The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-06-09
FIELD, FORT AND FLEET.
For, Henry. ,he Man-Trap--How Eighty
 Hen Held il fer Two Hours.
e,rAi Fret Frrss.


 1.-the confedera;es had been allowed more time Forts Henry and Donaldson would have formed part of 4uadr.i- a.e.a.. As !, MAS ore event crowded another se closely that the forts were not IT shed as intended. not armed as they should have been. and not garrisoned .of such attacks IS Grant and Fae,e made. 0n me ith oi February. ISe2. Grant began .anding his infantry three ml.es below Fort Henry. and Foote Was on hand wi:h seven sua-boa;s. tn iha; same nj sh, the feGerals had possession of bo,h banks of ,he Tennessee below the for. The move was made suddenly, but had !: been proclaimed week in advance he sarriser of :he !ori could not have been ncreased by thousand men. Grants move was q par; of d grand move raeni wh!ch gave he coateceTaies at each poin, plenty of anxiety. and TO threatened. poia: had reinio;s emen:s e sFare.
 Could he orgiI.a. plans of ,he ersia- eers have oeen carf.eG out Fort Henry | ~as.d have beer ! strong work. n!o&a.- IT. rom t.f;y n siNly cannon. instead e' e.evea. ar. ealing for Il s..gFisos of o0o sea. instead of 200. No; only the iag.
 sci was open ,o attacks irot.: both and
 and water at the same moment. p.i | MS actually commanded from three CT iaa- ( .,eren: land points which an enemy aee,d De certain ;o occupy. To have lad far show asalns; Gran; ard Feefe
 s.h their seven gun boats. IS.oa3 lnt4a- IF and nearly Iao guns. Gen. Tiishaaa. commanding. should have had .1co .E-
 iaa.-y aid fc:. or i've aad.iena. Aa.-
 ,eg.es q: :.e,G artillery. lie could uo: l e.sa ;h.nS of holding the opposite shore. | though Gran: had 10 bl, post h.s ha;- ,e..es there 70 rake every acre of sro2ad n Ire for, ard maintain a oross:re orc. ! most ci :. \ rise osiwo feet ni water
 woE.c s.ve 4 -.u.- boat direc, ire into
 .*e ;.:reneEed camps. and ye, this mat Ter cid rot seem 10 have troubled the engineers who laid ou: the works. There was rot n For; Henry. whon Grant aae foo:c were fairly ready for attack. a spo; or pace :o shelter half Go1en men from i1e ire ot re CT Inc other. ore sho Goao;s hss bu; h % over the ground. He can see he position oi every ,i.n. ard ife ;.vcr is s,.ll there. The roads which he teoetals cleared a.oa : t.e oanss are plan enough. and the en- .ad.ng fire Car. be traced as easily as the o.are oi ar, ..S through ,..c forest. Gen. ssa:;h forces. which moved up the west
 aans. ~alke! mo position hardly q
 .hogsaad fee, iron. the magazine of the
 for. and from :hs position had three
 eross-aies on he garrison. When ihe
 confederate cosam4nGer realized the
 s.sen glh Of he force closing ln upon hin
 he saw iha, he fcrt mus, fall While
 Fer, Donaldson. twelve .ai.es a ross the lonn,Ty on he Cumberland. was a par; II he same system of defense, !: WAS bet .er located for a vigorous defense. and lae fall of one did not necessarily include he fall Of ;he other. If he could save Donaldson by le;uns 90 of Henry, t So-ld sti.. be point gained.
 t'- inc MoIn.as of ne Hlh, while tie gun-boats were moving np ard the in- faniTy swing into positions. Tilshu,an seai away faur-h!;hs of his garrison by tAe highway 10 For Donaldson. Indeed. l, was either this. or 10 see them cut 10 pieces by he en.ilading fire. CT captured as they s,ood in line. They had already been driven clear of ,he works before the for, had fred a gun. The command marched swiftly away. 70 be added e the garrison of ;he other for. and ;hat they might no; be too closely pursued and because ne had hsh; in him and ~ssald nor surrender wi;hou, striking blow.
 Ilghman went 10 his heavy gaas and made ready for what was oom- ing. There were exactly eleven of them n he ba;;ery on the nver siGe. and there were not enough artlaleris.s 10 wors more than eigh, of them q: once. These facts may read strangely 10 one who has perused the en- ta.sias,ic versions of certain historians regarding the confederate strength: b.; ihey are iac:s. nevertheless.
 The fedora! infantry held back 70 le; foo.e open he bal. and silence inc wa- Ter batteries. Rlssh, 'sallAa,ly he fee, moved gP. oPea..s, :lse :.a..c ye; long xay on. and steadily maintaining t 4Ra. coming as close as was deemed prudent. The ags, dozen shells from the fee, a-re altogether 100 EiEa. and crashed aElony he :recs. The second one hFe3 struck tree about twenty-five fee, from inc roo;s las. selow where three srea; limos oraa-aed ou,- ard took the entire :op o1 and s-as i; upon other .ree-seps 70 ihe rear TLe truns was spl, in s-ar;ess eae..- cowr 70 me roots.
 Under cover of,helr own rapid fire. he ircr-clais advanced 70 within nfie-shot of ;ne water battery .whiie those TO; protected Remained ., A safer distance Al were near e1o.sh 70 make ,he.r fire effective and when once the range had been oo- tzsEe6, ;. w1s not len minutes before hose .a For. Hexry realized ,ha; the feet alone vas more than is match o.ly e;gh,y-sever men had been lef, be- h.rd 70 man inc guns. and TO. ive cut Of ike 7-.abe- had ever Ri.aesse5 sk:.-