Transcript Fort Donelson and Shiloh

Fort Henry, Fort Donelson
and Shiloh
Mr. Sparks
Ft. Sumter April 12, 1861
Western Theatre
Donelson
February
Fort Henry
Shiloh
February
1862
Sumter
April
April
Antietam
Sept
nd
2 Manassas
1st Manassas
August
July
Campaign for
Richmond
Spring
Eastern Theatre
Battle for Tennessee
• Fort Henry
February 6, 1862
• Fort Donelson
February 11-16, 1862
• Shiloh (aka Pittsburg Landing)
April 6-7, 1862
Kentucky
VA
MO
Ft. Donelson
TN
Ft. Henry
AR
NC
Shiloh
SC
Corinth
MS
AL
GA
Ft. Donelson
Shiloh
Fort Henry & Fort Donelson
• In the fall of 1861, Albert Sidney
Johnston had constructed a
defensive cordon that would
protect the South from invasion
via the Tennessee & Cumberland
Rivers. This would split the South
in half, and provide easy access
for the Union army & navy.
• Many regarded Johnston as the
Confederacy’s most capable
general, but he had just 43,000
men to hold this 300-mile line
Albert Sidney Johnston
CSA General
Fort Henry & Fort Donelson
• Two of his major
positions were Forts
Henry and
Donelson just south
of the TennesseeKentucky line
– Fort Henry
blocked the
Tennessee
River
– Fort Donelson
blocked the
Cumberland
River
Fort Henry
February 6, 1862
• The Union’s easiest victory in the West. Fort
Surrendered in 75mins!
• When the river was at normal levels, the walls of the
fort rose 20 feet about it, but in Feb 1862, heavy rains
caused the river to rise and most of the fort was
underwater.
• Small CSA resistance: CSA General Johnston
orders his men to retreat to Ft. Donelson.
THE UNION GUN-BOATS ADVANCING
UP THE TENNESSEE RIVER TO THE
ATTACK ON FORT HENRY
US Navy bombards Fort Henry
Fort Donelson
February 11-16, 1862
• The massive Federal logistical tail
restricted it to movements where rail
or river transportation was available
• That left four avenues
– Down the Mississippi against
Columbus
– Up the Tennessee River to Fort Henry
– Up the Cumberland to Fort Donelson
– Along the Louisville & Nashville
Railroad to Bowling Green, KY
Fort Donelson
February 11-16, 1862
• On Feb 13, Grant attacked Fort
Donelson with 23,000 men
(army).
The Union Navy began
the attack on Feb 11.
• This time the Confederates held
off against Union gunboats
• Fearing Grant would surround
them, the Confederates broke
out, but then incredibly returned
to the trenches
General Grant
Grant Surrounds the Confederates
CSA Breakout,
then fall back
Fort Donelson
February 11-16, 1862
• Overall in command of the
Confederates at Fort Donelson
was Brigadier General John
Floyd, a former secretary of war
• Subordinate to him were
political general Brigadier
General Gideon Pillow and
professional soldier Simon
Bolivar BUCKNER!!!
• Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest
commanded the cavalry….and
he will Run Forrest. So does
Floyd and Pillow.
• Buckner Stays and surrenders.
POW Buckner
Fort Donelson
February 11-16, 1862
• Pillow declared “that he thought
there were no two persons in the
Confederacy whom the Yankees
would prefer to capture than
himself and General Floyd”
• Floyd turned to Pillow and said,
“I turn the command over, sir.”
• “I pass it,” Pillow replied
promptly.
• “I assume it,” said Buckner.
“Give me pen, ink, and paper,
and send for a bugler.”
• As Buckner prepared to
surrender, Floyd and Pillow
made their escape.
