The National tribune., 1898-04-21

| We arrived at Fort Henry Monday eve
ming and found the Fort had already beer
taken. Reporting to Gen. Grant, he i'm
medately turned to his Adjutant- Genera
and dictated the following order:
Headquarters, District Of Cairo, Fit. Henry
Tenn, Feb. II, 1eG2.
Col. Jno NJ Thayer.
| Sir: You will proceed around to For
| Donelson, Tennessee, by way of the Cum
| berland River, and direct all troops OF
transports met between this and Paducat
| to accompany you.
You will not pass the gunbOatS already
directed to precede you. 1t is expected
that the troops from Fort Henry will arrive
near Fort Donelson tomorrow evening
ready to commence the engagement on the
following morning. The force going by
water should effect landing as near the
fort as practicable and be in readiness to
cooperate with the forces from here.
Each regiment will be under its immedi-
ate commander, the senior, however, TAX
ing direction of the whole, until brigaded
by orders from these Headquarters.
By order of Brig.-Gen. U. S. Grant, Com
manding.
John A. Rawlins, Assistant: Adjutant-
General.
P. S-Ccl John NJ Thayer will assume
command of all the troops proceeding and
directed in the above order to proceed to
Fort DOnelson by way OF the Cumberland
By order Oi Brig.-Gen. U. s. Grant, Com
handing.
John A. Rawlins, Assistant Adjutant-
General.
There being no telegraph communication
between st. Louis and Fort Henry, Hal
leck had not learned of the surrender of
the latter and was still rushing regiments
forward to that point as fast as he could
get them. Grant said to me that he did
not want any more troops to come to Fort
Henry, but wanted all to go around by
water to Fort DOnelsOn, although the dis
tance by land between the two forts was
but II miles, for the reason that, owing to
recent heavy rains, the ground between
Fort Henry and DonelsOn was very heavy,
wet and marshy, difficult for the move
meEt of artillery especially. He sh uld,
however, take the army already there,
across the country.
We left there about II o'clock that night
for Paducah, and during the night turned
around eight steamers loaded with troops.
Arriving at Paducah in the morning. |
found five more steamers there with troops.
Flag Officer FOOte was there also, with
five gunbOats. Communicating with him,
it was arranged that he would start with
his fleet at o'clock that afternoon for
Fort DonelsOn, to be followed by fleet of
IL transports.
At the appointed hour Foote'S flagship
drew out into the stream and was followed
by the balance OF his gunbOats. The
White Cloud next took it's place in the line,
with the II steamers following in single
order. The day was lovely, the sun was
shining brightly the air mild and balmy,
each transport black with troops, and the
band upon each playing National airs; the
scene presented was most inspiring. Pur-
suing our way as expediti0usly as possible,
he feet had entered the Cumberland,
when a tug which belonged to the gun
boat commanded by Capt. Wake, who had
preceded us one day in advance, and had |
with Grant, met us, bring |
ng note to me from him written with |
pencil in his own hand on a half sheet |
Orn from his notebook, of which the fol- |
owing is copy:
Headquarters, ETC., Feb. Is, 1862.
Col. Thayer, commanding Teinforcements |
on transports, Cumberland River.
Col: Consult with the bearer of this as to
he practical bility of bringing your forces /
Up here If the landing and route are both
come up with all haste, leaving
baggage on board the steamer. A detail of
our men should be left from each COM
ANY to land rationS for their command
md bring them up. One wagon to each
egiment will be sufficient for this.
Respectfully your obt s'v't,
U. S. Grant, Brigadier- General.