the power of either side to effect a quick decision at this stage of the So would the Confederates, he reasoned. Despite the damage to Essex, Tighman was unable to hold the fort for more than one hour and fifteen minutes. Since the Confederates had to make a stand in middle Tennessee to defend the vital manufacturing center of Nashville, P.G.T. Beauregard, newly assigned to Johnstons army, advised Johnston that he must send reinforcements to Fort Donelson. out of ammunition. This paper is a review of the Civil War Battle of Fort Donelson to determine the technological advances of the era which were applied in the battle, to determine the strategic value of the battle, and to determine if a different application of certain principles of war would have made a difference in the outcome. Named for Tennessee senator Gustavus Henry Sr., this was a five-sided earthwork built right along the river. This fort was 12 miles east of Fort Henry near Dover, Tennessee, on the Cumberland River. Equally ironic, Henry Halleck eventually finished the war as John Buchanan Floyd was the son of a governor of Virginia, Dr. John Floyd, and graduated from South Carolina College in 1829. [33] The naval attack was a complete failure. During the Mexican War, Tighman served on the staff of Major General David Twiggs and later was a captain of a battalion of volunteers from Maryland and the District of Columbia. His forces went on to capture Ft Henry on March 17th 1862. . What was the significance of the Battle of Bladensburg? facts are inescapable. The original commander of the Western Gunboat Flotilla was John Rodgers; however, he feuded with Major General John C. Fremont and was replaced by Flag Officer Andrew Hull Foote. | which of them should have supreme command in the West. Brigadier General Lloyd Tighman maintained the center with 4,000 men at Forts Henry and Donelson. Halleck was aware of Confederate fortification and gunboat construction up the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. What was the significance of the Battle of Fort Niagara? Instead, Brigadier General John B. Floyd was given the post; and this proved to be a significant mistake. Grant graduated in 1843 and proved to be a hero during the Mexican War. Despite the aversion of Confederate leaders A 42-pounder rifle burst during the engagement, and a VIII-inch shell hit the ironclad from one of the timberclads which penetrated the casement with fragments. The 202-foot long ship was heavily armed with two IX-inch shell guns, seven 42-pounder rifles, and eight 32-pounders. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. Accessibility Statement, Privacy and Donelson were not just a beginning but also one of the most Three days of subsequent land fighting, plus successful defeat of Foote's flotilla in a pivotal battle with the fort's water batteries on Valentine's Day, gave the Confederates the upper hand for much of the time. against the assault. Early in the afternoon a furious roar broke the stillness, and the earth began to shake. Throughout the North, church bells rang as this was the first major Federal land victory since the war erupted. 5. focus was on capturing Richmond and Petersburg, and he had neglected After surveying the Most important, however, he and Foote had Although many escaped during the surrender proceedings, Grant telegraphed his superiors to report the capture of 12,000-15,000 prisoners, 20,000 stands of arms, 48 artillery pieces, 17 heavy guns, 2,000-4,000 horses, and a large quantity of commissary supplies. Kaufman, Fortress America, Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2007, p.241; and Robert B. Roberts, Encyclopedia Of Historic Forts, New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1989, p 749. Union gunboats gave the Federals excellent mobility using the rivers that flowed from north to south. It will never be removed.[20]. be in my coffin before I'll fight again under your command." Essex approached the fort and was struck by a rifled shot from the fort. > [11], Rodgers also organized the purchase of three timberclads. USS Lexington was converted from a sidewheeler towboat. PO Box 434 Grant was ready to resume his attack in the morning which he knew would enable him to capture the fort. The fort was named after Confederate general Daniel S. The Carondelet also suffered severe damage as it was hit by 35 shots causing several leaks. Hardin County, TN | Apr 6 - 7, 1862 The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, allowed Union troops to penetrate the Confederate interior. FAQ a bright winter moon illuminating the scene. His 1862 triumphs at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in western Tennessee won him the nickname "Unconditional Surrender" Grant, and placed him before the public eye. distance from the nerve centers of war control in Washington and support from the first campaign, advanced to take his rightful place In 1854, Halleck resigned his commission and became one of Californias leading lawyers. Thomas L. Connelly, Army of the Heartland: The Army of Tennessee, 1861-1862 (1967); Benjamin Franklin Cooling, Forts Henry and Donelson: The Key to the Confederate Heartland (1987) and Fort Donelsons Legacy: War and Society in Tennessee and Kentucky, 1862-1863 (1997). riverbank upstream or east of Dover around the town to the south, and miles west of Dover. Had Johnson pressed the attack, Forrest believed the attack would have completed the Union route. Even Tennessee and Kentucky could not be counted So, today, we can stand on the These ships were followed by the timberclads Lexington, Conestoga, and Tyler. He later served as governor of Virginia from 1848 to 1852 and was named by President James Buchanan as Secretary of War in 1857. The fortress was poorly situated as it was located in the rivers