Battle of

The was fought from Febru- Union forces.[6] ary 11 to 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the With the surrender of Fort Henry, the Confederates faced . The Union capture of the Confed- some difficult choices. ’s army now divided Con- erate fort near the – border opened federate Gen. 's two main forces: the , an important avenue for the in- P.G.T. Beauregard at Columbus, Kentucky, with 12,000 vasion of the South. The Union’s success also elevated men, and William J. Hardee at Bowling Green, Kentucky, Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant from an obscure and largely with 22,000 men. Fort Donelson had only about 5,000 unproven leader to the rank of major general, and earned men. Union forces might attack Columbus; they might him the nickname of “” Grant. attack Fort Donelson and thereby threaten Nashville, Ten- The battle followed the Union capture of Fort Henry nessee; or Grant and Maj. Gen. , on February 6. Grant moved his army 12 miles (19 who was quartered in Louisville with 45,000 men, might km) overland to Fort Donelson on February 12 and 13 attack Johnston head-on, with Grant following behind and conducted several small probing attacks. (Although Buell. Johnston was apprehensive about the ease with the name was not yet in use, the troops serving under which Union defeated Fort Henry (not com- Grant were the nucleus of the Union’s Army of the Ten- prehending that the rising waters of the nessee.[4]) On February 14, Union gunboats under Flag played a crucial role by inundating the fort). He was more Officer Andrew H. Foote attempted to reduce the fort concerned about the threat from Buell than he was from with gunfire, but were forced to withdraw after sustain- Grant, and suspected the river operations might simply be ing heavy damage from Fort Donelson’s water batteries. a diversion.[6] On , with the fort surrounded, the Johnston decided upon a course of action that forfeited Confederates, commanded by Brig. Gen. John B. the initiative across most of his defensive line, tacitly ad- Floyd, launched a surprise attack against Grant’s army mitting that the Confederate defensive strategy for Ten- in an attempt to open an escape route to Nashville, nessee was a sham. On February 7, at a council of Tennessee. Grant, who was away from the battlefield war held in the Covington Hotel at Bowling Green, he at the start of the attack, arrived to rally his men and decided to abandon western Kentucky by withdrawing counterattack. Despite achieving partial success and Beauregard from Columbus, evacuating Bowling Green, opening the way for a retreat, Floyd lost his nerve and moving his forces south of the Cumberland River at and ordered his men back to the fort. The following Nashville. Despite his misgivings about its defensibility, morning, Floyd and his second-in-command, Brig. Gen. Johnston agreed to Beauregard’s advice that he should re- Gideon J. Pillow, relinquished command to Brig. Gen. inforce Fort Donelson with another 12,000 men, know- (later Governor of Kentucky), ing that a defeat there would mean the inevitable loss of who agreed to accept Grant’s terms of unconditional and the vital manufacturing and arse- surrender. nal city of Nashville.[7] Johnston wanted to give command of Fort Donelson to Beauregard, who had performed ably at Bull Run, but the 1 Background latter declined because of a throat ailment. Instead, the responsibility went to Brig. Gen. John B. Floyd, who had The battle of Fort Donelson, which began on February 12, just arrived following an unsuccessful assignment under took place shortly after the surrender of Fort Henry, Ten- Robert E. Lee in western . Floyd was a wanted nessee, on February 6, 1862. Fort Henry had been a key man in the North for alleged graft and secessionist activi- position in the center of a line defending Tennessee, and ties when he was Secretary of War in the the capture of the fort now opened the Tennessee River administration. Floyd’s background was political, not to Union troop and supply movements. About 2,500 of military, but he was nevertheless the senior brigadier gen- [8] Fort Henry’s Confederate defenders escaped before its eral on the Cumberland River. surrender by marching the 12 miles (19 km) east to Fort On the Union side, Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck, Grant’s Donelson.[5] In the days following the surrender at Fort superior as commander of the Department of the Mis- Henry, Union troops cut the railroad lines south of the souri, was also apprehensive. Halleck had authorized fort, restricting the Confederates’ lateral mobility to move Grant to capture Fort Henry, but now he felt that con- reinforcements into the area to defend against the larger

