Volume Iv Part 6 (2/2)

OPERATIONS IN LOUISIANA. FEBRUARY TO JULY, 1863.

ATLANTA TO SAVANNAH.

THE BATTLE-FIELD OF NASHVILLE.

MAP OF NORTH CAROLINA.

JACKSON'S ATTACK ON HOWARD, MAY 1, 1863.

DIAGRAM OF THE ATTACK ON SICKLES AND SYKES.

THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY.

GENERAL EARLY'S MARYLAND CAMPAIGN.

GRANT'S PURSUIT OF LEE, APRIL, 1865.

MAP OF HAMPTON ROADS.

PERIOD IV.

CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION (Continued)

1860-1868

CHAPTER V.

THE STRUGGLE FOR THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY

The North conducted the war upon three great lines of campaign: 1. The Western campaigns, to clear the Mississippi River and thus divide the Confederacy. 2. The campaigns in the centre, to reach the sea at Mobile, Savannah, or Charleston, cutting the Confederacy a second time. 3. The Eastern campaigns, to take Richmond, and capture or destroy the main Confederate army, ending the Confederacy. This chapter deals with the Western campaigns alone.

[1862]

The opening of 1862 found the Confederates in possession of a strong line across the southern portion of Western Kentucky, stretching from Bowling Green, near the centre of the State, to Columbus on the Mississippi. The two gates of this line were Forts Henry and Donelson, on the Tennessee and c.u.mberland Rivers, respectively, just over the Tennessee border. If these forts could be taken the Confederates must give up Kentucky.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Map of western Kentucky.]

The Confederate Line from Columbus to Bowling Green.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Map.]

Fort Henry.

On February 6th, after a two hours' bombardment, Fort Henry surrendered to General Grant, who had come up the river from Cairo with 17,000 troops, and with seven gunboats commanded by Commodore Foote. Most of the garrison, about 3,000, had been sent off before the fleet opened fire, General Tilghman foreseeing that he could not hold the fort. The land forces arrived too late to cut off their retreat, and they escaped safely to Fort Donelson, some dozen miles to the east.

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