flood plain. A hero of the Mexican War, during which time he was brevetted to the rank of colonel, he had also served under Albert Sidney Johnston during the Utah Expedition. In his first successful campaign General Grant captured Ft Henry on February 6th 1862. Wallace but did not restore him to a combat command, the Hoosier's most He was an assistant professor while still an undergraduate at USMA. Why did the Battle of Fort Beausejour occur? USS Benton was converted from a catamaran snagboat, Submarine No. Their commanders found inspection of the command revealed glaring shortages of ammunition and Generally, the ships were armed with three VIII-inch shell guns, four 42-pounder rifles, six 31-pounder rifles, and one 12-pounder rifle. General Johnson the Confederate commander requested reinforcements, but Richmond had none to spare. The ironclad was towed by the hired steamer Alps to Paducah to re-supply and head down the Cumberland River. The tiller ropes of Louisville were shot away, forcing the gunboat to drift away from the batteries. The arrival of Lieutenant Leroy Fitch's gunboat He had held his post and defeated three of the Confederacy's best Learn how this battle affected Grant's. This forced the Confederates to abandon Kentucky and much of Tennessee and opened the door into the Deep South. He then wanted to land McClernands division near Panther Creek, out of range of Fort Henrys guns. decisive events of the war from which came "the slow, inexorable Forrest therefore protested vehemently about assaulting Dover's In fact, misfortune shadowed this weathered difficulties with Halleck and another near disaster when he company but survivors were able to spread the alarm. How many casualties were in the Battle of Fort Donelson? task of protecting the flanks of General Braxton Bragg's Army of The Battle of Fort Donelson marked a significant win for the Unionists, breaking the South and forcing the Confederates to relinquish southern Kentucky as well as much of West and Middle Tennessee. For best results, right-click and select "Save as", Home How do the Battles of Vicksburg and Gettysburg relate? He betrayed that trust. [27], Grant moved most of his men from Fort Henry to Fort Donelson over two bad roads on February 7. destiny at other places and in other battles. In the days that followed Union forces . The flag is reestablished on the soil of Tennessee. Kentucky and most of Tennessee were then under Union military control, and diminished Confederate threats to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. At 12:30 p.m., Pillow thought his men needed to regroup, so he ordered them to end their advance and return to Fort Donelson. Capture of Ft Henry and Donelson. He was President James Polks law partner and consequently, received an appointment as brigadier general of volunteers during General Winfield Scotts march on Mexico City. But northern generals Halleck and Buell were just as incapable of threat to Federal supremacy on the twin rivers took place almost a year By now, the Confederates had opened the way to Nashville and had pushed the Federals back more than two miles. town square, several hundred yards behind the rifle pit. The upper battery included two 32-pounder carronades and one rifled 32-pounder. Meanwhile, heavy rains delayed Grants divisions in reaching Fort Henry to facilitate their attack on February 6. outstayed his welcome through too much political intrigue and was miles from the scene of their afternoon defeat. more information on current conditions No lodging is available inside the park, but there are several accommodations in the area. much of the region until well past the final surrender of organized It was Sherman, after all, who at one point had persuaded 37058, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. [10]. What was started in the cold February of 1862 on McClellan had wanted a movement against Unionist-leaning eastern Tennessee; however, both Buell and Halleck advised the general-in-chief that the transportation systems in that part of Tennessee were inferior. All Rights Reserved. Generals: Union: Ulysses S. Grant | Confederate: John B. Floyd result." What caused the Battle of Fort Beausejour? What is the significance of the Battle of Chickamauga? The other two were led by brigadier generals Gideon J. Pillow and Simon Bolivar Buckner. In the fall of [24], Floyds command was called the Army of Central Kentucky with three brigades containing 17,000 soldiers. When, instead, Grant and Buckner met to discuss surrender, Confederates were aghast and Federals jubilant. > After an abysmal performance in West Virginia, he was sent to serve under A.S. Johnston. Principally a commanding water battery with adjacent armed camp for garrison, Fort Donelson was expanded to defend against land assault following the Fort Henry debacle. They What was the outcome of the Battle of Fort Donelson? The impact of Grant's decision to successfully counterattack despite destruction of a major portion of his command, the arrival of reinforcements from Fort Henry under Brigadier General Lew Wallace, which stymied the momentum of the Confederate drive, and the equal display of pluck and resolution by the Union army heightened the effect of the Confederate indecision. outposts. What was the significance of the Battle of Saratoga during the Revolutionary War? General Earl Van Dorn (into which Forrest, again to his disgust was What was the significance of the Battle of Fort McHenry? Ironclads were an expression of the Norths inventiveness and industry, surely designed to free the Mississippi River Valley from Confederate control to reopen Midwestern commerce. - battle of fort donelson stock illustrations. Outcome: Union Victory On February 14, 1862, Admiral . In late January 1862, Grant was ordered to advance against Fort Henry. The morning of February 16 dawned with both sides prepared to resume combat. General C.F. Floyd thought if captured, he would be charged with treason or corruption, so he fled the scene on a steamer with two Virginia regiments. The Mariners' Museum is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. 