Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-13

boat, containing the adjutant general and
captain Of engineers, came alongside after the
nag was lowered, and reported that Gen
Lloyd Fllghman, commander of the fort,
wished to communicate with the flag officer,
when | dispatched Commander Steinbel and
Lieut.. Commanding Phelps with orders TO
hoist the American flag where the secession
ensign had been fly ing, and 10 inform General
Tilghman that l would see him on board the
flagship. He came on board soon after the
Union had been substituted for the rebel flag
on the fort, and possession taken of it.
l received the general and his staff and
some sixty or seventy men as prisoners, and
a hospital ship containing sixty invalids
together with the fort and its effects, mount
ing twenty guns mostly of heavy caliber, with
barracks and tents capable of accommodating
fifteen thousand men, and sundry articles. AS
] turned the fort and its effects over to Gen.
Grant commanding the army on his arrival in
an hour after we had made the capture, he
will be enabled to give the government more
correct statement of the effects than am able
to communicate from the short time l had
possession of the fort. The plan of att TEX SO
far as relates to the army's reaching the rear
of the fort to make demonstration simulta-
neously with the navy, was frustrated by the
exceedingly muddy roads and the high stage
of water.
On securing the prisoners, and making the
necessary preliminary arrangements, 1 ds.-
patched Lieut.. commander Phillips, with his
division, up the Tennessee river, as l had pre-.
viously directed, and as will be seen in the Ell.
closed orders to him, to remove the rails and
50 far render the bridge OF the railroad for
transportation and communication between
Bowling Green and Columbus useless; and
afterwards to pursue the rebel gunboats and
secure their capture if possible This being
accomplished, and the army in possession of
the fort, and my services being indispensable
at Cairo, left fort Henry in the evening of
the same day, with the Cincinnati, Essex, and
ST Louis, and arrived here this morning
The armed gunbOats resisted effectuay
the shot of the enemy when striking tine case.
mates. The Cincinnati, flagship, received
thirty one shots, the Essex fifteen, the st.
Louis seven, and the Carondolet six, killing
one and wounding nine in the Cincinnati, and
killing one in the Essex, while the casualties
In the latter from steam amounted to twenty.
eight in number. The Carondolet and St.
Louis met with no casualties. The steamers
were admirably handled, presenting only their
bow guns to the enemy to avoid the exposure
OF the vulnerable parts of their vessels.
Lieut.. commanding Phillips, with his divis-
ion, also executed my orders very etfectually,
and promptly proceeded up the river in their
further execution, after the capture of the fort.
In fact, all the officers and men calamity per.
formed their duty and, considering the little
experience they have had under fire, far more
than realized my expectations. Fort Henry
was defended with the most determined gal
lantry by Gen. Tilghman, worthy of a better
cause, who, from his own account, went into
action with eleven guns of heavy caliber, bear.
ing upon our boats, which he fought till seven
of the number were dismantled or otherwise
rendered useless. have the honor to be livery
respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. H. FooTE, Flag Officer.
To Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the
Navy, Washington, d. c.