Fort Donelson National Battlefield, TN (7-22-14)

The conquest of Fort Donelson on February 16, 1862 marked the first major Union victory of the Civil War. Up until early that year everything seemed to be going the Confederates way. Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia had chased the Federal Army out of Virginia and in the Western Theater little had been done to break the Southern defensive line stretching from Arkansas across Kentucky. To Union planners the soft spot along that line, however, seemed to be along the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, two waterways that would provide an open highway into the interior south if only they could be brought under U.S. control.

Protecting these waterways were two newly constructed Confederate forts, situated a dozen or so miles apart. Fort Henry was built to protect the Tennessee River while to the east the much more imposing Fort Donelson protected the Cumberland. In early 1862 a joint army/navy task force was sent out down the Tennessee to capture Fort Henry. Commanding the naval squadron was Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote while the Army expedition would be led by a new-to-command and relatively unknown Brigadier General by the name of Ulysses S. Grant. Due to it's poor location, the reduction of Fort Henry was a relative cake-walk. While Grant was approaching with his army on February 6th, Foote attacked the fort with four of his ironclads. In a ferocious artillery battle which lasted about an hour, the Confederate commander at Henry determined he couldn't hold out against the oncoming force and abandoned the stronghold before Grant even arrived. Over 2,500 soldiers from Fort Henry escaped towards the next objective on Grant's list, Fort Donelson.

In contrast to Fort Henry, Fort Donelson was very well-planned and situated amongst high hills which dominated the Cumberland River. The fort itself was some 15-acres in size and was surrounded by 10-foot earthen walls and abatis. Facing the river were three batteries containing over a dozen heavy guns. In addition, with the expectation of a land attack, nearly 3-miles of earthworks were constructed in a ring a half mile to a mile outside the fort. To man these defenses were nearly 17,000 determined Confederate soldiers under the combined commands of Generals John B. Floyd, Gideon J. Pillow, and Simon B. Buckner. Pleased with the ease at which Fort Henry was reduced Grant's plan for the bigger prize of Donelson was initially the same as his earlier victory. He would approach with his army by land and surround the fort while Foote and his gunboats approached via the Cumberland. Foote's ships would pummel the fort's heavy guns and force the then all-but-defenseless fort to capitulate. As it turned out Fort Donelson would be a bit tougher nut to crack.

In the following album I take a tour around the National Battlefield as it is today. As with other albums I tried, at least in part, to arrange this album as events took place at Donelson. Because the landscape (particularly the thick forest) has changed so much since the time of the battle it was quite hard at times to keep myself oriented to how different positions correlated to one another. Otherwise, it was wonderful to have the opportunity to walk amongst the earthworks and gun emplacements where a relatively unknown general became "Unconditional Surrender" Grant and the tide was irreversibly turned in the Western Theater of the war...

Battle Statistics

United States of America
Armies Engaged: District of Cairo, Western Flotilla
Commanding Officer: Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant
Strength: 24,531
Casualties: 2,691 or 11.0% (507 killed, 1,976 wounded, 208 captured/missing)

Confederate States
Armies Engaged: Fort Donelson Garrison
Commanding Officer: Brigadier General John B. Floyd, Brigadier General Gideon J. Pillow, Brigadier General Simon B. Buckner
Strength: 16,171
Casualties: 13,846 or 85.6% (327 killed, 1,127 wounded, 12,392 captured/missing)

Entering Fort Donelson National Battlefield just west of Dover, TN...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
The visitor center wasn't much to look at from the outside if I'm completely honest...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
The display area inside, however, though small-ish was packed with lots of good info and artifacts...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Along one wall was a cross-section view of one of the gun boats Grant used against the fort...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Rifling...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Two Congressional Medal's of Honor were awarded during the Donelson Campaign. This one, on display at the visitor center was awarded to Corporal Voltaire P. Twombley of the 2nd Iowa who was wounded planting the first Union flag inside the enemy trenches on Feb. 15, 1862...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
A collection of small arms used during the battle for Donelson...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
A variety of artillery shells utilized during the battle and bombardment of Donelson...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson National Battlefield Map
Union strengths and casualties during the Fort Donelson Campaign...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Confederate strengths and casualties during the Fort Donelson Campaign...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Left Wing of Confederate Outer Defenses - February 15, 1862 - Porter's Battery
This battery, marked by the single cannon and remnant entrenchments, was instrumental in the defense of the Confederate right flank during the Union attacks of the 15th. Battery Commander Captain Thomas Porter was seriously wounded late in the engagement...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Confederate Monument
As with many other Civil War battles which resulted in a Union victory, Confederate dead were often buried quickly near where they fell. Therefore the final resting places of the 257 Confederate dead at Donelson are unknown. To commemorate their sacrifice the United Daughters of the Confederacy erected this large monument in 1933...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Confederate Monument
The inscriptions at the base of the monument read as follows:

"This shaft is dedicated as an alter of remembrance to the Confederate soldiers who fought at Fort Donelson February 1862." "Honor their valor, emulate the devotion to which they gave themselves to the service of their country, let it never be said that their sons in these southern states have forgotten their noble example." "_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ here was the place of battle. You who have never known the scour and pierce of battle may only remember moments by names, places by monuments, but I who was born by the battle-fields cannot escape a sorrow that dwells, a valor that lingers, a hope that spoke on lips now still."
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Confederate Monument
As with many other Civil War battles which resulted in a Union victory, Confederate dead were often buried quickly near where they fell. Therefore the final resting places of the 257 Confederate dead at Donelson are unknown. To commemorate their sacrifice the United Daughters of the Confederacy erected this large monument in 1933...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Preparation for Attack - Feb. 6-14, 1862
After the fall of nearby Fort Henry on February 6, Confederate soldiers who had managed to escape streamed into Fort Donelson and immediately set to work preparing defenses. So focused were the men defending Donelson in strengthening their works that General Grant and his army were able to make the 12-mile march from Henry virtually unopposed...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Indian Creek Road - Feb. 12, 1862 - Bedford's Cavalry Raid
As the Federal Army gradually made its way toward Fort Donelson Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest and his cavalry set out on its own mission to do what it did best...harass and delay. About a mile and a half south of the Confederate outer defenses, along Indian Creek Road, Forrest made a daring attack against a far superior Union force. After a brief, bloody, but ultimately unsuccessful fight, Forrest was forced to retreat back inside the Confederate lines...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Center of Confederate Outer Defenses - Feb. 13, 1862 - Graves Battery
After the fall of Fort Henry the Confederates at Fort Donelson knew they'd be next in Grant's cross-hairs. A hastily constructed outer ring of defenses was constructed to protect the fort against a land attack. Here, at a 6-gun battery commanded by Captain Rice E. Graves, an early reconnaissance thrust at the Confederate lines was repulsed on the 13th. Graves Battery would see further action supporting the Confederate breakout attempt of the 15th...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Center of Confederate Outer Defenses - Feb. 13, 1862 - Graves Battery
After the fall of Fort Henry the Confederates at Fort Donelson knew they'd be next in Grant's cross-hairs. A hastily constructed outer ring of defenses was constructed to protect the fort against a land attack. Here, at a 6-gun battery commanded by Captain Rice E. Graves, an early reconnaissance thrust at the Confederate lines was repulsed on the 13th. Graves Battery would see further action supporting the Confederate breakout attempt of the 15th...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Center of Confederate Outer Defenses - Feb. 13, 1862 - Maney's Battery
Like Graves Battery just to its west, the 4-gun battery under the command of Captain Frank Maney came under fire on the 13th by early arriving elements of the Union army. Though the battery was never in any danger of being overrun it did take heavy casualties from Federal sharpshooters which reduced the battery's firing capability from four guns to two...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
If General Grant could see it now...a paved road now leads into Fort Donelson...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson Entrance
The earthworks which now remain are only a remnant of what once was. Surrounding the 15-acre fort were some 2-miles of earthen and log walls. Built by Confederate soldiers and slaves the fort took a full 7-months to construct...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson Entrance
Standing defiantly atop Donelson's impressive earthworks a lone cannon faces a landscape much more wooded than what would have been found at the time of the battle. To provide better visibility and open fields of fire all trees within 200 yards of the walls would have been cleared and their branches used to create sharpened obstacles known as abatis...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
The park road as is curves along the eastern walls of Fort Donelson. This is the side of the fort that would have borne the brunt of the Union bombardment from the Federal camps about a mile south east...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
For some reason I expected the interior of the fort to be flat and was surprised to see it was actually quite hilly with a large ravine bisecting it...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson Housing