1 2 2 OPPOSING FORCES

reinforcements arriving by steamship, including ’s brigade on loan from Buell.) Two regiments of cavalry and eight batteries of artillery supported the in- fantry divisions. Altogether, the Union forces numbered nearly 25,000 men, although at the start of the battle, only 15,000 were available.[13] The Western Flotilla under Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote consisted of four ironclad gunboats (flagship USS St. Louis, USS Carondelet, USS Louisville, and USS Battle of Fort Henry and the movements to Fort Donelson. Pittsburg) and three timberclad (wooden) gunboats (USS Confederate Conestoga, USS Tyler, and USS Lexington). USS Essex Union and USS had been damaged at Fort Henry and were being repaired.[14] tinuing to Fort Donelson was risky. Despite Grant’s suc- cess to date, Halleck had little confidence in him, con- 2.2 Confederate sidering Grant to be reckless. Halleck attempted to con- vince his own rival, Don Carlos Buell, to take command Further information: Confederate order of battle of the campaign to get his additional forces engaged. De- spite Johnston’s high regard for Buell, the Union general Floyd’s Confederate force of approximately 17,000 men was as passive as Grant was aggressive. Grant never sus- consisted of three divisions, garrison troops, and attached pected his superiors were considering relieving him, but cavalry. The three divisions were commanded by Floyd he was well aware that any delay or reversal might be an (replaced by Gabriel C. Wharton when Floyd opportunity for Halleck to lose his nerve and cancel the took command of the entire force) and Brig. Gens. operation.[9] and Simon Bolivar Buckner. During On February 6, Grant wired Halleck: “Fort Henry is ours. the battle, Johnson, the engineering officer who briefly ... I shall take and destroy Fort Donelson on the 8th commanded Fort Donelson in late January, was effec- and return to Fort Henry.”[10] This self-imposed dead- tively superseded by Brig. Gen. Gideon J. Pillow (Grant’s line was overly optimistic due to three factors: miserable opponent at his first battle at Belmont). Pillow, who ar- road conditions on the twelve-mile march to Donelson, rived at Fort Donelson on February 9, was displaced from the need for troops to carry supplies away from the rising overall command of the fort when the more-senior Floyd [15] flood waters (by February 8, Fort Henry was completely arrived. The garrison troops were commanded by Col. submerged),[11] and the damage that had been sustained John W. Head and the cavalry by Col. Nathan Bedford [16] by Foote’s Western Gunboat Flotilla in the artillery duel Forrest. at Fort Henry. If Grant had been able to move quickly, he Fort Donelson was named for Brig. Gen. Daniel S. might have taken Fort Donelson on February 8. Early in Donelson, who selected its site and began construction the morning of February 11, Grant held a council of war in 1861. It was considerably more formidable than in which all of his generals supported his plans for an at- Fort Henry. Fort Donelson rose about 100 feet (30 tack on Fort Donelson, with the exception of Brig. Gen. m) on approximately 100 acres of dry ground above John A. McClernand, who had some reservations. This the Cumberland River, which allowed for plunging fire council in early 1862 was the last one that Grant held for against attacking gunboats, an advantage Fort Henry did the remainder of the Civil War.[12] not enjoy.[17] The river batteries included twelve guns: ten 32-pounder smoothbore cannons, two 9-pounder smoothbore cannons, a 8-inch howitzer, a 6.5-inch rifle 2 Opposing forces (128-pounder), and a 10-inch . There were three miles (5 km) of trenches in a semicircle around the fort and the small town of Dover. The outer works were 2.1 Union bounded by Hickman Creek to the west, Lick Creek to the east, and the Cumberland River to the north. These Further information: Union order of battle trenches, located on a commanding ridge and fronted by a dense abatis of cut trees and limbs stuck into the ground Grant’s of the District of Cairo consisted of and pointing outward,[17] were backed up by artillery and three divisions, commanded by Brig. Gens. McClernand, manned by Buckner and his Bowling Green troops on the C.F. Smith, and . (At the start of the attack right (with his flank anchored on Hickman Creek), and on Fort Donelson, Wallace was a brigade commander in Johnson/Pillow on the left (with his flank near the Cum- reserve at Fort Henry, but was summoned on February 14 berland River). Facing the Confederates, from left to and charged with assembling a new that included right, were Smith, Lew Wallace (who arrived on February 3.1 Preliminary movements and attacks (February 12–13) 3

