Fall of Forts Henry and Donelson

At the Civil War’s beginning, Union and Confederate leaders alike recognized that control of the rivers leading southward from the north were critical to the control of states like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Major General Henry Halleck ordered Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant to capture Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. With the support of Flag Officer Andrew Hull Foote’s fleet of ironclads and tinclads, Fort Henry quickly fell on February 6, 1862. The next target was Fort Donelson. Foote’s ironclads proved not to be shot-proof and the badly damaged Union squadron retreated. Grant surrounded the fort; however, the Confederates attempted to break out. After making a partial breakthrough, they retreated and their commanders, Major General John Floyd and Major General Gideon Pillow, escaped. This left Grant’s old friend, Major General Simon Buckner, in command of the fort. Buckner asked for surrender terms to which Grant merely said there were no terms, but unconditional surrender. That day, February 16, 1862, the Federals opened a pathway into Middle Tennessee and Grant became a legend.

If you have any comments or questions about this video, or have ideas for a lecture topic, please contact us at customerservice@marinersmuseum.org
Read our blog: https://blogs.marinersmuseum.org
Connect with our upcoming online programs: https://www.marinersmuseum.org/live/

Image credit: Bombardment and Capture of Fort Henry, Tenn. Lithograph. Currier & Ives, ca. 1862. Courtesy of Library of Congress.

This video is for your personal use only, and no further use is permitted. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or provide access to this video to any other person or entity. All rights are reserved by the Mariner’s Museum. © 2021 The Mariners' Museum, Newport News, Va.