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Battle of Belmont.

187

assiduous in the discharge of his duties, immediately dressed Wolfe's wound, but considers him in a critical condition. We fired a few more shell and returned, keeping up the fire from our stern guns as long as we were within reach of them.

"It is providential that we have escaped with so little damage. A fragment of one of their shells struck us on the stern, but doing little damage.

"When nearly all our troops had re-embarked, or were about ready to start, a sudden attack was made upon the transport vessels by a large force coming in from above. Our gun-boats being in good position, we opened a brisk fire of grape, canister, and 5"-shells, silencing the enemy with great slaughter. After the transports were under way we followed them, throwing a shell occasionally to repel the enemy's approach to the banks. When a few miles up the river, we met one of the transports (Chancellor) with Brigadier-General McClernand on board, who stated that some of their men were left behind, and asked that we might return with our gun-boats, and see if we could find them. We did so, the Lexington accompanying us, and between us we succeeded in securing nearly all that were left behind, together with about forty prisoners, including some badly wounded.

"We then proceeded up to Island No. One, when the Rob Roy met us, with instructions from General Grant to turn over all the troops and prisoners, and to remain until Colonel Cook, who was down the Kentucky shore on a reconnoissance, should return. He returned at ten o'clock, and at eleven I weighed anchor and returned to Cairo, having sent the Lexington on before me.

"It is but an act of justice to the officers and crew to state that they acted throughout all our engagements with perfect coolness, ability, and courage, the crew answering the calls to quarters with an alacrity becoming earnest co-operators for the government. I was astonished, with the apparently new materials we have, to see with what zeal and efficiency they all performed their parts.

"The Lexington, under Commander Stembel, as consort, supported me throughout the day with the most commendable energy and efficiency. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

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"H. WALKE, Commander U. S. N.

"Captain A. H. Foote, U. S. N., commanding)

Naval Forces on Western Waters."

There is no doubt but that the gun-boats performed a sig

nal service at Belmont, and by covering with well-directed fire the final retreat, prevented our troops from being almost, if not entirely, cut to pieces. The action of the boats was by no means intended to be an assault upon Columbus- -a fortification containing 40,000 men, and more than one hundred guns of large calibre-but it was simply to reconnoitre the enemy's position and to convoy the transports; yet, as it turned out, the gun-boats proved to be, in this instance, the salvation of the Army. Our loss, notwithstanding the early brilliant success of the attack, was five hundred men; and what might it not have been, with an overwhelmingly superior force from Columbus coming down suddenly upon our troops hastily re-embarking, if the watchful gun-boats had not been at hand to keep the foe at bay with their slaughterous discharges of grape and canister?

In the flag-officer's correspondence about this time with his active officers there are many interesting things mentioned, and facts that bring before us vividly the state of the times. Running up the rivers, coming suddenly upon small villages, surprising farm-houses, and appearing without announcement in secession districts, the gun-boats gained a sort of omnipresent reputation. One of the lieutenants writes:

“On arriving at Linton, two signal guns were fired, and about sixty loyal refugees came in during the night, in small parties, from the back country. Just before dark a negro ran down to the river bank, near the boat, chased by blood-hounds in full cry after him, and begged to be taken on board. I sent a boat to his rescue, and learning by his statement, confirmed by Kentuckians on board, that he was being chased by rebel cavalry-he had run eighteen miles-I received him on board and brought him away. His master is a Secessionist. The cavalry did not show themselves, and the hounds were taken from the track; but we saw three of them."

This poor fellow must truly have blessed the hour

"Wen de Linkum gun-boats cum."

Letter to his Wife.

189

A letter of Captain Foote to his wife, dated December 13, 1861, written upon the back of a letter of General Grant to himself, asking his aid in an anticipated attack by the rebels upon Fort Holt, and addressing him as "Dear Commodore," breathes the weary, anxious, yet brave spirit of a man almost overborne by cares, but still hopeful:

"CAIRO, December 17, 1861.

