In this masterful book, larry daniel recreates the drama and the horror of the. The capture of forts henry and donelson were the first significant union victories in the war. The commanding general did receive reports filed on the river forts. He was wounded during the exchange of artillery on february 14, 1862.
Early in the war, the union realized control of the major rivers would be the key to success in the western theater. I would just like to see it happen on schedule once or twice, because i think the rest of the game in the west would flow more historically. Gotts book is a slightly revisionist view of the henrydonelson campaign and was a very good read. 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 general came to fort henry on the 15thand then it was, when i left, debated.
Early in the war, union commanders realized control of the major rivers would be the key to success in the western theater. Sketch showing the relative positions of fort henry and. After the fall of forts henry and donelson, confederate general albert sidney johnston sought to surprise the union army under general ulysses s. About 2,500 of fort henrys confederate defenders escaped before its surrender. 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. We welcome you to fort donelson national battlefield, a unit of the national park. The battle of fort donelson, which began on february 12, took place shortly after the surrender of fort henry, tennessee, on february 6, 1862.
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 had captured more confederate soldiers than all previous union generals combined. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862 by kendall d. Albert sidney johnston, who was president jefferson davis choice to command the massive department number 2, had not visited forts henry and donelson. Battle of fort donelson civil war map battle fort donelson. Two sharp infantry attacks and a naval bombardment marked the first days battle at fort donelson. Exploring fort donelson in civil war books and games. The month following his victories passed in deep frustration and mounting. While he had visited other major points in his command, confederate gen. Rather than retreating from the fort and escaping to safety, he opted to pull his. Confederate losses were much higher due to the surrender and numbered 327 killed, 1,127 wounded, and 12,392 captured. Slaves kept coming to the unionoccupied forts throughout the war and supported the war effort by building fortifications and guarding railroads, and eventually, africanamerican men enlisted as soldiers.
Close to of all johnstons forces became prisoners. 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. The fall of these forts opened the door to the deep south and the end of the confederacy. Forts henry and heiman were garrisoned with only 2,500 men. 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. Grant advanced 12 miles crosscountry to invest fort donelson on the cumberland river. After nashville fell, grant continued his tenacious push along the. Tim smith follows his definitive book on shiloh with this seminal study on forts henry and donelson and shows convincingly why these battles were so crucial to the outcome of the civil war.
The battle of fort donelson cost grant 507 killed, 1,976 wounded, and 208 capturedmissing. At these points the two rivers approached within eleven miles of each other. These vital forts, athwart jugular veins, were grants first targets. Grant near the shiloh meeting house on the morning of april 6, 1862.
Smiths book is by far the deepest and best operational and tactical treatment of the campaign and its battles. 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 union navy arrived, led by captain andrew foote tennessee river. I shall take and destroy fort donelson on the 8th and return to fort henry.
The battle of fort donelson was fought from february 1116, 1862, in the western theater of. Our book recommendation for this episode is forts henry and donelson. By february, grant had surrounded the fort with about 25,000 men and had conducted. Peter maslowski university of nebraska at lincoln forts henry and donelson.
Africanamerican families built homes, and established schools and churches near the. The forts henry and donelson campaign is presented in an easy to follow, relatively short volume that breaks it all down and leaves you with a great understanding of what happened, and why. The expedition that broke open the stalemate in the mississippi valley languished for a time. Thanks largely to the two wallaces, grant earned his laurels as the victor of forts donelson and henry.
The confederate plan was for pillow to push mcclernand away and take control of wynns ferry. Fort donelson national battlefield is commemorating the sesquicentennial with a number of programs, including a monthly film series, speaking events with authors and historians, and a book club. A museum contains a timeline of the campaign and some powerful words and artifacts. Grant at fort donelson it was not possible for brave men to endure more. After capturing fort henry on the tennessee river on february 6, 1862, brig. Kendall gott talked about the civil war battle of fort donelson. 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. An analysis of the fort henryfort donelson campaign, february 1862.
The works on the tennessee were called fort heiman and fort henry, and that on the cumberland was fort donelson. The 1862 battles for forts henry and donelson by timothy b smith online at alibris. After the fall of both forts, northern forces occupied tennessee xi279. 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.