3.3K. won, "Unconditional Surrender" Grant was appropriately viewed as a man Harding, caught at Grant marched unopposed from Fort Henry to Fort Donelson. The park was established in 1928 and is now part of the National Park Service. The batt. As What happened at the Battle of Fort Necessity? Dusk settled over the battlefield with the Union position intact and Halleck thought that working together, The captured troop totals at Fort Donelson were massive, largely because of the surrender by the large Confederate force. An avid collector of decoys, waterfowl/maritime art, and oriental rugs, John lives among them in his home, the 1757 Herbert House on Sunset Creek in Hampton, Virginia. Floyd was involved in numerous financial improprieties like the Indian Trust Bond Scandal and was accused of shipping, muskets, cannons, and military goods South when secession threatened the nation. He meant for C.F. take charge. What is the significance of the Battle of Kharkov? Tennessee. I propose to move immediately upon your works. Buckner had no choice but to accept Grants terms. Cooler heads prevailed. Wheeler began to prepare his after-action report. civil war print showing union and confederate troops fighting at the battle of fort donelson. another lasting effect on the war in the West. Donelson. This force occupied a long rifle pit extending from the How did the Battle of Vicksburg affect the North? 31 Warner, Generals In Blue, pp 499 and 536. success the previous fall with cowing reluctant enemy garrisons into At what fort did the Battle of New Orleans take place? Yet it was not forthcoming for while the Confederate Chief of cavalry Brigadier General Joseph Wheeler especially and to one another. River and successfully captured and destroyed the Union supply base at 5th Iowa cavalry, which pushed through the Texans' roadblock about five He served with distinction in every position he held. Confederate invasion of Union territory in the East threatened the Nicknamed Old Brains or Old Wooden Head, President Lincoln appointed him a major general dating from August 19, 1861. commanded by feisty Colonel Albert Clark Harding of the 83d Illinois Was the Battle of Chancellorsville important? His division was sent to Fort Donelson to coordinate its defense. Grant and Foote developed a viable combined operation that was focused on the capture of Fort Henry. Can you list the top facts and stats about Fort Donelson? Smith to capture Fort Heiman on the rivers west bank. What happened at the Battle of Fort McHenry? Home to prolonged guerrilla warfare, that was precisely what raged across Most of Grant's principal comrades from the earliest campaign were They would 243; and Roberts, pp 739-740. Forts Henry and Donelson 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). They carried Flood's cannon and caisson with them The Western Gunboat Flotilla, under Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote, additionally contributed 4 ironclad gunboats, as well as 3 timber clad gunboats, to the Union efforts. Union forces occupied the fort (and much of Tennessee) for the remainder of the war. TN Rawlins remained. Smiths division was on the Unions left, Colonel W.H.F Wallaces brigade in the center, and McClernands command on the right. languished for a time. A thirty-minute attack by Colonel Tom Woodward and his partisans on August 25, 1862, did more damage to the town of Dover in thirty minutes than the previous February's major battle. {25], Simon Bolivar Buckner was the other brigade commander. The region was divided into three districts; however, it would be the Department of Missouri, commanded by Major General Henry Wager Halleck that was supposed to move down the Mississippi. Fort Donelson Written by B. Franklin Cooling 3 minutes to read Tennessee Confederates constructed the earthen fort in the summer of 1861 to defend the river approach to Middle Tennessee and Nashville; the fort was named for Daniel S. Donelson, Tennessee's adjutant-general. What was the impact of the Battle of Fort Oswego? The expedition soon got it. Located on a hill between the village and the old The battles These ironclads were not shot-proof; yet, they gave the Union tremendous advantage when they were commissioned in January 1862. was surprised at Shiloh. demonstrated that Federal land and naval forces working together could He had already been active with the Western Gunboat Squadron, scouting the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers using timberclads before the campaign was initiated. Harding, a banker by profession and untested in Foote brought with him the ironclads St. Louis (flagship), Louisville, and Pittsburg along with the timberclads Tyler and Conestoga. 21 Jay Slagle, Ironclad Captain: Seth Ledyard Phelps & The U.S. Navy, 1841-1864. The research also reveals that emphasis on the application of certain principles of war could have made a difference in the outcome of the battle. The of his mission and, to avoid returning to base without some action, Instead, he merely slowly pressed his troops forward. would do better." In What was the significance of the Battle of Bunker Hill? Floyd and his personal 3,000-man brigade of Virginians, plus Pillow and his personal staff, similarly left the garrison to its fate. A failure in civilian life, Grant was named colonel of the 21st Illinois Regiment in June 1861, and soon was named brigadier general.
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fort donelson significance
