The Battle of Shiloh: Confederate and Memphis

Attention was now given to Fort Donelson, which was a strong work, about forty miles above the mouth of the Cumberland, with sixty-five pieces of artillery, and a garrison which was increased until it numbered twenty-one thousand men. Grant marched upon it from Fort Henry with fifteen thousand men, while the gunboats went round by way of the Ohio. The attack was made on February 14. The first assault by the gunboats and troops failed, but, as heavy Union reinforcements were coming up, General Floyd, who commanded in the fort, determined to abandon it and retreat. This design ended in failure. Grant had now reached the scene, and, perceiving the position of affairs, he ordered a general advance. This was pushed so vigorously that commanding points surrounding the fort were seized and retreat became impossible. During the night Floyd, with his Virginia brigade, made his escape by way of the river, and the next morning the fort was surrendered. Nearly fifteen thousand prisoners, seventeen thousand six hundred small-arms, and sixty-five guns were taken.

The effect of this great success was what Halleck had premised. The camp at Bowling Green was immediately evacuated, and Nashville abandoned. Buell at once occupied that city. Columbus, the "Gibraltar of the West," was quickly abandoned by General Polk, who fell back to Island No. 10. The first line of Confederate defence had been broken with remarkable ease and success. Nor did the Confederate misfortunes end here. Zollicoffer had invaded eastern Kentucky with five thousand men, and encamped at Mill Spring, in Wayne County. On January 17 he made a night-attack on the Union troops under General Thomas, encamped near him. The intended surprise failed, and the Confederates were driven back, Zollicoffer being killed. On the next day their camp was shelled, and there was reason to hope that the entire force would be captured. They escaped, however, during the night, leaving much material behind.

The next operations were directed against New Madrid and Island No. 10 on the Mississippi, near the northern border of Tennessee. These posts had been strongly fortified. General Pope commanded the assailing troops, and captured New Madrid with little difficulty. Thirty-three cannon and much other valuable war-material were here taken. Island No. 10 proved more difficult to capture. Yet by cutting a canal, twelve miles long, across a bend in the Mississippi, the gunboats were enabled to assail it on both sides, and Pope to transport his army across from Missouri to Tennessee. The advantages thus gained rendered the island untenable, and it was forced to surrender on April 8. There were captured six thousand seven hundred prisoners, one hundred heavy and twenty-four light guns, an immense quantity of ammunition, and many small-arms, tents, horses, wagons, etc. This capture was achieved without the loss of a single life on the Union side. The next battle took place between the Union and Confederate flotillas at Fort Pillow, above Memphis. Half the Confederate fleet was disabled. Soon after-wards the fort was abandoned, and the line of defence carried south to Memphis. On the 5th of June an assault was made on the Confederate fleet at that place. It ended in the capture or destruction of the whole flotilla, except one boat, and the necessary fall of Memphis into Union hands. Thus was lost the most important railroad-centre on the Mississippi between St. Louis and New Orleans.

This rapid series of Union successes on the Mississippi was matched by important steps of progress on the Tennessee. Grant had been ordered to advance on the line of the Tennessee towards Corinth in northern Mississippi. A misunderstanding with Halleck, however, resulted in his removal from his command, which was given to General C. F. Smith. Sherman was ordered to advance, and break the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. He failed in this, on account of severe rains, and returned with some difficulty to Pittsburg Landing, which had been occupied at his suggestion. General Smith being now taken ill, Grant was restored to his command. Buell's force, of about forty thousand men, was ordered to join him, to counteract the Confederate concentration at Corinth. Johnston, the Confederate commander, becoming aware of these movements, determined to attack Grant before Buell could come up, hoping to take him by surprise. The Confederate advance began on April 3, with about forty thousand men. Grant had thirty-three thousand on the field. Law Wallace's command of five thousand men was at a distance, and unable to aid immediately in the coming battle. On Sunday, April 6, the assault was made on Grant's outposts. The story of the battle that followed we select from Swinton's "Twelve Decisive Battles of the War."]