It was the first important victory for the union and brig. 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. The events of february, 1862 at forts henry and donelson have long been overshadowed by other civil war events. As gunfire erupted with the confederate advance, johnston told his subordinates, the battle has opened, gentlemen. Lewis wallace april 10, 1827 february 15, 1905 was an american lawyer, union general in. On february 4 and 5, 1862, prior to the advance against fort henry, union. On february 4 and 5, grant landed two divisions just north of fort henry on the tennessee river. Fort donelson, so wallace was left in command at fort henry to keep the forts secure. The 1862 battles for forts henry and donelson modern war studies. The nook book ebook of the where the south lost the war. On february 45, grant landed his divisions in two different locations, one on the east bank of the tennessee river to prevent the garrison at fort henry from escaping and the other to occupy the high ground on the kentucky side to ensure the fall of both forts heiman and henry.
The forts henry and donelson or twin rivers campaign of 1862 was one of the decisive campaigns in the american civil war. The confederate river batteries fort donelson national. Fort donelson national battlefield offers events to. Grant convinced halleck that the union should capture forts henry and donelson. These positions were important for regulating access to the mississippi river from the east. Five books on the battle of fort donelson civil war. A week after capturing fort henry on the tennessee river, union. Be sure to check out the parks website for upcoming events, including a walk around the grounds with famed historian ed bearrs. Lloyd tilghman to surrender fort henry, which, thanks to heavy rains and a. Flag officer andrew hull foote was in charge of the naval fleet at fort donelson.
The battle of fort henry was fought on february 6, 1862, in donelson middle tennessee, during the american civil war. Lowe, who is in command of forts helman, henry and donelson, was telegraphed, at fort henry, the facts, and soon every man was under arms. Stewart county tn visitor center, our temporary home starting december 7, 2015. Digitally enhanced battle of fort donelson map background. Tennessee was the last of the confederate states to secede from the union, choosing to do so on june 8, 1861. After the naval bombardment, the confederates were forced to surrender. Early battles in the west by david nevin goodreads. Grant was an innovator in what we now call operational. 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. The 1862 battles for forts henry and donelson by timothy b. So im not looking for the quick siezure of forts henry and donelson to be inevitable in the game.
The study also raises the strategic stature of the fall of fort henry, an event most. The confederacy bulked up their defenses against a naval attack. The twin victories at forts henry and donelson were the first major union successes of the war and opened tennessee to union invasion. He is the author of the forthcoming book rebels on the border. This was grants first campaign in charge of what would become the famed army of the tennessee. To grant, the value of taking these forts was clear from a strategic point of view, as he would later describe in his memoirs. It contains 346 pages, of which 280 are text, with the rest dedicated to two appendices, notes, bibliography, and index. The rebel breakthrough was blunted and then forced back by lew wallaces men. Forts henry and donelson for the people boardgamegeek. The battle of fort donelson february 1116, 1862 was one of the unions. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. With the collapse of the confederate defenses at forts henry and donelson, the entire tennessee valley was open to. In his official report from the battle, foote described the united states navy not prepared.
Forts heiman, henry, and donelson american battlefield trust. The forts of henry and donelson in tennessee were captured by union forced in february 1862 under general ulysses s. Forts henry and donelson controlled the tennessee and cumberland rivers, respectively. General grants victory at fort donelson was thus assured. Grant in the western theater on february 4 and 5, grant landed two divisions just north of fort henry on the tennessee river. Henry and fort donelson to choke off traffic up the tennessee and cumberland rivers, respectively. On the other hand, i couldnt gin up more than two stars for the book s misspellings, typographical errors, amateurish maps, and minor errors of fact. Though explaining so much, the book does not get bogged down in minute details.
Our book recommendation for this episode is a battle from the start. In which we talk a bit about nathan bedford forrests background and then take a closer look at his escape from fort donelson on february 16, 1862. Here, those learning about the story for the first time can view a brief and powerful film about the fort henry fort donelson campaign and some of the personalities involved. The troops serving under grant were the nucleus of the unions successful. Benjamin coolings work forts henry and donelson seeks to demonstrate that these campaigns, in the western theater, were indeed important for the sake of northern morale and for molding ulysses s.
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