14), and McClernand. McClernand’s right flank, which 12 to argue these orders with General Floyd himself leav- faced Pillow, had insufficient men to reach overflowing ing Buckner in charge of the fort. After hearing sounds Lick Creek, so it was left unanchored. Through the cen- of artillery fire, Pillow returned to Fort Donelson to re- ter of the Confederate line ran the marshy Indian Creek, sume command. After the events of the day, Buckner this point defended primarily by artillery overlooking it remained at Fort Donelson to command the Confederate on each side.[18] right. With the arrival of Grant’s army, General Johnston ordered Floyd to take any troops remaining in Clarksville to aid in the defense of Fort Donelson.[21] 3 Battle On February 13, several small probing attacks were car- ried out against the Confederate defenses, essentially ig- 3.1 Preliminary movements and attacks noring orders from Grant that no general engagement be (February 12–13) provoked. On the Union left, C. F. Smith sent two of his four brigades (under Cols. Jacob Lauman and John Cook) to test the defenses along his front. The attack suffered light casualties and made no gains, but Smith was able to keep up a harassing fire throughout the night. On the right, McClernand also ordered an unauthorized attack. Two regiments of Col. William R. Morrison's brigade, along with one regiment, the 48th Illinois, from Col. W.H.L. Wallace's brigade, were ordered to seize a battery (“Redan Number 2”) that had been plaguing their position. Isham N. Haynie, colonel of the 48th Illinois, was senior in rank to Colonel Morrison. Although right- fully in command of two of the three regiments, Morri- son volunteered to turn over command once the attack was under way; however, when the attack began, Morri- son was wounded, eliminating any leadership ambiguity. Positions on the evening of February 14, 1862. For unknown reasons Haynie never fully took control and the attack was repulsed. Some wounded men caught be- On February 12, most of the Union troops departed Fort tween the lines burned to death in grass fires ignited by Henry, where they were waiting for the return of Union the artillery.[22] gunboats and the arrival of additional troops that would increase the Union forces to about 25,000 men.[15] The had Commander Henry Walke bring the Union forces proceeded about 5 miles (8 km) on the two Carondelet up the Cumberland River to create a diversion main roads leading between the two forts. They were de- by opening fire on the fort. The Confederates responded layed most of the day by a cavalry screen commanded with shots from their long-range guns and eventually hit by . Forrest’s troops, sent out by the gunboat. Walke retreated several miles below the fort, Buckner, spotted a detachment from McClernand’s divi- but soon returned and continued shelling the water bat- sion and opened fire against them. A brief skirmish en- teries. General McClernand, in the meantime, had been sued until orders from Buckner arrived to fall back within attempting to stretch his men toward the river but ran into the entrenchments. After this withdrawal of Forrest’s difficulties with a Confederate battery of guns. McCler- cavalry, the Union troops moved closer to the Confed- nand ultimately decided that he did not have enough men erate defense line while trying to cover any possible Con- to stretch all the way to the river, so Grant decided to call federate escape routes. McClernand’s division made up on more troops. He sent orders to General Wallace, who the right of Grant’s army with C.F. Smith’s division form- had been left behind at Fort Henry, to bring his men to [23] ing the left.[19] USS Carondelet was the first gunboat to ar- Fort Donelson. rive up the river, and she promptly fired numerous shells With Floyd’s arrival to take command of Fort Donelson, into the fort, testing its defenses before retiring. Grant Pillow took over leading the Confederate left. Feeling arrived on February 12 and established his headquarters overwhelmed, Floyd left most of the actual command to near the left side of the front of the line, at the Widow Pillow and Buckner. At the end of the day, there had been Crisp’s house.[20] several skirmishes, but the positions of each side were es- On February 11, Buckner relayed orders to Pillow from sentially the same. The night progressed with both sides [24] Floyd to release Floyd’s and Buckner’s troops to oper- fighting the cold weather. ate south of the river, near Cumberland City, where they Although the weather had been mostly rainy up to this would be able to attack the Union supply lines while keep- point in the campaign, a snow storm arrived the night of ing a clear path back to Nashville. However, this would February 13, with strong winds that brought temperatures leave the Confederate forces at Fort Donelson heavily out- down to 10–12 °F (−12 °C) and deposited 3 inches (8 numbered. Pillow left early on the morning of February 4 3 BATTLE cm) of snow by morning. Guns and wagons were frozen just as he had done at Fort Henry. Confederate gun- to the earth. Because of the proximity of the enemy lines ners waited until the gunboats were within 400 yards (370 and the active sharpshooters, the soldiers could not light m) to return fire. The Confederate artillery pummeled campfires for warmth or cooking, and both sides were the fleet and the assault was over by 4:30 p.m. Foote miserable that night, many having arrived without blan- was wounded (coincidentally in his foot). The wheel- kets or overcoats.[25] house of his flagship, USS St. Louis, was carried away, and she floated helplessly downriver. USS Louisville was also disabled and the Pittsburg began to take on water. 3.2 Reinforcements and naval battle The damage to the fleet was significant and it retreated (February 14) downriver.[28] Of the 500 Confederate shots fired, St. Louis was hit 59 times, Carondelet 54, Louisville 36, and At 1:00 a.m. on February 14, Floyd held a council of war Pittsburg 20 times. Foote had miscalculated the assault. in his headquarters at the Dover Hotel. There was general Historian Kendall Gott suggested that it would have been agreement that Fort Donelson was probably untenable. more prudent to stay as far downriver as possible, and use General Pillow was designated to lead a breakout attempt, the fleet’s longer-range guns to reduce the fort. An alter- evacuate the fort, and march to Nashville. Troops were native might have been to overrun the batteries, proba- moved behind the lines and the assault readied, but at the bly at night as would be done successfully in the 1863 last minute a Union sharpshooter killed one of Pillow’s . Once past the fixed river batteries, aides. Pillow, normally quite aggressive in battle, was Fort Donelson would have been defenseless.[29] unnerved and announced that since their movement had Eight Union sailors were killed and 44 were wounded been detected, the breakout had to be postponed. Floyd while the Confederates lost none. (Captain Joseph Dixon was furious at this change of plans, but by then it was too of the river batteries had been killed the previous day dur- [26] late in the day to proceed. ing Carondelet's bombardment.) On land the well-armed On February 14, General Lew Wallace’s brigade arrived Union soldiers surrounded the Confederates, while the from Fort Henry around noon, and Foote’s flotilla arrived Union boats, although damaged, still controlled the river. on the Cumberland River in mid-afternoon, bringing six Grant realized that any success at Fort Donelson would gunboats and another 10,000 Union reinforcements on have to be carried by the army without strong naval sup- twelve transport ships. Wallace assembled these new port, and he wired Halleck that he might have to resort to troops into a third division of two brigades, under Cols. a siege.[30] John M. Thayer and Charles Cruft, and occupied the cen- ter of the line facing the Confederate trenches. This pro- vided sufficient troops to extend McClernand’s right flank 3.3 Breakout attempt (February 15) to be anchored on Lick Creek, by moving Col. John McArthur's brigade of Smith’s division from the reserve to a position from which they intended to plug the 400 yards (370 m) gap at dawn the next morning.[27]

