FOOTE. 87 



the American Flag"; also, he delivered lectures on temperance, on Liberia, and 

 on Christian missions. He served on the Naval Efficiency Board at Washington. 



In April 1856 Commander Foote was ordered to the East India station to 

 join Commodore Armstrong's fleet in the Portsmouth, a sloop-of-war provided with 

 Dahlgren guns. He was sent to the river at Canton, China, to protect Americans 

 there. The Chinese and British were at war and Foote maintained an armed neu- 

 trality. On one occasion his boat was fired upon by the Chinese, without provo- 

 cation. It was determined to prevent a recurrence of such an attack and all 

 four forts guarding the river were captured, partly by fire from the ships and partly 

 by storming, with a loss to the Americans of 7 killed and 22 wounded and to the 

 Chinese of 200 to 500. This action made the American flag respected and paved 

 the way for the advantageous treaties of Mr. Reed and Mr. Burlingame. 



Upon his return to Atlantic waters Foote was placed in charge of the 

 Brooklyn Navy Yard. Here his energy and executive talent led to improved 

 discipline and to his frequent appointment as president of courts-martial. He also 

 put in force his progressive ideas as to scientific as well as technical training for 

 naval men. 



When the Civil War broke out Foote was placed in command of naval opera- 

 tions on the "western rivers," meaning the rivers about the mouth of the Ohio. 

 Nine iron-clad gunboats and numerous mortar-boats were being built and three 

 wooden vessels had been purchased. By tremendous activity Foote got most of 

 them ready for action before February 6, 1862, on which day he cooperated with 

 Grant's troops in the attack on Fort Henry. Steaming his ironclads close up to 

 the fort, they were fought, following his careful orders, with such vigor and accuracy 

 that the fort was surrendered in a few hours, with a Union loss of only 2 men 

 killed. 



A few days later Foote cooperated again with Grant before Fort Donelson. 

 This fort was placed partly on a high bluff and partly at the water's edge and was 

 much stronger than Fort Henry. Foote planned to destroy the lower battery 

 and then, ascending the river still farther, enfilade the front of the fort with broad- 

 sides. The fortifications were badly damaged, but the fleet had suffered so from 

 the fire of the land guns that the boats had to retire just as the fort was about to 

 fall. It was abandoned the following night. Foote was wounded in the foot 

 and leg. This dangerous wound was eventually the cause of his death. Foote 

 was for pushing the advantage of the fall of Fort Donelson by advancing up the 

 river, but he was prevented from doing so fully by the military arm of the service. 

 He was now directed to proceed toward Fort Columbus, on the Mississippi River. 

 It occupied a powerful position, but the fall of the other river forts and the 

 appearance of Foote's reinforced fleet in the river led his enemy to seek a parley 

 under a flag of truce. Foote's curt replies still further shook their confidence and 

 the fort was evacuated. Island No. 10, farther down the river, was passed at 

 night by two gunboats which brought land forces across to the rear of its batteries. 

 The batteries were thereupon abandoned and the island itself soon surrendered 

 (April 7, 1862). The admiral had now to demand relief from service on account 

 of his wound. He died June 26, 1863. 



Andrew Hull Foote was self-reliant and adventurous, even audacious. His 

 father once said that he had succeeded pretty well in controlling all of his boys 

 except Andrew; him he had attempted only to guide. It was because he was so 

 self-reliant and adventuresome that he succeeded in destroying the barrier forts 



