Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-02-06

earthen walls of the fort plowed up
and the debris showered over the Con-
federate guns. One of Captain Tay-
lor's guns, a rifed piece, burst and dis
abled many of the men. His column
bad was spiked by its own prlmlng
wire getting fast, and two 81 pound
erS We're struck and shattered at
the same moment. In a short time
there were only four pieces in action,
five having been put out OF service and
sixteen men disabled beside them.
Meanwhile the ironclad Essex had
dropped out of the fight, disabled by
remarkable shot which pierced the
casemate just above the portfolio on
the port side, passed through the mid
die boiler and cast up a shower OF
scalding water and steam. By this
shot forty-eight soldiers and sailors
were killed or wounded, many OF them
being scaded to death. Before the ac-
cident the Essex had fired seventy
shots. The flagship Cincinnati was
riddled with the holes of thirty-twO
shots, which pierced her upper works.
One shot ripped up her side timbers
and showered the decks with splinters.
Two of her guns were disabled. The
st. Louis was hit seven times and the
Carondelet in about thirty places by
heavy shot and shell. The Carondelet
fired 1O7 shells and had no battle cas-
ualties. Eight missiles struck within
two feet of the bow ports in range
with the boilers, but were stopped by
barricades built to protect the boiler
room. On all the ironclads the plating
was broken and splintered by the ac-
curate Confederate fire.
General Tilghman hauled down the
flag of Fort Henry at l: 80 p. M, when
but two of his guns were left in ac-
ton. He had lost 5 killed, II wound
ed and missing. Accompanied by his
staff, he went on board the Cincinnati
and surrendered the garrison Of seven
ty-eight souls to Flag Officer FOote.
General Grant reached the fort at 8
o'clock and relieved the navy of COM
mand.
Grants troops had been prevented
from attacking on the land side by the
difficulties Of the march, which was
through dense forest flooded by re-
cent heavy rain The Federal cavalry
attempted to head off the main body of
COnfederates on their retreat toward
Donelson, but only succeeded in pick
ing up a few belated stragglers and
two cannon.
At Fort Henry Grant first appeared
in the role of captor and host to prison
ers Of war; Captain Taylor, writing Tor
The Century War Series, describes
the bearing Of the general at the time.
Taylor was threatened by Federal Of
fcer with punishment for having de-
stroyed the records Of the fort before
the surrender, whereupon Grant inter
rupted the colloQuy by saying, Il would
be very much surprised and mortified
if one of my officers should allow in
formation which he could destroy to
fall into the hands Of the enemy"
Fort Henry fell on the 9th of Febru-
airy. and Grant Immediately informed
his chiefs that he would take Fort Don
elsOn on the Sth On the 7th, with
part of a regiment of cavalry, he rode
to within a mile of the outer line of
| Confederate works. He explained this
temerity to his staff by saying that he
had known General Pillow, the Con-
federate then in charge of the Donelson
defenses, in Mexico and believed that
it was safe to ride up within gunshOt
of any intrenchmentS he was given to
hold. There was no opposition on the
part OF the enemy to the reconnaissance,
and the party learned the topography
of tue country around the fort.
But the onward march to Donelson
from Fort Henry was delayed a week
by the continued rains which made the
roads between the Cumberland and
Tennessee rivers impossible for artil-
lery and wagons. 1t was also part of
the plan to have the navy cooperate,
and this neceSSitated a voyage back to
| Paducah, then up the Ohio to the Cum
berland and again up that stream to
Donelson. Before leaving the Tennes
see, however, the navy proceeded up
that river from Fort Henry and de-
stroyed the bridge of the Memphis and
Ohio railway. The first vessels of the
meet ICdCucu punt VII liz >SAAAION1
land a few miles below Fort Donelson
on the 10Th of February, the day that
Grant arrived and placed his army in
position, almost completely investing
the enemy's works. But there was to
be fighting ahead for the army and
navy as we'll before the fall of Donel-
son would be added to Grants military
achievements.
Flag officer Foote transferred his
pennant to the ironclad St. Louis and,
leaving the Cincinnati and Essex be-
hind, took to DonelsOn the Louisville,
Pittsburg and Carondelet and the gun
boats Tyler and C0nestoga. Grant was
ordered by HaIleck to fortify Fort
Henry on the land side to protect it
from the Confederates at Donelson, but
believing that the enemy would re-en-
force the latter work heavily and that
the subordinate at the front was bet
of+ 10 cit than tho chief