Confederate breakout attempt, morning February 15, 1862.

Despite their unexpected naval success, the Confederate generals were still skeptical about their chances in the fort and held another late-night council of war, where they Part of the lower river battery at Fort Donelson, overlooking the decided to retry their aborted escape plan. At dawn on Cumberland River. February 15, the Confederates launched an assault led by Pillow against McClernand’s division on the unprotected As soon as Foote arrived, Grant urged him to attack the right flank of the Union line. The Union troops, unable fort’s river batteries. Although Foote was reluctant to pro- to sleep in the cold weather, were not caught entirely by ceed before adequate reconnaissance, he moved his gun- surprise, but Grant was. Not expecting a land assault from boats close to the shore by 3:00 p.m. and opened fire, the Confederates, he was up before dawn and had headed 3.3 Breakout attempt (February 15) 5 off to visit Flag Officer Foote on his flagship downriver. with Thayer’s brigade, giving McClernand’s men time to Grant left orders that none of his generals was to initiate regroup and gather ammunition from Wallace’s supplies. an engagement and no one was designated as second-in- The 68th Ohio was left behind to protect the rear.[37] [31] command during his absence. The Confederate offensive ended around 12:30 p.m., The Confederate plan was for Pillow to push McClernand when Wallace’s and Thayer’s Union troops formed a de- away and take control of Wynn’s Ferry and Forge Roads, fensive line on a ridge astride Wynn’s Ferry Road. The the main routes to Nashville.[17] Buckner was to move his Confederates assaulted them three times, but were unsuc- division across Wynn’s Ferry Road and act as rear guard cessful and withdrew to a ridge .5 miles (0.80 km) away. for the remainder of the army as it withdrew from Fort Nevertheless, they had had a good morning. The Confed- Donelson and moved east. A lone regiment from Buck- erates had pushed the Union defenders back one to two ner’s division—the 30th Tennessee—was designated to miles (2–3 km) and had opened their escape route.[38] stay in the trenches and prevent a Federal pursuit. The “Gentlemen, the position on the right must be retaken.” attack started well, and after two hours of heavy fighting, Pillow’s men pushed McClernand’s line back and opened Ulysses S. Grant[39] the escape route. It was in this attack that Union troops in [32] the West first heard the famous, unnerving rebel yell. Grant, who was apparently unaware of the battle, was no- The attack was primarily successful because of the in- tified by an aide and returned to his troops in the early af- experience and poor positioning of McClernand’s troops ternoon. Grant first visited C. F. Smith on the Union left, and a flanking attack from the Confederate cavalry under where Grant ordered the 8th Missouri and the 11th Indi- Forrest. The Union brigades of Cols. Richard Oglesby ana to the Union right,[17] then rode 7 miles (11 km) over and John McArthur were hit hardest; they withdrew in a icy roads to find McClernand and Wallace. Grant was generally orderly manner to the rear for regrouping and dismayed at the confusion and a lack of organized lead- resupply. Around 8:00 a.m. McClernand sent a mes- ership. McClernand grumbled “This army wants a head.” sage requesting assistance from Lew Wallace, but Wal- Grant replied, “It seems so. Gentlemen, the position on lace had no orders from Grant, who was still absent, to the right must be retaken.”[40] respond to an attack on a fellow officer and declined the True to his nature, Grant did not panic at the Confederate initial request. Wallace, who was hesitant to disobey assault. As Grant rode back from the river, he heard the orders, sent an aide to Grant’s headquarters for further sounds of guns and sent word to Foote to begin a demon- [33] instructions. In the meantime, McClernand’s ammu- stration of naval gunfire, assuming that his troops would nition was running out, but his withdrawal was not yet be demoralized and could use the encouragement. Grant a rout. (The army of former quartermaster Ulysses S. observed that some of the Confederates (Buckner’s) were Grant had not yet learned to organize reserve ammunition fighting with knapsacks filled with three days of rations, and supplies near the frontline brigades.) A second mes- which implied to him that they were attempting to escape, senger arrived at Wallace’s camp in tears, crying, “Our not pressing for a combat victory. He told an aide, “The [34] right flank is turned! ... The whole army is in danger!" one who attacks first now will be victorious. The enemy This time Wallace sent a brigade, under Col. Charles will have to be in a hurry if he gets ahead of me.”[41] Cruft, to aid McClernand. Cruft’s brigade was sent in to replace Oglesby’s and McArthur’s brigades, but when Despite the successful morning attack, access to an open they realized they had run into Pillow’s Confederates and escape route, and to the amazement of Floyd and Buck- were being flanked, they too began to fall back.[35] ner, Pillow ordered his men back to their trenches by 1:30 p.m. Buckner confronted Pillow, and Floyd intended to Not everything was going well with the Confederate ad- countermand the order, but Pillow argued that his men vance. By 9:30 a.m., as the lead Union brigades were needed to regroup and resupply before evacuating the falling back, Nathan Bedford Forrest urged Bushrod fort. Pillow won the argument. Floyd also believed that Johnson to launch an all-out attack on the disorganized C. F. Smith’s division was being heavily reinforced, so troops. Johnson was too cautious to approve of a gen- the entire Confederate force was ordered back inside the eral assault, but he did agree to keep the infantry mov- lines of Fort Donelson, giving up the ground they gained ing slowly forward. Two hours into the battle, Gen. Pil- earlier that day.[42] low realized that Buckner’s wing was not attacking along- side his. After a confrontation between the two gen- Grant moved quickly to exploit the opening and told erals, Buckner’s troops moved out and, combined with Smith, “All has failed on our right—you must take Fort the right flank of Pillow’s wing, hit W. H. L. Wallace’s Donelson.” Smith replied, “I will do it.” Smith formed brigade. The Confederates took control of Forge Road his two remaining brigades to make an attack. Lauman’s and a key section of Wynn’s Ferry Road, opening a route brigade would be the main attack, spearheaded by Col. to Nashville,[36] but Buckner’s delay provided time for James Tuttle's 2nd Iowa Infantry. Cook’s brigade would Lew Wallace’s men to reinforce McClernand’s retreat- be in support to the right and rear and act as a feint to draw ing forces before they were completely routed. Despite fire away from Lauman’s brigade. Smith’s two-brigade Grant’s earlier orders, Wallace’s units moved to the right counterattack quickly seized the outer line of entrench- 6 4 SURRENDER (FEBRUARY 16)