Looking into the interior of Donelson is a single reconstructed cabin, representative of the 100 that were built within the fort in addition to 300 outside the walls. Soldiers stationed at the fort considered these accommodations downright luxurious. Unfortunately for the thousands of reinforcements who arrived shortly before the battle no such accommodations had been prepared and had to suffer the winter cold under blankets or crude tents...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson Interior
A panorama of the interior of Donelson today reveals a rather bucolic rolling field. The scene here before and during the battle was quite different. Inside the fort and manning the outer defenses was a force of some 17,000 Confederates. Around a hundred log huts provided shelter for the original garrison of 5,000 but the 12,000 additional reinforcements sent before the battle would have been strewn across the far hillside under blankets and tents...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson East Wall
As stated earlier these defenses were much more imposing at the time of the battle. The embankments would have risen ten feet from the ditch fronted by a tangle of sharpened abatis. Also all ground cover would have been cleared within 200 yards of the walls denying protective cover from any would-be attacker...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Stankiewicz's Battery - Fort Donelson - Feb. 15, 1862
To provide cover for the Union attack against Donelson's outer defenses on the 15th, Captain Peter K. Stankiewicz's 8-inch howitzer and two 9-pounders went into action atop Donelson's northeastern walls. The Union advance was only about 3/4 miles distant, within easy range of Stankiewicz's guns...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson Interior
Another view of the interior of Fort Donelson, this time from its northern walls. I was hoping to do a bit more exploring of the interior of the fort but the entire area was closed off due to eagle nesting...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - Eastern Walls
Looking down upon the Cumberland River from Fort Donelson's easternmost batteries. The imposing height of Donelson above the river provided a long range of sight against any Union gunboats that might dare approach...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - Eastern Walls
A view along Fort Donelson's easternmost earthworks...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - River Batteries
Heading down out of the fort to the main river batteries...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - Early Water Batteries
If you look closely you can see a series of four mounds descending the hill through the trees. These mounds mark the first water battery positions constructed at Donelson for protecting the river, each position mounting a massive 32-pound cannon. It was soon realized, however, that these positions would not be effective against ironclad attacks and were moved to the batteries you'll see in the next few photos...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - Cumberland River
Though much wider now due to damming downstream the mighty Cumberland River still flows by Donelson as it did during the Civil War. A vital waterway which, if captured, would allow the Union Armies an open highway into the interior Deep South, it was determined early in the war that the river must be defended at all costs. Thus the construction of massive Fort Donelson. If there was any hope of invading Tennessee or the Lower South Fort Donelson had to be taken...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - River Batteries
Here was the most intimidating and most important battery of cannon at Fort Donelson, intended to deter Grant's flotilla of gunboats from passing downriver. At the time of the battle the battery contained eight 32-pounder guns as well as one 10-inch Columbiad...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - River Batteries
Two more guns of Donelson's River Battery. This was the most intimidating and most important battery of cannon at Fort Donelson, intended to deter Grant's flotilla of gunboats from passing downriver. At the time of the battle the battery contained eight 32-pounder guns as well as one 10-inch Columbiad...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - Feb. 14, 1862 - 3:00pm - Gunboat Battle
Attempting to use the same tactics that had worked so well the week prior at Fort Henry, Flag Officer Andrew Foote approached Fort Donelson with the intention of shelling the river battery into submission thus opening the fort to invasion from the river. Fort Donelson, however, would prove to be a much more deadly adversary than Henry was. After a fierce battle which lasted an hour and could be heard 35 miles away, Foote (who was wounded) had lost three of his ships along with 8 men killed and 44 wounded. The Confederates didn't lose a single man. Following this unsuccessful attack, General Grant resigned himself to the fact that Fort Donelson could only be carried by land, possibly a siege...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - Upper River Battery
