GRANT, ULYSSES S. (His MILITARY CAKEER.) 



423 



tucky had declared an intention to remain neu- 

 tral in the war, and this prompt occupation of 

 Paducah prevented the Confederates from get- 

 ting a foothold there, and did much toward 

 retaining the State within the Union lines. 



Gen. Sterling Price was advancing into Mis- 

 souri with a Confederate force, and Grant was 

 ordered, Nov. 1, to make a demonstration on 

 both sides of the Mississippi, to prevent troops 

 from being sent from Columbus and other 

 points to re-enforce Price. On Nov. 6 Grant 

 moved down the river with about 3,000 men 

 on steamboats, accompanied by two gunboats, 

 debarked a few men on the Kentucky side that 

 night, and learned that troops of the enemy 

 were being ferried across from Columbus to re- 

 enforce those on the west side of the river. A 

 Confederate camp was established opposite, at 

 Belmont, and Grant decided to attack it. On 

 the morning of the 7th he debarked his troops 

 about three miles above the place, left a strong 

 guard near the landing, and marched to the 

 attack with about 2,500 men. A spirited en- 

 gagement took place, in which Grant's horse 

 was shot under him. The enemy was routed 

 and his camp captured, but he soon rallied, and 

 was re-enforced by detachments ferried across 

 from Columbus, and Grant fell back and re- 

 embarked. He got his men safely on the 

 steamboats, and was himself the last one in 

 the command who stepped aboard. He capt- 

 ured 175 prisoners and two guns, and spiked 

 four other pieces, and lost 485 men. The Con- 

 federates lost 642. The opposing troops, in- 

 cluding re-enforcements sent from Columbus, 

 numbered about 7,000. 



In January, 1862, he made a reconnoissanoe 

 in force toward Columbus. He was struck 

 with the advantage possessed by the enemy in 

 holding Fort Henry on Tennessee river and 

 Fort Donelson on the Cumberland, and con- 

 ceived the idea of capturing them before they 

 could be further strengthened, by means of 

 an expedition composed of the troops under 

 his command, assisted by the gunboats. He 

 went to St. Louis and submitted his propo- 

 sition to the department commander, Gen. 

 Halleck, but was listened to with impatience, 

 and his views were not approved. On Jan. 

 28 he telegraphed Halleck, renewing the sug- 

 gestion, and saying, '* If permitted, I could 

 take and hold Fort Henry on the Tennessee." 

 Com. Foote, commanding the gunboats, sent 

 a similar dispatch. On the 29th Grant also 

 wrote, urging the expedition. Assent was ob- 

 tained on Feb. 1, and the expedition started 

 the next day. Gen. Tilghman surrendered 

 Fort Henry on the 6th, after a bombardment 

 by the gunboats. He with his staff and ninety 

 men was captured, but most of the garrison 

 escaped and marched to join the troops in Fort 

 Donelson, eleven miles distant, commanded by 

 Gen. Floyd, who after this re-enforcement 

 had a force of about 21,000 men. Grant at 

 once prepared to invest Donelson, and on the 

 12th began the siege with a command number- 



ing 15,000, which was increased on the 14th 

 to 27,000 ; but about 5,000 of these were em- 

 ployed in guarding roads and captured places. 

 His artillery consisted of only eight light bat- 

 teries. The weather was extremely cold, the 

 water high, much rain and snow fell, and the 

 sufferings of the men were intense. The ene- 

 my's position was naturally strong, and had 

 been well intrenched. There was heavy fight- 

 ing on three successive days. On the 15th the 

 enemy, fearing capture, made a desperate as- 

 sault with the intention of cutting his way out. 

 Grant detected the object of the movement, 

 repelled the assault, and by a vigorous attack 

 secured so commanding a position that the ene- 

 my saw further resistance would be useless. 

 Floyd turned over the command to Pillow, 

 who in turn resigned it to Buckner, and Floyd 

 and Pillow escaped in the night on a steamboat. 

 Over 3,000 infantry and the greater portion of 

 Forrest's cavalry made their escape at the same 

 time. On the 16th Buckner wrote proposing 

 that commissioners be appointed to arrange for 

 terms of capitulation. Grant replied: "No 

 terms other than an unconditional and imme- 

 diate surrender can be accepted. I propose to 

 move immediately upon your works." 



The garrison was surrendered the same day, 

 unconditionally. The capture included 14,623 

 men, 65 cannon, and 17,600 small-arms. The 

 killed and wounded numbered about 2,500. 

 Grant's loss was 2,041 in killed, wounded, and 

 missing. This was the first capture of a promi- 

 nent strategic point since the war began, and in- 

 deed the only substantial victory thus far for the 

 Union arms. It opened up two important navi- 

 gable rivers, and left the enemy no strong foot- 

 hold in Kentucky or Tennessee. Grant was soon 

 afterward made a major-general of volunteers, 

 his commission dating from Feb. 16, and his 

 popularity throughout the country began from 

 that day. 



He urged a prompt following up of this vic- 

 tory, and started himself for Nashville, Feb. 28, 

 without waiting for instructions, but telegraph- 

 ing that he should start if he received no orders 

 to the contrary. For this, and under the pre- 

 tense that he had not forwarded to his superi- 

 ors in command certain reports showing the 

 strength and positions of his forces, he was de- 

 prived of his command, and ordered to remain 

 at Fort Henry. He was not restored to com- 

 mand until March 13, when his services were 

 again required in view of the enemy's having 

 concentrated a large army near Corinth, Miss. 

 He transferred his headquarters to Savannah, 

 on Tennessee river, on the 17th. He found 

 the forces under his command, numbering 

 about 38,000 men, encamped on both sides of 

 the river, and at once transferred them all to 

 the west side and concentrated them in the 

 vicinity of Pittsburgh Landing. He there se- 

 lected a favorable position, and put his army 

 in line, with the right resting at Shiloh Church, 

 nearly three miles from the river. He was 

 directed not to attack the enemy, but to await 