4 Surrender (February 16)

Union counterattack, afternoon February 15, 1862.

Dover Hotel (or Inn), Floyd’s headquarters and the site of the surrender.

Nearly 1,000 soldiers on both sides had been killed, with about 3,000 wounded still on the field; some froze to death in the snowstorm, many Union soldiers having thrown away their blankets and coats.[47] Inexplicably, Generals Floyd and Pillow were upbeat about the day’s performance and wired General Johnston at Nashville that they had won a great victory. Buckner, 1897 drawing of Grant’s attack, depicting C.F. Smith on horse- however, argued that they were in a desperate position back leading his troops. that was getting worse with the arrival of Union rein- forcements. At their final council of war in the Dover Hotel at 1:30 a.m. on February 16, Buckner stated that if ments on the Confederate right from the 30th Tennessee, C.F. Smith attacked again, he could only hold for thirty commanded by Col. John W. Head, who had been left minutes, and he estimated that the cost of defending the behind from Buckner’s division. Despite two hours of fort would be as high as a seventy-five percent casualty repeated counterattacks, the Confederates could not re- rate. Buckner’s position finally carried the meeting. Any pel Smith from the captured earthworks. The Union was large-scale escape would be difficult. Most of the river now poised to seize Fort Donelson and its river batteries transports were currently transporting wounded men to when light returned the next morning.[43] Nashville and would not return in time to evacuate the [48] In the meantime, on the Union right, Lew Wallace formed command. an attacking column with three brigades—one from his Floyd, who believed if he was captured, he would be in- own division, one from McClernand’s, and one from dicted for alleged corruption during his service in Presi- Smith’s—to try and regain control of ground lost in the dent James Buchanan’s cabinet before the war, promptly battle that morning. Wallace’s old brigade, the 11th Indi- turned over his command to Pillow, who also feared ana, now commanded by Col. Morgan L. Smith, the 8th Northern reprisals. In turn, Pillow passed the command Missouri, and others from McClernand’s and Wallace’s to Buckner, who agreed to remain behind and surrender divisions were chosen to lead the attack. The brigades the army. During the night, Pillow escaped by small boat of Cruft (Wallace’s Division) and Leonard F. Ross (Mc- across the Cumberland. Floyd left the next morning on Clernand’s Division) were placed in support on the flanks. the only steamer available, taking his two regiments of Wallace ordered the attack forward. Smith, the 8th Mis- Virginia infantry. Disgusted at the show of cowardice, souri, and the 11th Indiana advanced a short distance up a furious Nathan Bedford Forrest announced, “I did not the hill using tactics, where the men repeatedly come here to surrender my command.” He stormed out rushed and then fell to the ground in a prone position.[44] of the meeting and led about seven hundred of his cav- By 5:30 p.m. Wallace’s troops had succeeded in retak- alrymen on their escape from the fort. Forrest’s horse- ing the ground lost that morning,[45] and by nightfall, the men rode toward Nashville through the shallow, icy wa- Confederate troops had been driven back to their orig- ters of Lick Creek, encountering no enemy and confirm- inal positions. Grant began plans to resume his assault ing that many more could have escaped by the same route, in the morning, although neglecting to close the escape if Buckner had not posted guards to prevent any such route that Pillow had opened.[46] attempts.[49] 7

