2. With Kentucky’s decision to not join the
Confederacy, southern military leaders
were forced to create key defensive
positions along the Tennessee and
Cumberland Rivers, south of the
Kentucky border.

3.  Forts Henry, Heisman, and Donelson were
devised to protect western Tennessee
from Union forces using the Tennessee
and Cumberland rivers as approach
avenues.

4.  Unfortunately for the Confederacy, there
were few good locations to choose from
along the two rivers.

5.  H. Henry Halleck approved Brig. Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant’s plan to move swiftly to
attack Fort Henry before Confederate
reinforcements could arrive. As Grant’s
two divisions began their march south,
gunboats under the command of Flag
Officer Andrew H.

6.  Foote proceeded down river to attack
the Confederate forts on the
Tennessee. In a swift, violent exchange
of gunfire, Forts Heiman and Henry
quickly fell to the Union gunboats on
February 6, 1862.

7. . Now consolidated he would capture
around the two Donelson by the 8th
former Confederate of February quickly
forts on the ran into
Tennessee challenges. Poor
River, Grant was winter weather, late-
determined to arriving
move quickly on the reinforcements, and
much larger Fort difficulties in moving
Donelson, located the ironclads to the
on the nearby Cumberland, all
Cumberland River. delayed Grant’s
Grant’s boast that departure

8.  Despite being fairly convinced that no
earthen fort could withstand the power
of the Union gunboats, Confederate
Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston allowed the
garrison at Fort Donelson to remain and
even sent new commanders and
reinforcements to the site. On February
11th, Johnston appointed Brig. Gen. John
B.

9.  Floyd as the commander of Fort
Donelson and the surrounding
region. 17,000 Confederate
soldiers, combined with improved
artillery positions and earthworks
convinced Floyd that a hasty retreat was
unnecessary

10.  By February 13th, most of Grant’s Union
soldiers had arrived in the vicinity of Fort
Donelson and had begun to arrange
themselves around the landward side of the
fort. Several inches of snowfall and a cold
winter wind sent shivers through both
armies. With Grant’s reinforced army now
blocking a landward exit, the Confederate
forces knew that they would have to fight
their way to freedom.

11.  On February 14, 1862, Foote’s ironclads
moved upriver to bombard Fort
Donelson. The subsequent duel between
Foote’s “Pook Turtles” and the heavy guns
at Fort Donelson led to a Union defeat on
the Cumberland. Many of Foote’s ironclads
were heavily damaged and Foote himself
was wounded in the attack. Grant’s
soldiers could hear the Confederate cheers
as the Union gunboats retreated.

12.  http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/fort-
donelson.html?tab=facts

14.  The union won the battle against fort
donelson.
http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-
fort-donelson/videos#grant-or-lee

15. Hopeyou enjoy my
power point bye!