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Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., Recollections of Foote and the gun-boats. (search)
f the vessel. I was very anxious to construct these turrets after a plan which I had devised, quite different from the Ericsson or Coles systems, and in which the guns should be operated by steam. But, within a month after the engagement at Fort Donelson, the memorable contest between the Merrimac and the Monitor occurred, whereupon the Navy Department insisted on Ericsson turrets being placed upon these two vessels. At the same time the department was anxious to have four larger vessels the officers of the navy to whom they were submitted at Washington, Mr. Welles expressed the wish that I should confer with Admiral Foote about them before proceeding to build them, inasmuch as the experience which he had had at Forts Henry and Donelson and elsewhere would be of great value, and might enable him to suggest improvements in them. I therefore hastened from Washington to Island Number10, a hundred miles below Cairo, on the Mississippi River, where Foote's flotilla was then engaged
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., Notes on the life of Admiral Foote. (search)
flotilla everything on your rivers, your cities and towns would be at the mercy of the enemy? My first duty then is to care for my boats, if I am to protect you. Now when I ran up the Tennessee and the Cumberland, and attacked Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, if my boats were rendered unmanageable as my flag-ship was at Donelson, the current took care of me by carrying me away from the enemy's works. But all this is changed when I descend the Mississippi. Then my boats, if they become unmanagea the Navy — in clearing the Western rivers of the Confederates, my brother said they were like blades of shears — united, invincible; separated, almost useless. About the middle of May, 1862, being much enfeebled by his wounds received at Fort Donelson and by illness, he made his home at my house in Cleveland, Ohio, until about midsummer of that year. During this time he retained his command, and was in constant receipt of reports from the fleet. June 17th he wrote to the Navy Departme
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., The gun-boats at Belmont and Fort Henry. (search)
d 78 in the Fort and 16 in a hospital-boat; the remainder of the garrison, a little less than 2600, having escaped to Fort Donelson. our gun-boats continued to approach the Fort until General Tilghman, with two or three of his staff, came off ined with great rejoicing all over the North. Following upon the capture of Fort Henry (February 6th, 1862) and of Fort Donelson (February 16th), the fortifications at Columbus on the Mississippi were evacuated February 20th. In January General forced to surrender. In accordance with the idea suggested in this dispatch, the Federal movement upon Forts Henry and Donelson was decided upon. In the latter part of January General Beauregard was ordered to report to General Johnston for asst, being too ill to proceed to Columbus, he requested General Polk to visit him at Jackson. The fall of Forts Henry and Donelson, and the declared purpose of the Federals to push their forces up the Tennessee River, made the further occupation of Co
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., The defense of Fort Henry. (search)
, and within good rifle range. This circumstance was at once reported to the proper military authorities of the State at Nashville, who replied that the selection had been made by competent engineers and with reference to mutual support with Fort Donelson on the Cumberland, twelve miles away; and knowing that the crude ideas of a sailor in the navy concerning fortifications would receive but little consideration when conflicting with those entertained by a West Pointer, I resolved quietly to t had done the state some service in the war of 1812. The general opinion and final decision was that successful resistance to such an overwhelming force was an impossibility, that the army must fall back and unite with Pillow and Buckner at Fort Donelson. General Tilghman, recognizing the difficulty of withdrawing undisciplined troops from the front of an active and superior opponent, turned to me with the question, Can you hold out for one hour against a determined attack? I replied that I
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., Holding Kentucky for the Union. (search)
iles north of Hopkinsville, where a few companies remained at a time. Christian county was strongly Unionist, while all the counties west of it were overwhelmingly secessionist. Camp Boone was only a few miles from its southern border, and Fort Donelson about twenty miles south-west. Colonel Buckner had a 6-pounder cannon, which could be heard at Camp Boone and made his vicinity additionally disagreeable to those neighbors. The neutrality proclaimed by Governor Magoffin on the 20th of Ma, deployed as skirmishers, and Terry's Texas Cavalry-notable as one of the few fights of the war between infantry skirmishers in the open and cavalry. Nothing else of moment occurred on Buell's main line until the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson compelled Johnston to retire from Bowling Green and leave the road to Nashville open. The letter which follows shows Mr. Lincoln's ideas of what was demanded by the situation: Executive Mansion, Washington, January 13th, 1862. Brigadier-Gene
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., The capture of Fort Donelson. (search)
nd adds that while this was being done at Fort Donelson, Forts Henry and Heiman, over on the Tenneng thoroughly strengthened. January 30th, Fort Donelson was formally inspected by Lieutenant-Colonville. Sixteen thousand he gave to defend Fort Donelson. The latter detachment he himself called g at Fort Henry, and greater excitement at Fort Donelson. The polemicists in Dover became uneasy aht the gallant Colonel Heiman marched into Fort Donelson with two brigades of infantry rescued fromtion. Brigadier-General Pillow reached Fort Donelson on the 9th; Brigadier-General Buckner camevery opposite of that of the 6th--found in Fort Donelson a garrison of 28 regiments of infantry: 13oking north from the highest earthworks of Fort Donelson. From a photograph taken in 1884. New Uncd cover the honors of Fort Henry afresh at Fort Donelson. Unhappily, when about 350 yards off the bank. From a photograph taken in 1884. Fort Donelson is in the farther distance on the extreme [12 more...]