On the morning of February 16, Buckner sent a note Confederate armies that Grant would capture during the to Grant requesting a truce and asking for terms of sur- war. (The second was John C. Pemberton's at the Siege of render. The note first reached General Smith, who ex- Vicksburg and the third Robert E. Lee's Army of North- claimed, “No terms to the damned Rebels!" When the ern Virginia at Appomattox). Buckner also turned over note reached Grant, Smith urged him to offer no terms. considerable military equipment and provisions, which Buckner had hoped that Grant would offer generous Grant’s troops badly needed. More than 7,000 Confed- terms because of their earlier friendship. (In 1854 Grant erate prisoners of war were eventually transported from was removed from command at a U.S. Army post in Fort Donelson to in , Camp Mor- , allegedly because of alcoholism. Buckner, ton in ,[55] and other prison camps elsewhere a fellow U.S. Army officer at that time, loaned Grant in the North. Buckner was held as a prisoner at Fort War- money to return home to Illinois after Grant had been ren in until he was exchanged in August 1862.[56] forced to resign his commission.) To Buckner’s dis- may, Grant showed no mercy towards men he considered to be rebelling against the federal government. Grant’s 5 Aftermath brusque reply became one of the most famous quotes of the war, earning him the nickname of “Unconditional The casualties at Fort Donelson were heavy, primar- Surrender":[50] ily because of the large Confederate surrender. Union losses were 2,691 (507 killed, 1,976 wounded, 208 cap- Sir: Yours of this date proposing Armistice, tured/missing), Confederate 13,846 (327 killed, 1,127 and appointment of Commissioners, to set- wounded, 12,392 captured/missing).[3] tle terms of Capitulation is just received. No terms except unconditional and immediate sur- Cannons were fired and church bells rung throughout render can be accepted. the North at the news. The wrote that “Chicago reeled mad with joy.” The capture of Forts Henry and Donelson were the first significant Union vic- I propose to move immediately upon your tories in the war and opened two great rivers to invasion in works. the heartland of the South. Grant was promoted to major general of volunteers, second in seniority only to Henry I am Sir: very respectfully W. Halleck in the West. After newspapers reported that Your obt. sevt. Grant had won the battle with a cigar clamped in his teeth, U.S. Grant he was inundated with cigars sent from his many admir- Brig. Gen.[51] ers. (Grant would eventually die of throat cancer, likely brought on by his heavy smoking). Close to a third of Grant was not bluffing. Smith was now in a good posi- all Albert Sidney Johnston’s forces were prisoners. Grant tion to move on the fort, having captured the outer lines had captured more soldiers than all previous American of its fortifications, and was under orders to launch an generals combined, and Johnston was thereby deprived attack with the support of other divisions the following of more than twelve thousand soldiers who would other- day. Grant believed his position allowed him to forego a wise have provided a decisive advantage at the impend- planned siege and successfully storm the fort.[52] Buckner ing in less than two months time. The responded to Grant’s demand: rest of Johnston’s forces were 200 miles (320 km) apart, between Nashville and Columbus, with Grant’s army be- tween them. Grant’s forces also controlled nearby rivers SIR:—The distribution of the forces un- and railroads. General Buell’s army threatened Nashville, der my command, incident to an unexpected while John Pope's troops threatened Columbus. John- change of commanders, and the overwhelm- ston evacuated Nashville on February 23, surrendering ing force under your command, compel me, this important industrial center to the Union and mak- notwithstanding the brilliant success of the ing it the first Confederate state capital to fall. Columbus Confederate arms yesterday, to accept the un- was evacuated on March 2. Most of Tennessee fell under generous and unchivalrous terms which you Union control, as did all of Kentucky, although both were propose.[53] subject to periodic Confederate raiding.[57]

Grant, who was courteous to Buckner following the sur- The site of the battle has been preserved by the National render, offered to loan him money to see him through Park Service as Fort Donelson National Battlefield. his impending imprisonment, but Buckner declined. The surrender was a personal humiliation for Buckner and a strategic defeat for the Confederacy, which lost more than 6 See also 12,000 men, 48 artillery pieces, much of their equipment, and control of the Cumberland River, which led to the • Troop engagements of the American Civil War, evacuation of Nashville.[54] This was the first of three 1862 8 7 NOTES

• List of costliest American Civil War land battles [28] Stephens, p. 50, and Nevin, p. 83–84.

[29] Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, pp. 26-27; Nevin, 7 Notes pp. 83-84; Gott, pp. 177-82. [30] Gott, pp. 182-83.

