The Ulysses S. Grant Association Newsletter, VII, 3 (April 1970)

[pg. 17]

EYEWITNESSES AT FORT HENRY

by Roger D. Bridges

On February 6, 1862, the Confederate Defense line in the West was breached when a small rebel force in Fort Henry surrendered. Although Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant commanded the expedition, his troops were not yet in place around the fort when the gunboats, commanded by Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote, forced the seventy-eight remaining defenders in the fort to surrender. The fort had been defended by 2,610 men, but the bulk of them had been evacuated earlier in the day. [...]

[pg. 18]

Connecticut-born Flag Officer Andrew Hull Foote, who entered the Navy as a midshipman in 1822, had a long and distinguished career before the outbreak of the Civil War. He had participated in the African Slave Patrol in 1849-1851 and had reduced the Barrier Forts below Canton, China, in 1856 after attacks on the American flag. In August, 1861, he was placed in command of naval operations on the upper Mississippi River. On November 13, 1862, Foote was appointed a flag officer, placing him on a level with Army major generals. The gunboat flotilla commanded by Foote was under the control of the Army, so Brigadier General Grant commanded the expedition to Fort Henry. Foote's letter to his wife, Caroline Augusta Street Foote, provides a graphic account of the role taken by the gunboats in the reduction of Fort Henry.¹

Flag Steamer Cincinnati

Off Fort Henry Tennessee Feby 6/62

me the Fort was unconditionally surrendered.

This morning at 11 O'clock, after having made signal & had all Captains aboard and given them orders, and referring to my written orders [...] then made signal to get underway and when the Army moved on each side of the river, I moved with seven Gun Boats over the torpedoes or in the channel where they were placed and where we hauled up five yesterday. We were in sight of the Fort for 2 miles. I opened the fire with rifle guns and soon they were returned by the Fort. I ran up rapidly to the distance of 700 yards, taking with me the "Essex," "Cin.," "Carandolet" and "St. Louis," ordering them to keep abreast of me in the Flag ship [Cincinnati]. I ordered the three Boats not iron clad to keep one mile astern. We were all cut to pieces & only the steam mach[in]ery has escaped. Other boats except the Essex not hurt. The fire from the Fort, as the General said was directed upon me to sink or cripple the Flag ship [commanded by Roger Stembel], and we were struck with rifle & heavy shot & shells 30 times. I had the breath, for several seconds, knocked out of me, as a shot struck opposite my chest, in the iron clad pilot house on deck. Porter in the Essex received a shot in his boilers, which scalded to death his two pilots and I don't know how many men,² & dropped out of the action-receiving as I saw, two other plunging shots as he went. The fire now had become terrific and I had to signalize the two other iron plated Boats to run abreast of me, and I was constantly going ahead all this time. It was a fearful struggle, but I felt it must be victory or death. This ship was then in less than 700 yards & we began to get a beautiful range & poured shell in on them fearfully. I am all the time going ahead. One killed and nine wounded men were lying on deck groaning horribly.

At length, and at a moment, when it seemed we must be killed or sunk the big Secession flag was hauled down & victory was ours. A cheer ran up from this ship, a yell in fact & I had to run among the men & knock them on the head to restore order. The Surgeon hollered & bawled I told him that he ought to be ashamed of himself, he said it was coming from death to life, he expected to be killed for the last half hour & to hear the cheer he could not help roaring with all his might. Officers ran up & congratulated me, while the Captains of the other Gun Boats came up & rushed aboard. A Boat came off with the Adjt. Genl. & Captain of Engineers, and asked if I would see their General. I told them yes, but he must come aboard.

Soon afterwards Genl. Lloyd Tilghman an elegant gentle man and a West Point graduate came aboard, & said he wanted to treat. I had in the mean time taken possession & hoisted our flag in place of the Secession. I told the General he was a prisoner of war, with 17 Guns & all the effects in the Fort. He soon struck up an intimacy as he is a great admirer of Dr. Mason in Easton. He said he well knew me by reputation. He said that I showered shells upon him & nothing could stand it, but I do admire your course so much towards me. I let him write to his wife & friends & told him to tell them that he defended his fort with determined gallantry. He says that in 50 minutes seven of the eleven guns bearing on us were dismounted or burst. About this time Genl. Smith took quiet possession of the Fort opposite, which did not have its guns mounted and he marched in his troops without opposition. Genl. Grant also came aboard and his 10,000 men marched into the Fort which now had the American flag flying. We got ahead of the Army all to pieces.

I am now running back to Cairo [Illinois], to work on getting Morter and Gun Boats ready, and we have made the narrowest escape possible with our Boats and our lives. I have sent Phelps up the river in chase of the rebel Gun Boats, and let the Army swell with its 15000 men. I suppose they will go over to the Cumberland and try to take Dover. The Army is rather chop fallen. Porter I am sorry for but he has made too much of his little skirmishes. This vessel [the Cincinnati] did the brunt of the work, and I will pay Stembel by getting his son into West Point,³ who acted as my aid.