The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-07-01

| Navy, Admiral Porter says:
Grant knew the nature Of those
works better than any other officer,
and saw that Bowling Green and
Columbus could both be turned as
soon as Henry aud Donelson tell.
Halleck and others were making
great strategic movements which
amounted to nothing, but Gran
kept his mind steadily fixed on
these two forts, knowing the effect
their fall would have. On the 23d
of January Grant visited Halleck
at St. Louis and urgently requested
permission to make the attempt to
take Forts Henry and Donelson,
which General c. T. Smith, who
had made reconnaissance, reported
could easily be done. The guRboats
at that time were subject to General
Halleck's orders and Flag Officer
Foote, who commanded them had
recommended united movement OF
army and navy against the forts.
The desired permission was finally
granted. but the gallant commander
of the army contingent was greatly
hampered by detailed instructions
furnished BY the eommander-in-
chief Grant started from Cairo on
the ID OF February 1852, with Il ,OOo
men in transport and Foote accom-
panied him with seven guhboats.
General Grant and Flag
officer Foote had intended to have
the army and navy make d stimuli
taneous attack, but 1t is pretty
difficult matter to time such events.
I In combined movements something
always happens to delay one party
or the other; in this instance the
roads were dreadful and the army
was so delayed that it did not reach
the fort until some time after It's
surrender to the navy.
DOSEISoN.
The advance on and capture at
Fort Donelson il thus described:
On the Sth of February, 1862,
General Grant telegraphed 10 Gener-
al halleck: "Fort Henry is ours the
gunboat silenced the batteries be-
fore the investment was completed.
| shall take and destroy Fort Don
elson on the Sth and return to Fort
Henry The same reasons which
had induced Grant to undertake the
capture of Fort Henry still urged
him to take Fort Donelson, that Is
to get the control of the Tennessee
and Cumberland Rivers and be able
to penetrate into the heart of Tennes-
see with his troops and Foote'S gun
boats.
On the 7th of February his caval-
~ penetrated to within mile OF
Fort Donelson, but they could OBJ
tain no information az to the strength
of the place or the number of troops.
Foote was notified of Grants in
tentions, and was requested to have
what gunboats he could muster
ready to attack the batteries before
the aruy made its assault But the
great rise in the Tennessee River
prevented Grant from completing
his proposed movement The wa
ter overhowed the river banks and
gave the army as much as it could
do to save its stores and tents from
the food.
In the meantime the gunboats un-
der Lieutenant Phelps had pushed
on up the Tennessee as far as Flor
ence, Alabama, frightening the in
habitants out of their wits and car
rying comfort to the loyal citizens,
who were glad to see the old flag
floating over their waters.
While Grant was making his move
ment in the rear of the fort. so as to
completely surround it and prevent
the escape of any ofthe garrison, the
gunboats on the water side were pre-
pairing for the attack. Foote accord
ing to his own report, did not consid-
er himself properly prepared for
such an adventure. as his force was
not sufficiently strong to make an at
tack on this fort, but at the earnest
request of Halleck and Grant he felt
called upon to do what he could.
and at 3 p m on the l4th he moved
up with his fleet.
Foote's vessels were struck about
fifty times each by 12S and % pound
shot and had fifty-four officers and
men killed and wounded
We regret that We cannot chronicle
victory for the gunboats, but it
was fair stand-up fight while it
lasted and Foote did not hesitate
to take the bull by the horns and
engage the enemy at coo yards. the
best distance for the forts and the
worst for the vessels, and although
the gunboats were forced to drop out
of action, they lost no credit In so
doing.
This victory belonged exclusively
to General Grant, and no one can
take from him one iota of the credit
of that great military feat, in which
be showed his fitness to lead the ar
mics of the Union
Grant was made Msjor General,
and We only regret that the oppor-
tunity did not serve to make Foote
Rear Admiral and give some promo
ton to his gallant officers
Having looked at all the details Of
this interesting affair, we fee. Obliged
to say that all the credit for the cap
ture Of Fort Donelson belongs to the
army, as there was no truth in the
statement that the enemy was so de-
moralized by the attack of the gun
boats that they could not be brought
into effective use on the following
day IN the actions which resulted in
their defeet and the surrender Of 16,-
600 men, sixty-five guns and II 900
small arms to General Grant
twenty-five hundred OF the Con-
federates were killed and wounded
during the siege
Z There was one omission IN this
naval attack which is due to the his
tory of the times and should be
mentioned Had the flag officer
sent his remaining gunboats past
he batteries at night when hedark-
ness would have prevented the enc
my from estimating his distance, the