[1] NPS [31] Nevin, pp. 84-86; Gott, p. 192; Cooling, Campaign for [2] Gott, pp. 284-88. The Union strength includes both the Fort Donelson, pp. 28-29; Woodworth, p. 94. Army and Navy units. [32] Gott, pp. 191, 201; Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, [3] Gott, pp. 284-85, 288. p. 29; Eicher, p. 175.

[4] Woodworth, p. 10. [33] Stephens, p. 50–51, and Nevin, p. 86–87.

[5] Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, pp. 12-13; Espos- [34] Nevin, p. 87. ito, text for map 26. [35] Nevin, pp. 86-87; Gott, pp. 194-203; Cooling, Campaign [6] Esposito, map 25; Gott, pp. 65, 122; Nevin, p. 79. for Fort Donelson, p. 29; Woodworth, p. 96.

[7] Nevin, p. 81; Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, p. [36] Stephens, p. 52. 18; Gott, pp. 121-23. [37] Stephens, p. 53–54.

[8] Gott, p. 67; Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, pp. [38] Gott, pp. 204-17; Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, 18, 23. p. 31.

[9] Woodworth, p. 84; Gott, pp. 118-19. [39] Simpson, p. 115.

[10] McPherson, p. 397. [40] Nevin, p. 90.

[11] Gott, p. 105. [41] Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, pp. 31-32; Nevin, [12] Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, p. 20; Gott, p. pp. 87-90; Gott, pp. 222-24; Eicher, p. 176. 136. [42] Eicher, p. 176; Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, p. [13] Esposito, map 26; Gott, pp. 138, 282-85; Nevin, p. 81; 31; Nevin, p. 90; Gott, pp. 220-21. Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, p. 21. [43] Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, pp. 32-33; Nevin, [14] Gott, pp. 117, 180. p. 90; Gott, pp. 226-31; Woodworth, pp. 108-11.

[15] Stephens, p. 47. [44] Stephens, p. 56.

[16] Eicher, p. 173; Gott, pp. 286-88. [45] Stephens, p. 57.

[17] Stephens, p. 50. [46] Gott, pp. 231-35; Woodworth, pp. 111-13; Eicher, p. 178; Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, pp. 33-34. [18] Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, pp. 5-6; Kennedy, p. 45; Foote, p. 194; Gott, pp. 16-17, 173, 180. [47] Eicher, p. 178; Nevin, p. 34.

[19] Knight, Fort Donelson, pp. 98-102; Knight, Nothing But [48] Nevin, p. 93; Gott, pp. 237-40; Woodworth, p. 115; God, p. 2. Eicher, p. 178; Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, p. 35. [20] Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, p. 21; Gott, pp. 144-47; Nevin, p. 81. [49] Stephens, p. 58; Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, p. 37; Gott, pp. 240-41, 252-53; Woodworth, p. 116; [21] Knight, Fort Donelson, pp. 97-101. Nevin, pp. 93-94.

[22] Gott, pp. 157-64; Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, [50] Nevin, p. 94; Gott, pp. 254-57. pp. 23-25; Nevin, p. 82; Woodworth, pp. 86-88. [51] Cooling, Campaign for Fort Donelson, p. 36. [23] Cooling, Fort Donelson’s Legacy, p. 2; Hamilton, p. 100; Knight, Fort Donelson, pp. 104-105. [52] Esposito, map 29.

[24] Knight, p. Fort Donelson, pp. 104, 107. [53] Gott, p. 257

[25] Woodworth, pp. 89-90; Gott, pp. 165-66; Cooling, Cam- [54] Gott, pp. 262–67 paign for Fort Donelson, pp. 25-26; Eicher, p. 173. [55] Hattie Lou Winslow and Joseph R. H. Moore (1995). [26] Gott, pp. 171-73. , 1861–1865: Indianapolis Prison Camp. In- dianapolis: Indiana Historical Society. p. 69. ISBN 0- [27] Nevin, p. 82; Gott, pp. 174-75; Woodworth, p. 91. 87195-114-2. 8.1 Memoirs and primary sources 9

[56] No formal records were taken of the Confederates who • McPherson, James M. : The surrendered and estimates vary. Gott, pp. 257-63, 265, Civil War Era. Oxford History of the . cites 12,392. Esposito, map 29: 11,500. McPherson, : Oxford University Press, 1988. ISBN p. 402: 12,000 to 13,000. Cooling, Campaign for Fort 0-19-503863-0. Donelson, p. 38: 12,000 to 15,000. Nevin, p. 97: 12,000 to 15,000. Kennedy, p. 47: 15,000. Woodworth, p. 119: • Nevin, David, and the Editors of Time-Life Books. 15,000. Buckner was a Union at Fort The Road to Shiloh: Early Battles in the West. Warren in Boston until August 15, 1862, when he was ex- Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1983. ISBN 0- changed for Brig. Gen. George A. McCall; see Buckner 8094-4716-9. biography. • Simpson, Brooks D. Ulysses S. Grant: Triumph over [57] Nevin, p. 96; Gott, pp. 266-67; Esposito, maps 30-31. Adversity, 1822–1865. New York: Houghton Mif- flin, 2000. ISBN 0-395-65994-9. 8 References • Stephens, Gail. The Shadow of Shiloh: Major Gen- eral Lew Wallace in the Civil War. Indianapolis: In- • Cooling, Benjamin Franklin. The Campaign for diana Historical Society Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0- Fort Donelson. Civil War se- 87195-287-5. ries. Fort Washington, PA: U.S. National Park Ser- • Woodworth, Steven E. Nothing but Victory: The vice and Eastern National, 1999. ISBN 1-888213- Army of the Tennessee, 1861–1865. New York: Al- 50-7. fred A. Knopf, 2005. ISBN 0-375-41218-2. • Cooling, Benjamin Franklin. Fort Donelson’s • National Park Service battle description Legacy: War and Society in Kentucky and Tennessee, 1862-1863. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1997. ISBN 0-870-49949-1. 8.1 Memoirs and primary sources