As Secretary of War under
President Buchanan, Gen. Floyd
had been accused of sending
Federal equipment to Southern
arsenals where it would
inevitably be seized when war
broke out
Fort Donelson
February 11-16, 1862
• Forrest was disgusted and
declared, “I did not come here to
surrender my command,” and
breakouts with his 700 men
• Buckner asked Grant for terms, to
which Grant replied,
– Sir: Yours of this date
proposing Armistice, and
appointment of Commissioners,
to settle terms of Capitulation is
just received. No terms except
unconditional and immediate
surrender can be accepted. I “The Ghost Column” by Mort
Kunstler
propose to move immediately
upon your works.
Nathan Bedford Forrest after
• This is where Grant got his
breaking out of Fort Donelson
“Unconditional Surrender”
will disappear.
nickname
Fort Donelson
February 11-16, 1862
• Buckner and Grant were old
friends.
• After the surrender they
shared jokes about Pillow.
Grant asked Buckner, “Where
is [Pillow] now?”
• Buckner replied, “Gone. He
thought you’d rather get hold
of him than any other man in
the Southern Confederacy.”
• “Oh,” said Grant, “if I had got
him, I’d let him go again. He
will do us more good
commanding you fellows.”
Pillow had a reputation from
Mexico of cowardice, connivance,
and self-aggrandizement
Fort Donelson
February 11-16, 1862
• Fort Donelson was the
first major Federal victory
of the Civil War
– 12,500 Confederates
surrendered
– With the Cumberland
River open Federal
gunboats could move on
Nashville, Tennessee’s
capital and an important
supply depot
– The Confederates
abandoned Nashville
without a fight
Nashville’s important rail yard
On to Shiloh…
• Johnston was now in full retreat.
• Grant moved up the Tennessee River to within a few
miles of the Mississippi state line
Ft. Donelson
Shiloh
Shiloh
Tennessee
April 6-7, 1862
The Battle of Shiloh raged from April
6 until April 7, 1862. Union troops
had found Confederate General Albert
Johnston’s forces near Corinth Road,
but they were not prepared for an
attack. The Southern troops forced
them to retreat toward the river.
Although the Confederate soldiers had
gained ground, they suffered many
losses. On the second day the Union
army claimed ground in the early
morning, throwing off Beauregard’s
troops. The Confederacy, however,
had an exceptional defense and
stopped the Union soldiers before the
Confederates retreated.
Shiloh Church
Shiloh, Tennessee
A.S. Johnston
April 6-7, 1862
Grant
Basic Stats
• Two day battle
• Grant was surprised by early morning CSA attack.
(his troops were spread out and not fortified...
in enemy territory!!!)
• CSA almost drove Union into Tennessee R.
• Next day Grant gets reinforcements and drives
CSA back to Corinth (Mississippi)
Grant and Sherman
Make a Mistake
• Grant’s army disembarks off the
Tennessee River on their way to
Corinth
• Grant was unprepared and almost
crushed by CSA General A. S. Johnston
Shiloh April 6-7, 1862
Shiloh
April 6-7, 1862
• Johnston concentrates his forces even
though he knew that numerically his army
was barely equivalent to Grant’s, he is
determined to strike anyway
– Could surprise Grant with his back to the
Tennessee River
– If he waited, Buell would unite with Grant
meaning the Confederates would have to
concede western and middle Tennessee to
the Federals for good
Shiloh
April 6-7, 1862
• The bad roads and unseasoned troops resulted in it taking
two full days to cover the 20 miles from Corinth to Shiloh.
• Johnston’s second-in-command, Beauregard, urged the
offensive be abandoned, but Johnston insisted, “I would
fight them if they were a million.”
• On the evening of Apr 5, Johnston deployed for battle.
Union Forces: 67,000
Confederate Forces: 47,000
Shiloh
April 6-7, 1862
• Amazingly the Federals had
little suspicion of an impending
Confederate attack
– Sherman told one nervous
colonel, “Take your damn
regiment back to Ohio. There is
no enemy nearer than Corinth.”
