burne says: "When he left his head-quarters at 'Smith's plantation below Vicksburg, to enter on that great campaign, he did not take with him the trappings and paraphernalia so common to many mili tary men. As all depended on quickness of movement, and as it was important to be encumbered with as little baggage as possible, he set an example to all under him. He took with him neither a horse, nor an orderly, nor a servant, nor a camp-chest, nor an overcoat, nor a blanket, nor even a clean shirt. His entire baggage for six days-I was with him at that time-was a tooth-brush. He fared like the commonest soldier in his command, partaking of his rations and sleeping on the ground with no covering but the canopy of heaven. How could such a General fail to inspire confidence in an army, and to lead it to victory and to glory?"

Such are some of the characteristics of the Lieutenant-General of the American armies. There are other things which may be said, but the time is not yet. The problems of the leader are not wholly solved. His past is his country's. His place in history is however to be decided by events yet unaccomplished.

This much was due to the achieved results of the life and public services of the gallant Colonel of the 21st Regiment of Ills. Vols. Those services, said Mr. Washburne, “Are familiar as household words. Look at what this man has done for his country, for humanity, for civilization-this modest, unpretending General.

* He has fought more battles, and won more victories than any man living; he has captured more prisoners and taken more guns than any General of modern times. To us in the great valley of the West he has rendered a service in opening our great channel of communication to the ocean so that the great father of waters now goes 'unvexed to the sea.' Sir, when his blue legions crowned the crest at Vicksburg, and the hosts of rebeldom laid their arms at the feet of this great conqueror, the rebel Confederacy was cut in twain and the back-bone of the rebellion broken."

CHAPTER XI.

THE CUMBERLAND AND TENNESSEE.

RECONNOISSANCE-PREPARATIONS-BATTLE OF MILLFORD—MT. ZION-SILVER CREEK— COLUMBUS GRANT'S BRIGADING ORDER OTHER FORCES-FORT HENRY-GUNBOATS— LAND FORCES TENNESSEE MUD-INSTRUCTIONS-THE BOMBARDMENT-THE WHITE FLAG THE SURRENDER-TIGHLMAN AND FOOTE-THE COMMODORE IN THE PULPITESCAPE OF THE CAMP-REBELS-IRON-CLADS-MUSTER OF FORCES FOR DONELSONDONELSON-DEFENCES-REBEL COMMANDERS-WAITING FOR THE TRANSPORTS-THE GUNBOATS-THEY RETIRE-GRIMES ON ADMIRAL FOOTE-SEIGE-A SORTIE-A TERRIBLE CONTEST-GEN. SMITH'S CHARGE-WHITE FLAG-FLOYD AND PILLOW-CORRESPONDENCE-UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER-THE VICTORY-ITS RESULTS-STANTON'S LETTER-GRANT'S REPORT-THE TIDES OF WAR-Kentucky-MCGOFFIN-Better AND TRUER MEN-THE LEGISLATURE-GEN. ANDERSON-BUCKNER'S ATTEMPT TO SEIZE LOUISVILLE-GEN. ROSSEAU-HEGIRA THE SITUATION-GEN. ANDERSON RETIRES "CRAZY SHERMAN"-A "BOGUS CONVENTION"-"COUNCIL OF TEN"BROAD FARCE-A "STRONG Ass"-GEN. BUELL-DIVISIONS-THE SECOND-THE THIRD-ROWLETT'S STATION-MILL SPRINGS-DEFEAT OF MARSHALL-MITCHELL'S MARCH ON BOWLING GREEN-Crossing BARREN RIVER-OCCUPATION-ON TO NASHVILLE-ITS OCCUPANCY-A REBEL ACCOUNT-MITCHELL'S AND BUELL'S FORCES.

THE

HE reconnoissance made under orders of General Grant convinced him that the rebel line along the Tennessee and Cumberland could be broken, those rivers opened, the evacuation of Columbus compelled, Nashville captured, and the enemy forced to make his base elsewhere than on those water lines. Preparations were made for a grand movement which was delayed a short time, awaiting the completion of some gunboats.

Meanwhile other stirring events were transpiring. BrigadierGeneral Pope had charge of Central Missouri, and on the 18th of December, 1861, fought a spirited and successful engagement at Millford, Mo., which resulted, according to Major-General Halleck's report, in taking "thirteen hundred prisoners including three Colonels, and seventeen captains, one thousand stand of arms, one thou

THE FORCE BRIGADED.

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sand horses, sixty-five wagons and a large quantity of baggage, tents and supplies." General Prentiss had command in North Missouri, and a portion of his force had, on December 28th, a hotly contested fight with the enemy at Mount Zion, Boon county, dispersing and driving them. On the 8th of January, 1862, Major Torrence of the 1st Iowa Cavalry attacked and defeated a rebel force at Silver Creek, Missouri.

Columbus, Kentucky, is situated upon the Mississippi River, about twenty miles below Cairo. It was seized by General Polk, September 4th, and so fortified as to be termed the "Rebel Gibraltar." Naturally strong for defence, it was made almost impregnable by massive works and heavy guns. Of course it closed the Mississippi to navigation as effectually as though its waters had become solid rock. Its possession was indispensable to the Union armies, but it was to be taken by those tactics which since became so unpleasant at Chattanooga and Atlanta. The capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson was to uncover its rear, and compel its abandonment by the forces of General Polk. The gunboat fleet was being pressed to completion during the months of November, December and January, and thorough reconnoissances were made toward Columbus, some by water, and one in force by land, causing the Confederates to concentrate their forces for the defences of their Gibraltar.