• Eicher, David J. The Longest Night: A Military His- • U.S. War Department, The War of the Rebellion: a tory of the Civil War. New York: Simon & Schuster, Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and 2001. ISBN 0-684-84944-5. Confederate Armies. Washington, DC: U.S. Gov- ernment Printing Office, 1880–1901. • Esposito, Vincent J. West Point Atlas of American Wars. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1959. OCLC 5890637. The collection of maps (without explanatory text) is available online at the West Point 9 Further reading website. • Bush, Bryan S. : Confederate Gen- • Foote, Shelby. The Civil War: A Narrative. Vol. eral in the Western Theatre. Morley, MO: Acclaim 1, Fort Sumter to Perryville. New York: Random Press, 2006. ISBN 978-0-9773198-4-8. House, 1958. ISBN 0-394-49517-9. • Catton, Bruce. Grant Moves South. Boston: Little, • Hamilton, James J. “The Battle of Fort Donelson.” Brown & Co., 1960. ISBN 0-316-13207-1. The Journal of Southern History 35.1 (1969): 99- 100. JSTOR. Web. 21 Mar. 2015. • Cummings, Charles Martin. Yankee Quaker, Con- federate General: The Curious Career of Bushrod • Gott, Kendall D. Where the South Lost the War: An Rust Johnson. Rutherford, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson Analysis of the Fort Henry—Fort Donelson Cam- University Press, 1971. ISBN 0-8386-7706-1. paign, February 1862. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stack- pole Books, 2003. ISBN 0-8117-0049-6. • Engle, Stephen Douglas. Struggle for the Heartland: The Campaigns from Fort Henry to Corinth. Lin- • Kennedy, Frances H., ed. The Civil War Battle- coln: University of Nebraska Press, 2001. ISBN 0- field Guide. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 803-21818-4. 1998. ISBN 0-395-74012-6. • Hamilton, James J. The Battle of Fort Donelson. • Knight, James R. The Battle of Fort Donelson: No South Brunswick, NJ: T. Yoseloff, 1968. OCLC Terms but Unconditional Surrender. Charleston, SC: 2579774. The History Press, 2011. ISBN 978-1-60949-129- • 1. Huffstodt, James. Hard Dying Men: The Story of General W. H. L. Wallace, General Thomas E. G. • Knight, James R. “Nothing but God Almighty Can Ransom, and the “Old Eleventh” Illinois Infantry in Save That Fort.” Civil War Trust website, accessed the American Civil War (1861–1865). Bowie, MD: March 21, 2015. Heritage Press. ISBN 1-55613-510-6. 10 10 EXTERNAL LINKS

• Hurst, Jack. Men of Fire: Grant, Forrest, and the Campaign that Decided the Civil War. New York: Basic Books, 2007. ISBN 0-465-03184-6.

• McPherson, James M., ed. The Atlas of the Civil War. New York: Macmillan, 1994. ISBN 0-02- 579050-1. • Perry, James M. Touched with Fire: Five Presidents and the Civil War Battles That Made Them. New York: PublicAffairs, 2003. ISBN 1-586-48114-2.

• Slagle, Jay. Ironclad Captain: & the U.S. Navy, 1841-1864. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 1996. ISBN 978-0-87338-550-3.

• Wallace, Isabel, and William Hervy Lamme Wal- lace. Life and Letters of General W.H.L. Wal- lace. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2000. ISBN 0-809-32347-8.

10 External links

• Battle of Fort Donelson: Battle Maps, histories, photos, and preservation news (Civil War Trust)

• Animated history of the Battles of Forts Henry and Donelson

• Newspaper coverage of the Battle of Fort Donelson • Photographs of Fort Donelson Battlefield

• Battles for Forts Henry, Heiman & Donelson • BATTLE OF FORT DONELSON

• American Civil War: Battle of Fort Donelson • The Battle of Fort Donelson, Tennessee

• Battle of Fort Donelson

• Battle of Fort Donelson: Brief Summary of Loca- tion, Strategies, and Casualties

• Battle of Fort Donelson - Bombardment • Siege of Fort Donelson, 12-16 February 1862 11

11 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

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