These three guns, consisting of two 32-pounders and one 6 1/2-inch rifle, also took part in the gunboat battles of the 13th and 14th. Unfortunately, again due to eagles nesting nearby, the trail down to the battery was closed so this was as close as I could get...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Left Wing of Confederate Defenses - Feb. 14-15, 1862 - Overnight - Breakout Plans
Seeing Grant's army growing and becoming better supplied by the day, Confederate Brigadier General Gideon Pillow decided that the forces at Donelson could not survive a siege and plans were drawn up for a breakout. At daybreak, the majority of the Confederate forces would attack the Union right flank, hopefully surprising and overwhelming them and opening the Forge Road to Nashville...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Left Wing of Confederate Defenses - Feb. 15, 1862 - 6:30am - Dawn Attack
The massive Confederate attack against the Union right came at daybreak. The Union forces were caught completely by surprise and quickly found themselves in a fighting retreat...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Union Right Flank - Feb. 15, 1862 - 8:00am - Breakout Attack
By 8:00am things were looking very bad indeed on the Federal right. It was the Union division under General John McClernand that had suffered the brunt of the attack and now McClernand was calling desperately for any and all reinforcements to try to stem the tide of the Confederate advance...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Union Right Flank - Feb. 15, 1862 - 1:00pm - Breakout Attack
By early afternoon the Confederates had succeeded in their objective of pushing back the Union right flank and opening their escape route to the south. Despite desperate Union counterattacks, a gap over a mile wide had been made in the Union lines. The way to freedom was open for the Confederates, it was up to their commanders now to issue the orders for escape...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Union Right Flank - Feb. 15, 1862 - 2:00pm - The Attack Stalls
Just as Confederate success seemed certain and an escape from the Union siege of Donelson attained, the Confederate high command suddenly and inexplicably became indecisive in what their next move should be. The Union army was slowly recovering from the morning attack and had begun to press in on the flanks of the open salient the Confederates had won. Apparently this gave Generals Floyd and Pillow just enough doubt that they decided it would be better to pull back to their original lines. The shock and outrage this caused amongst their subordinates and soldiers by this order was on the order you would expect...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - Feb. 15, 1862 - 2:30pm - Center of Confederate Line - Buckner's Defense
Following General Pillow's controversial and infuriating order for all Confederate units to fall back to their original lines, Grant wasted no time in ordering a counter-attack. Under heavy fire as they pulled back the Rebel soldiers under Brigadier General Buckner set up a hasty defense along this ridge. For the rest of the afternoon the Union forces pushed again and again against Buckner's strong line but by nightfall had failed to push it back...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Union Right Flank - Feb. 15, 1862 - 4:00pm - McClernand Retakes his Lines
With General Grant now on site, the orders passed to McClernand and Wallace were simple, "Gentleman, the position on the right must be retaken." With the Confederates in a state of confusion, the Federal troops had time to reform and re-arm and it wasn't long before they were pressing hard to retake their former lines. By the end of the day most units had regained the ground they had lost, bottling the Confederates back up inside Donelson...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - Feb. 15, 1862 - Afternoon - Confederate Right Wing of Outer Defenses
Stripped of manpower to support the breakout attempt earlier in the day, these trenches on the far Confederate right were square in the cross-hairs of Union General Smith. After the attack on the Confederate left had failed, Grant had told Smith it was up to him, here against the Confederate right, to seize Fort Donalson...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater
Fort Donelson - Feb. 15, 1862 - Afternoon - Confederate Right Wing - Smith's Attack
General Grant, unitimidated by the earlier breakout attack at the other end of the line by the Confederates, knew that to make such a strong thrust they must have weakened their lines elsewhere. He determined it was the right wing of their defenses that were vulnerable and ordered General Smith to therefore "Take Fort Donelson.". Ordering his men to remove their firing caps so the attack would not be slowed by men stopping to fire and rather having them fix bayonets the Union assault quickly overwhelmed the diminished Rebel line. The only thing that prevented Smith from taking the fort was darkness and he anticipated resuming the assault the next morning...
Grant Halleck Dover Land betweeen the lakes shiloh national battlefield national cemetery ironclad siege Tennessee River Cumberland River Civil War Western Theater

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Fort Donelson National Battlefield, TN (7-22-14)

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