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., The opposing forces at Fort Donelson, Tenn. (search)
The opposing forces at Fort Donelson, Tenn. View from the National Cemetery, within the hedge on the right, across to the hill where were situated the interior works of Fort Donelson (see map, page 402). from a photograph taken in 1884. The composition and losses of each army as here stated give the gist of all theFort Donelson (see map, page 402). from a photograph taken in 1884. The composition and losses of each army as here stated give the gist of all the data obtainable in the Official Records. K stands for killed; w for wounded; m w for mortally wounded; m for captured or missing; c for captured.-editors. Composition and losses of the Union army. Brig.-Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. First division, Brig.-Gen. John A. McClernand. First Brigade, Col. Richard J. Oglesby: 8th Ill.,stoga, Lieut.-Com. S. L. Phelps. Total loss: k, 11; w, 43 =54. The vessels which had been in action at Fort Henry (see page 362) carried the same armament at Fort Donelson. The Louisville and Pittsburgh were each armed with 6 32-pounders, 3 8-inch, and 4 rifled 42-pounders. The Louisville had also 1 12-pounder boat-howitzer. T
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., The Western flotilla at Fort Donelson, Island number10, Fort Pillow and — Memphis. (search)
The Western flotilla at Fort Donelson, Island number10, Fort Pillow and — Memphis. Henry Walke, on General Grant requested me to hasten to Fort Donelson with the Carondelet, Tyler, and Lexington,th arrived a few miles below the fort. Fort Donelson occupied one of the best defensive positioed this ball as a souvenir of the fight at Fort Donelson. When it burst through the side of the Ca the 13th Flag-Officer Foote arrived below Fort Donelson with the iron-clads St. Louis, Louisville,-stacks were riddled. The gun-boats at Fort Donelson (February 14, 1862)the land attack in the icer connected with the heavy batteries of Fort Donelson who was fortunate enough to escape, we takipmates. On Sunday, the 16th, at dawn, Fort Donelson surrendered and the gunboats steamed up toplace. Our announcement of the victory at Fort Donelson changed their dejection into joy and exultumbus (and of the latitude of Forts Henry and Donelson), where General Beauregard, who was now in ge[6 more...]
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., Ellet and his steam-rams at Memphis. (search)
National flag and to examine the abandoned fortifications, the gunboats at this point taking the advance. The advance of Halleck upon Corinth after Shiloh, and its evacuation on May 30th, gave the Union forces possession of the Memphis and Charleston railroad, broke the second line of Confederate defense, and turned all the positions on the river above Memphis. Fort Pillow and Fort Randolph were thus made untenable (just as Columbus had become untenable after the fall of Forts Henry and Donelson on the Confederate first line of defense) and hence were evacuated.-editors. After leaving Fort Randolph the ram-fleet proceeded without incident to within about twenty-five miles of Memphis, where they all rounded to and tied up for the night, with orders of sailing issued to each commander; instructions to be ready to round out at the signal from the flag-ship, and that each boat should go into the anticipated fight in the same order they maintained in sailing. At the first dawn of
Robert Underwood Johnson, Clarence Clough Buell, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles. Volume 1., The battle of Shiloh. (search)
tely after the battle, informing him that an engagement had been fought, and announcing the result. The occurrences alluded to are these: After the capture of Fort Donelson, with over fifteen thousand effective men and all their munitions of war, I believed much more could be accomplished without further sacrifice of life. Claut I thought this deficiency was more than made up by the superiority of the commander. McClernand was on Sherman's left, with troops that had been engaged at Fort Donelson, and were therefore veterans so far as Western troops had become such at that stage of the war. Next to McClernand came Prentiss, with a raw division, and on te enemy, following with their entire divisions in supporting distance, and to engage the enemy as soon as found. To Sherman I told the story of the assault at Fort Donelson, and said that the same tactics would win at Shiloh. Victory was assured when Wallace arrived even if there had been no other support. The enemy received no
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