bus would be effectually turned, and their evacuation become

a necessity.

After much deliberation it was resolved to attack fort Henry first. To make success certain, Halleck determined to move against it simultaneously by land and water. Foote, with seven gun boats, was directed to engage the batteries in front, while Grant, with a large land force from Cairo, should land below and take it in flank and rear.

EXPEDITION AGAINST FORT HENRY.

The expedition started on the fifth of February, and proceeding up the river, landed the infantry four miles below the fort. A reconnoissance was then made by Foote, by which he ascertained the position of the batteries, and succeeded in discovering and removing several torpedoes which had been sunk in the river for the purpose of blowing up the vessels.

As night came on, the fleet cast anchor abreast of Grant's camp, to wait till the next morning, when the combined attack was to be made. The numberless camp fires that lighted up the shores, and were reflected in the swiftly flow. ing stream, and those seven dark monsters sleeping ominously on the water, combined to form a scene of thrilling interest The night was dark, for heavy clouds wrapped the heavens, and the wind swept by in fitful gusts, making weird harmony with the monotonous roar of the turbulent waters. Soon the

gathering storm burst upon the camp in all its fury, making the long night seem still longer.

At length the welcome day broke, and all was preparation for the first great struggle on the western waters. Foote, after admonishing Grant that he must hurry or he would not arrive in time to take part in the engagement, about ten o'clock steamed up toward the fort. It stood on a bend

of the river, and commanded it for a long way down. An island lay about a mile below it, behind which Foote kept his boats, so as to escape the long range of the rifled guns of the enemy. His orders were for the iron-clad boats to move slowly and abreast, straight on the batteries, while the wooden ones should follow at some distance in the rear. In this way he kept on under cover of the island,, and at length emerged at its head in full view of the fort. Here the wooden vessels halted, while the Cincinnati, St. Louis, Carondelet, and Essex slowly steamed on.

CAPTURE OF FORT HENRY.

The next moment the enemy's batteries opened, and the heavy shot and shell came raining on the little squadron. From the bows of those vessels there burst simultaneously, white puffs of smoke, and the battle commenced. The garrison had obtained perfect range, and their heavy shells smote with terrible precision the advancing boats. Foote had given orders to fire slow and deliberately, and his shells burst with fearful effect amid the enemy's guns. The rebel infantry outside of the works became terror-stricken, as the ponderous missiles screamed and exploded around them, and fled precipitately. The little garrison, however, under the command of General Tilghman, stood bravely to their guns. Their heavy rifled piece soon burst, but they did not slacken fire. Sand bags and earth flew around them, and the bursting shells filled the air with fragments; yet they never flinched. The flag-ship Cincinnati and the Essex, seemed to occupy their chief attention, and the two boats received a terrible pounding, yet they never swerved. Moving on in flame, they crept nearer and nearer to the bat teries, sending their shot with such precision that gun after gun of the enemy was dismounted. The heavy explosions

A TERRIBLE SHOT,

255

shook the shore, sending terror to the inhabitants far inland. The battle had raged nearly an hour, when a twenty-four pound shot entered a port-hole of the Essex, through which Porter was watching the effect of his shot. The fearful messenger of destruction struck young Brittan, an aid who stood at his side at the time, leaving his head a mangled mass; and flying on its terrible way, crashed through the thick oak planking that surrounded the machinery, and plunged into the middle boiler. The steam rushed out with a frightful sound and enveloped the crew. Immediately all was confusion-the sailors ran hither and thither in their agony to find a breath of fresh air, and some threw themselves out of the port-holes into the river. The two pilots struggled desperately to get out of the pilot-house, and in their agony stretched their arms through the look-outs, to feel the fresh air for which they were gasping, and sunk suffocated at their posts. Twenty-nine officers and men, including Captain Porter, who was badly scalded, were killed or disabled by the effect of this single shot. The boat, of course, was compelled to drop out of the fight. When the rebels saw it they sent up a cheer, and sprang to their guns with renewed vigor.

But Foote, with his three remaining vessels, never paused in his terrible advance, but with bows on, moved steadily forward till he got within six or seven hundred yards of the fort. At length, most of his guns being dismounted, Tilghman lowered his flag, and the day was won. The battle had lasted an hour and fifteen, minutes.

All this time Grant was toiling forward with his army. But the rain had made the roads so muddy that his progress was slow, and he was still a long way off when the heavy cannonading broke along the shore. As the sullen echoes: died away, the troops sent up a loud shout, and breaking into the double quick, pressed forward. For more than an

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256

EXPEDITION UP THE TENNESSEE.

hour they struggled on through mire and swamps, when suddenly the firing ceased. "What does it mean?" was the anx ious inquiry of every one. "Has Foote been beaten back?" scouts who had been sent out in advance, came galloping up bespattered with mud, and announced that the fort had surrendered.

Soon, however, one of the

The news spread like wildfire through the army, and then such a shout went up as never before shook the shores of the Tennessee. In half an hour afterward Grant arrived at the fort, when the command was turned over to him.

Foote, in his official report, put his loss in killed and wounded, and missing, at fifty-eight. His own ship, the Cincinnati, was struck thirty-one times, the Essex fifteen, the St. Louis seven, and the Carondelet six. On the two latter, however, were no casualties. The garrison that surrendered consisted of sixty or seventy men, with sixty invalids. The fort was mounted with twenty guns, most of them of heavy caliber, which with barracks and tents sufficient to hold fifteen thousand men, fell into our possession.

EXPEDITION UP THE TENNESSEE RIVER.

Foote immediately sent three gun boats up the river under the command of Lieutenant Phelps, to destroy the rail road bridge leading to Columbus, and capture two boats that had fled on the surrender of the fort. Finding they could not escape, the rebels set these on fire and abandoned them, when they soon after blew up with a terrific explosion. Proceeding up the river, Phelps destroyed the bridge and captured a gun boat which was in progress of completion. Continuing on into the state of Mississippi, he captured two more steamers, one freighted with iron for rebel use. He went as far as Florence, Alabama, where were three steamars which the enemy succeeded in burning. All along his

LOVE OF THE OLD FLAG.

257

route he witnessed demonstrations of loyalty. Old men and women flocked to the shore to greet the old flag-many even shedding tears as they once more saw the Stars and Stripes waving before them.

The news of the capture of fort Henry was received all over the north with demonstrations of delight. Foote was hailed as a hero, and our brave tars took, if possible, a still higher place in the affections of the people.

All eyes were now turned towards fort Donelson, which lay nearly opposite on the Cumberland, some twelve miles distant. This was a stronger and more important position, and was garrisoned by fifteen thousand troops. It was the key to Nashville, the Capital of Tennessee and an important depot of supplies to the rebel army, the possession of which would render the evacuation of Bowling Green by Johnston inevitable. Buell had for a long time been slowly advancing against this stronghold, impeded at every step by the destruction of bridges, and every device which a skillful enemy could invent.

ADVANCE ON FORT DONELSON.

Six days after the surrender of fort Henry, Grant started across the country with fifteen thousand men, in two divisions under McClernand and Smith-six regiments having been sent off by water the day before. At noon he was

within two miles of the place, and drove in the enemy's pickets. The gun boats, under Foote, not having arrived, but little was done the next day except to complete the investment of the place. In doing this, General Lewis Wallace was ordered to make an assault on the enemy's middle redoubt. Three Illinois regiments, under the command of Colonel Hayne, as senior colonel, were selected for the desperate undertaking. Forming in line of battle, they moved