"MY DEAR WIFE,-Weary days are my lot. Sanford is better to-day, and may be up and about in a week. Pennock, the only one left good for any thing, is on the Board examining mortar and gun boats with two generals and a colonel. I have been hard at work all day, but the Board have capsized every thing, and will keep us back for several days. If I could be fitted out at a navy yard, I would not care; but this fitting out vessels where no one knows any thing is discouraging. But I can now and then see light aloft. I feel clearer of head oppression than usual, though I may be prostrated at any minute. I sleep nicely at night, which is a blessing, and I don't mean to fret. General McClellan is to give us 1100 men-have just heard of it by telegram from Fox. Things brighten a little ahead. Ever affectionately, A. H. F."

CHAPTER XVI.

PREPARATIONS FOR ATTACKING FORT HENRY.- THE ASSAULT AND CAPTURE.

ALTHOUGH the history of the Western flotilla is part and parcel of the biography of Admiral Foote, and although its achievements belong, in a true sense, to his renown, and all that it was and did is thoroughly identified with him, who was the main cause and promoter of its efficiency, yet we do not think it necessary to dwell further upon those minor movements and expeditions in which he was not present or personally engaged, and which were undertaken at the suggestion of the Army Department; and we turn now to those greater and more splendid operations where Foote himself was the prime directing and inspiring force.

The first strong line of the rebel defense at the West stretched from the Mississippi River at Columbus to the Cumberland Mountains. It was necessary to break through this at the most feasible point, which could not be on the Mississippi River on account of the immense strength of the fortifications at Columbus, neither could it be done by sending an Army across the Ohio into Kentucky, so far from the base of supply; and Foote, as well as the two Army commanders, Grant and Smith, early appreciated the strategic importance of seizing the strongholds on the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, thus letting them far into the Southern line, and establishing a base whereby both Columbus and Bowling Green could be made untenable to the enemy, the railroad communications cut, and the rebel line of defense pushed farther down, leaving Kentucky and Tennessee at the command of

Reconnoissance of Fort Henry.

191

the Union forces. Foote was earnestly bent upon this idea, and hastened forward his preparations during the month of January, 1862. He was particularly careful as to the perfect condition of his gun-boats. The whole thing was novel and untried. It had not yet been ascertained how iron-clads would compete with land-batteries. This, in fact, was the first trial of iron-clad vessels. The strength of forts Henry and Donelson in guns and men was known only by rumor. It was therefore necessary to make cautious reconnoissances, without awakening the least suspicion of what was intended to be done. One of these expeditions, undertaken January 7th, is thus reported by Lieutenant Phelps of the Conestoga :

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Yesterday I ascended the Tennessee River to the state line, returning in the night. The water was barely sufficient to float this boat, drawing five feet four inches, and in coming down we dragged heavily in places. The Cumberland is also too low above Eddyville.

"The rebels are industriously perfecting their means of defense both at Dover and Fort Henry. At Fort Donelson (near Dover) they have placed obstructions in the river, one and a half miles below their battery on the left bank, and in the bend where the battery comes in sight. These obstructions consist of trees chained together and sunk across the river, with the butts up stream, the heads floating near the surface, and pointed. Placed as they are reported to be, any attempt to remove them must be made under a severe fire, and where there is very little room for covering boats. The bend is a very sharp one, and the river not more than one hundred and fifty yards wide. The battery upon the right bank is upon a hill half a mile back from the river, and considerably below the fort upon the left bank. It can be seen, I am told, but one mile. Four weeks since they had four 32-pounders mounted on the hill, and had a large force of negroes at work. The fire of gun-boats here would be at a bad angle. On these narrow streams, with their usually contracted channels, it would appear to one very necessary to have the assistance of mortars in reducing earth-works as strong and complete as those on the Tennessee and Cumberland have been made. The forts are placed, especially on the Cumberland, where no very great range can be had; and they can only be attacked in one narrow and fixed line. Shot can dislodge their guns (all en barbette)—nothing

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