Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1862-02-20
Especial correspondence of the Chicago Tribunc.]
CAPTURE OF FORT HENRY.
Gallant Conduct of Our Young
Western Navy.
FULL PARTICULARS

The telegraph has given you informa-
tion relative TO the attack upon Fort Hen
nv, and the surrender, and it only remains
for me to give connected account of the
expedition, the attack and surrender. The
expedition was planned with great secrecy.
Even the most knowing correspondents
were in the dark as TO what was intended,
although those who kept their eyes and
ears open could very well guess what was
going on.
The expedition was planned by Gen.
Halleck, and although he was at ST. Louis
he had big finger in the pie. General
Cullom, chief of his staff, came down here
the other day on business with Gen. Grant
and Commodore Foo.e. Soon after his
arrival there was general movement in
camp and at the levee. Steamboats, null
tiplied-or rather those which were usual
ly 10 be seen steamingup and down the
Ohio and Mississippi, somehow found it
convenient to, stop here, and the landing
presented grand spectacle. The troops
were ordered to be ready. Their prcvis
ions were placed on board the steamers,
then the troops went on board. No one
knew whittier they were bound, but there
were many sbrewd guesses.
Finally on Tuesday seven of the gun
boats and the steamer moved up the Ohio,
and then all hands came to the conclusion
that the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers
were to be visited.
You remember that one of the gun
boats few weeks ago went up the Ten
nessee river with the Commodore on board,
and that few shells were dropped. into
Fort Henry, eliciting no reply, the rebels
shrewdly understanding that it was only a
reconnaissance, and that it would not be
wisdom to expose their position. But
notwithstanding they chose to be silent
Commodore Foote obtained all needful
information and proceeded to make his ar
rangements accordingly.
The. plan proposed was for joint attack
by water and by land, but owing in part
10 the gallantry of the brave boys on the
gunboats and to Commodore Foote'S ad-
mirable plan of attack, which did not ad
nit the possibility of defeat; also to
the persistent energy which kept bis fleet
straight on, bent on cne single purpose
also owing to the distance the land force:
were obliged to march, it was wholly ma
val victory.
To give clear account, one which car
be understood by those who have not Wis
tied the locality, or who have not studied
the plan, l will attempt description of th'
place.
You know that that the Tennessee and
i. the Cumberland Rivers enter the Ohio on
f ly ten miles apart, and that they both rur
across the State, and that at the line be
tween Kentucky and Tennessee, they arr
! only Ten miles apart. Both are naviga
. bic. The Tennessee is navigable for lafg'
t steamers to the Muscle Shell Shoals ii
| Alabama. The Cumberland is navigabl'
tor small steamers up as far as Mill Springs
t where Zollicoffer was defeated and killed
2 The two streams are in fact two highway
. opening into the heart of the bogus Con
: federacy. They are most important ave
S uues, quite as valuable as railroad lines
: more SO in fact, for powder will blow u
0 bridges, and rebels can tear up rails, but
5 is impossible for all secessia to tear up tn
o rivers. The rebels very well understoo'
: the Importance of these streams, and know
n ing that the rivers could not be destroyed
Il they did the only thing in their power
o built forts, to stop our advance BY thes
y two gaieways. They chose two import
n ant localities-one on each river, both be
o low the line of railroad which connect
d Columbus with Bowling Green. Th
|. point on the Tennessee which was selecte
Is near the Bluff, two or three miles abov
n or south of the Tennessee line. Pin
q Bluff is on the West side of the rive
B. about twenty miles from the bridge whsr