– Grant was so confident he located
his headquarters at Savannah,
some ten miles downstream from
Pittsburg Landing
– Neither Grant nor Sherman
ordered their men to entrench
William Sherman
Shiloh
April 6, 1862 AM
• With
disproportionate
surprise, the
Confederates
attacked out of the
woods on the
morning of Apr 6
• They came in
waves with each of
the four corps
piling in one
behind another
The Confederates take the
Union by surprise! They are not
entrenched, or prepared.
Shiloh
April 6, 1862 AM
• Key to the Federal hopes was a
position near the center of the line
commanded by Brigadier General
Benjamin Prentiss
• Prentiss covered a narrow road that
ran parallel to the Confederate attack
• The Confederates conducted eleven
assaults against what became known
as the “Hornet’s Nest” aka Sunken
Road.
• Prentiss held until 5:30 p.m. when he
was surrounded and forced to
surrender. However, he bought the
Union TIME TO ORGANIZE.
General Benjamin Prentiss
Union Army
“Hornet’s Nest”
Shiloh: Confederate Losses 1st Day
Gen. Johnston
– He was shot behind the knee severing
an artery, but refused to seek aide and
continued to rally his troops.
– Johnson passed out on his horse and
bled to death.
•The confederates didn’t know that the
Union is being resupplied with fresh Albert Sidney Johnston
CSA General
troops that night.
Shiloh
April 6-7, 1862
• In spite of the reinforcements,
many of Grant’s officers,
including Sherman, thought it
wise to retreat.
• Sherman told Grant, “Well,
Grant, we’ve had the devil’s
own day, haven’t we?”
• Grant replied, “Yes. Lick ‘em
in the morning though.”
• Grant’s personal persistence
and confidence would make
the difference at Shiloh
Grant Retreats to Safety
• As Grant predicted, the reinforced Union army repulsed the
Confederates on the second day [April 7th, 1862]. At sunset, the
Confederates began retreating back to Corinth (Mississippi).
Shiloh
• Losses at Shiloh were horrific;
exceeding those of any
previous battle in American
history
• The Federals lost 13,000
• The Confederates 10,700
• Grant was severely criticized
and accused of being drunk on
the first day of the battle.
The Bloody Pond
Many historians
disagree that this
actually happened
Shiloh
• Still Shiloh was a Union
victory, especially
coming on the heels of
Fort Donelson
– The Confederacy had
lost much of western
and middle Tennessee
and Shiloh ensured it
would stay that way
General Grant
Fallen Timbers (End of Shiloh)
Nathan Bedford Forrest
"Wizard of the Saddle"
Fallen Timbers Continued
• Grant sends Sherman to make sure that the Confederates
are retreating, and not preparing for another attack.
• Sherman takes soldiers (not cavalry).
• He finds Conf. Colonel Forrest in a camp down a long road
with fallen trees for nearly 200yds (hence the name).
• Forrest attacks and nearly captures Gen Sherman. As the
Union lines formed, the confederates retreated, but Forrest
(who was at the head of the charge) was left surrounded.
He took a direct shot above his hip, almost to his spine, and
was able to escape capture and survive the wound.
Odd Facts
• South’s attack was as unorganized as Union
was unprepared
• General Prentiss will help save the day for
the Union (Hornet’s Nest)
• Some accuse Grant of drinking
• A. S. Johnston dies  Gives way to Robert
E. Lee.
• Grant will actually see a short demotion for
not entrenching his troops.
War Becomes Real
• More casualties in two days than all
previous American wars combined:
Revolutionary War, First Bull Run, War of
1812, and Mexican American War!
• Many would consider the failure to destroy
Grant on day one at Shiloh “The Lost
Opportunity” of the Confederacy”
Lincoln on Grant
• Lincoln responded to
criticisms of Grant after Shiloh
by saying, “I can’t spare this
man--he fights.”
• Responding to complaints of
Grant’s drinking, Lincoln said,
“If I knew what brand of
whiskey Grant drinks, I would
send a barrel to my other
generals.”
President Lincoln
Western Theatre Video
Up Next…
Hampton Roads & The Peninsula Campaign.