­ quence, the Confederate commander in the whole victorious left wing to return 12,000 to 15,000 Confederate officers and liantly conceived and unfalteringly exe­ It was inevitable that the valley of the tacked the Confederate water batteries Kentucky, Albert Sidney Johnston, estab­ to the trenches to cover a Federal move­ men first directed wide public attention cuted upon this strong defensive posi­ great river which divided the continent from the river. After a fight of 2 hours, lished his left flank at Columbus, on ment directed against another part of the to Grant as a military leader of high cali­ tion, resulted in the most important vic­ in which every Federal vessel was more should become the chief arena of con­ the Mississippi below Cairo, and thence line. ber. Also, after almost a year of war in tory yet achieved by the North. It opened or less seriously damaged, Foote, him­ flict in the West. To open the Mississippi carried his front eastward through Forts which the forces of the Confederacy had an avenue into the very heart of the Con­ and separate the States of the Confed­ self wounded, was obliged to suspend his That night, a final council of war, held Henry and Donelson to Bowling Green been uniformly successful, this triumph federacy by way of the Tennessee and eracy lying west of it from those lying to attack and retire. within the Confederate camp, resulted in and Cumberland Gap. did much to raise the flagging spirits of Cumberland Rivers, forcing the immedi­ the east became the chief aim of all the Grant, much disappointed, concluded a decision to surrender. Floyd, who had Late in January 1862, Grant conceived supporters of the Union cause. ate evacuation of Columbus and Bowling Federal armies beyond the Alleghenies. that he would have to resort to a siege, been Secretary of War of the United the idea of breaking the 11-mile Confed­ For more than 2 years after the begin­ though ill-prepared to do so. Meanwhile, States and was at this time under indict- The Moat at Fort Donelson. ning of the war every other objective in erate line between Forts Henry and Don­ elson. Upon receiving permission from this vast theater of operations was sub­ Dover Hotel in Dover, Teun., in which Buckner surrendered to Grant. ordinated to this one purpose. The first General Halleck, his department com­ effective step toward its accomplishment mander, to make the attempt, he moved was taken when Grant forced the Con­ up the Tennessee River to Fort Henry federates from all their strong positions with 17,000 men on transports escorted on the Kentucky side of the Mississippi by 7 gunboats. He could not have made by his successful flank movement up the this movement along the country roads, Tennessee and the Cumberland —one of for they were utterly impassable at the most far-sighted strategical maneu­ that season. The garrison of Fort Henry, vers executed during the war. Carried less than 3,000, wisely withdrew before through at the cost of thousands of lives being surrounded by Grant and re­ and millions of dollars in property, the treated to Fort Donelson, leaving a small cleavage begun at Forts Henry and artillery detachment which, after a gal­ Donelson in February 1862 was com­ lant fight with the gunboats, surrendered pleted at Vicksburg in July 1863. on February 6. merit in Washington, declared that, per­ which is at the junction of State Routes 49 sonally, he did not dare surrender. For and 76, about 87 miles from Nashville. political reasons, Pillow also did not care While you are here, you can visit to fall into Federal hands. In turn, these the well preserved fort, earthworks, rifle two generals relinquished their com­ pits, and water batteries. Markers and mands and made good their escape in tablets trace the course of the conflict. Fort T) one Is on boats up the Cumberland. Floyd took Near the earthworks on the west is a with him the Virginia troops of his own monument to the Confederate soldiers brigade. One other commander also made erected by the Tennessee Division, NATIONAL MILITARY PARK his escape but he took his whole com­ United Daughters of the Confederacy. mand with him. That was Col. Nathan Groups may receive special service if Bedford Forrest, destined to win world advance arrangements are made with the fame as a daring leader of cavalry. He superintendent. You may obtain further marched his regiment out by way of the information at the headquarters building muddy river road, fording a creek up to located in the National Cemetery. his saddle skirts. There were some infan­ trymen, also, bold enough to accompany A dministration him. Not a man was lost. Perhaps the Fort Donelson National Military Park, entire garrison might have been saved, established by act of Congress on March but at dawn on February 16, Buckner, to 26, 1928, comprises 600 acres. whom the command had passed, re­ The National Cemetery contains quested a truce. It was in response to this 15.34 acres and was established in 1867. request that Grant sent his famous ulti­ At that time, 670 Federal dead, 512 of matum, demanding "Unconditional and them unknown, were taken from their immediate surrender." Buckner accepted original graves on the battlefield and the harsh terms and delivered to Grant reburied here. The headstones outline between 12,000 and 15,000 officers and the heart-shaped burial plan. men as prisoners of war. The Federal The park and cemetery are admin­ losses were about 5,000 killed and istered by the National Park Service, wounded, and 450 missing. U.S. Department of the Interior. A The capture of Fort Donelson was superintendent, whose address is Dover, Grant's first major victory in the Civil Tenn., is in immediate charge. War, and it raised greatly his prestige as a military leader. By the strengthening Mission 66 effect this victory had on the morale of Mission 66 is a program designed to be the North and by the strategic advantage completed by 1966 which will assure the it gained, it rightly has been called one maximum protection of the scenic, scien­ of the turning points in the war. tific, wilderness, and historic resources of the National Park System in such ways About Your Visit and by such means as will make them Fort Donelson National Military Park available for the use and enjoyment of and Cemetery are near the town of Dover, present and future generations.

The National Park System, of which this area is a unit, is dedicated to conserving the scenic, scientific, and historic heritage of the United States for the benefit and inspiration of its people. REVISED 1962 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1962 OF —634042 TENNESSEE