General Grant had matured his plan for the campaign of the Tennessee and Cumberland, and it is to be remembered that his troops occupied the ports of Paducah and Smithfield at the mouth of those rivers. He issued the following order for brigading them:

"[General Order No. 5.]

"HEAD-QUARTERS, DISTRICT Of Cairo,
"CAIRO, February 1, 1862.

"For temporary government, the forces of this military district will be divided and commanded as follows, to wit:

"The First Brigade will consist of the Eighth, Eighteenth, Twenty-seventh, Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth, and Thirty-first Regiments of Illinois Volunteers, Schwartz's and Dresser's batteries, and Stewart's, Dollin's, O'Harnett's, and Carmichael's cavalry. Colonel R. J. Oglesby, senior colonel of the brigade, commanding.

"The Second Brigade will consist of the Eleventh, Twentieth, Forty-fifth, and

Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry, Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Taylor's and McAllister's Artillery. (The latter with four siege-guns.) Colonel W. H. L. Wallace commanding.

"The First and Second Brigades will constitute the First Division of the District of Cairo, and will be commanded by Brigadier-General John A. McClernand.

"The Third Brigade will consist of the Eighth Wisconsin, Forty-ninth Illinois, Twenty-fifth Indiana, four companies of artillery, and such troops as are yet to arrive. Brigadier-General E. A. Paine commanding.

"The Fourth Brigade will be composed of the Tenth, Sixteenth, Twenty-second, and Thirty-third Illinois, and the Tenth Iowa Infantry; Houtaling's battery of Light Artillery, four companies of the Seventh and two companies of the First Illinois Cavalry. Colonel Morgan commanding.

"General E. A. Paine is assigned to the command of Cairo and Mound City, and Colonel Morgan to the command of Bird's Point.

This order was published, and no pains taken to prevent its falling into the hands of the rebels, but it was not published that there were divisions organizing under Generals C. F. Smith and Lew. Wallace at Paducah and Smithland. Preparations were made for a combined land and naval attack upon Fort Henry, situated on the Tennessee River, near the Kentucky and Tennessee line. It stands on low ground, above high-water mark, just below a bend in the river, and at the head of a straight stretch of about two miles and commands the river for about that distance. It was a bastioned earth-work enclosing about two acres. It mounted seventeen guns including one ten-inch columbiad, throwing a roundshot of one hundred and twenty-eight pounds weight, one breech-loading rifle gun, carrying a sixty-pound elongated shot, twelve thirty-two pounders, one twenty-four pounder, rifled, and two twelve-pounder siege guns. Most of the guns were pivoted, and capable of being played in any direction. It was encompassed by a deep moat, and strongly garrisoned and deemed capable of resisting any assailing force, however formidable.

Late on Saturday night, February 1st, the gunboats St. Louis, Cincinnati, Carondolet, Essex, Tyler and Lexington, left Cairo and proceeded to the mouth of the Tennessee at Paducah, when they were joined by the Conestoga. The fleet was commanded by Commodore, later Rear-Admiral, A. H. Foote, as gallant a seaman

as ever trod the quarter-deck, or sailed the deep. Strictly temperate, a God-fearing and God-loving man, he could be trusted with the lives of men and the honor of the flag anywhere. In 1856 he punished a gross insult offered our flag by the Chinese, by attacking and chastising with his three hundred seamen and twenty-two guns, a fort manned by twenty-two guns, and five thousand men. English and French naval officers expressed the warmest admiration for his gallantry. In preparing his Western fleet, his labors had been immense, and at last he took it into the conflict but partially prepared.

The land forces were conveyed from Cairo to Paducah on trans-' ports, and from them the whole fleet sailed up the Tennessee, swollen and muddy toward the fort. After suitable reconnoissance, the squadron was moved about four miles below the fort, where the troops landed and encamped for the night. A violent thunder storm burst upon them; the heavens were aglow with lightning and the rain fell in torrents, thoroughly soaking the clay so as to render the next morning's march laborious and difficult. The General commanding ordered the first division, General McClernand's, including the first and second brigades, to take a position on the roads from Fort Henry to Donelson and Dover, to prevent the reinforcement of the fort or the escape of its garrison, and to be in readiness to "charge and take Fort Henry by storm on the receipt of orders." The second division, commanded by General C. F. Smith, was to cross the river and move up the western shore, and occupy a hill overlooking the fort, which the enemy had begun to fortify, and then to send a portion of his force across the river and reinforce General McClernand. The gunboats were to shell the fort and drive the enemy from the guns. The Commodore urged the land forces to start in advance of the gunboats, and when he ascertained they would not, said pleasantly, but prophetically. "I will take the fort before you get there."

The two divisions set out as ordered. The first made every exertion to get up into position to intercept the retreat of the garrison, but the Tennessee mud was too deep. Over slippery hills and through tenacious swamps, the Illinois boys pressed eagerly forward, marching to the music of Foote's deep-mouthed artillery and