L Report of the Battle. 205 from the gun-boats and forts, increased in rapidity and accuracy of aim. At twenty minutes before the rebel flag was struck, the Essex, unfortunately, received a shot in her boiler, which resulted in the wounding, by scalding, of twenty-nine officers and men, including Commander Porter, as will be seen in the inclosed list of casualties. The Essex then necessarily dropped out of line astern, entirely disabled, and unable to continue the fight, in which she had so gallantly participated until the sad catastrophe. The firing continued with unabated rapidity and effect upon the three gun-boats as they continued still to approach the fort with their destructive fire, until the rebel flag was hauled down, after a severe and closely contested action of one hour and fifteen minutes. "A boat, containing the adjutant-general and a captain of engineers, came alongside after the flag was lowered, and reported that General Lloyd Tilghman, the commander of the fort, wished to communicate with the flag-officer, when I dispatched Commander Stembel and Lieutenant-Commanding Phelps, with orders to hoist the American flag where the Secession ensign had been flying, and to inform General Tilghman that I would see him on board the flag-ship. He came on board soon after the Union had been substituted by Commander Stembel for the rebel flag on the fort, and possession taken. "I received the general, his staff, and some sixty or seventy men as prisoners; and a hospital ship containing sixty invalids, together with the fort and its effects, mounting twenty guns, mostly of heavy calibre, with barracks and tents capable of accommodating fifteen thousand men, and sundry articles, which, as I turned the fort and its effects over to General Grant, commanding the army, on his arrival in an hour after we had made the capture, he will be enabled to give the government a more correct statement of than I am enabled to communicate from the short time I had possession of the fort.* The plan of the attack, so far as the army reaching the rear of the fort to make a demonstration simultaneously with the Navy, was frustrated by the excessively muddy roads and high stage of water preventing the arrival of our troops until some time after I had taken possession of the fort. "On securing the prisoners and making necessary preliminary arrangements, I dispatched Lieutenant-Commanding Phelps, with his division, up the Tennessee River, as I had previously directed, and, as will be seen in the inclosed orders to him, to remove the rails, and so far render the *It was estimated that more than a million dollars' worth of property was captured at Fort Henry. bridge incapable of railroad transportation and communication between Bowling Green and Columbus, and afterward to pursue the rebel gunboats, and secure their capture, if possible. This being accomplished, and the army in possession of the fort, and my services being indispensable at Cairo, I left Fort Henry in the evening of the same day with the Cincinnati, Essex, and St. Louis, and arrived here this morning. "The armored gun-boats resisted effectively the shot of the enemy when striking the casemate. The Cincinnati (flag-ship) received thirty-one shots; the Essex fifteen; the St. Louis seven; and the Carondelet six; killing one and wounding nine in the Cincinnati, and killing one in the Essex; while the casualties in the latter amounted to twenty-eight in number. The Carondelet and St. Louis met with no casualties. "The steamers were admirably handled by their commanders and officers, presenting only their bow guns to the enemy, to avoid exposure of the vulnerable parts of their vessels. Lieutenant-Commanding Phelps, with his division, also executed my orders very effectually, and promptly proceeded up the river in their further execution after the capture of the fort. In fact, all the officers and men gallantly performed their duty; and, considering the little experience they have had under fire, far more than realized my expectations. "Fort Henry was defended with the most determined gallantry by General Tilghman, worthy of a better cause, who, from his own account, went into action with eleven guns of heavy calibre bearing upon our boats, which he fought until seven of the number were dismounted or otherwise rendered useless. I have the honor to be, etc., "A. H. FOOTE, Flag-Officer. "The Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy." CHAPTER XVII. RESULTS OF THE CAPTURE OF FORT HENRY.- FURTHER MOVE MENTS OF THE GUN-BOATS.-PREACHING AT CAIRO. THERE were far greater battles during the war, both on land and water, than that sharp fight on the narrow river which resulted in the fall of the earth-work of Fort Henry-there was the siege and taking of the almost impregnable Vicksburg, and there was the splendid crowning naval victory of Admiral Farragut at New Orleans-but there were few battles of more vital importance to the Union arms than this earliest success of the Western flotilla. It was a moment of great gloom and uncertainty in the country's affairs; and this was almost the first marked success—success of such a kind as had a sure prophecy of the future in it-or, as a Confederate officer, Colonel Gilmer, said in his report, "it was for the enemy a great success, as it emboldened him to make the attack on Fort Donelson." It was the triumph of a new agency in war-of a power the development of which was of incalculable value, not only to the Northern cause, but to the cause of all peoples who were called upon to fight for their freedom. The people who had iron and coal at their command were hereafter to be deemed unconquerable-they could not be subjected or destroyed. Above all, Fort Henry was the key of the rebel position in the West. Its subdual, with that of Fort Donelson, unlocked to our armies the states of Kentucky and Tennessee, leading General Halleck (who, though bigoted in favor of the Army, was an earnest patriot) to express himself in his bulletin of the victory in these words: "The flag of the Union is re-established on the soil of Kentucky. It will never be re moved." By it the first strong rebel line of defense the spinal column, as it were-was broken. The control of the direct line of railroad which connected the great rebel force of Columbus with that at Bowling Green was secured, a point far in the rear of both of these was seized, and the road was opened for the southward advance of our armies. Bowling Green was soon after evacuated. The desperate battles of Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh, and Corinth were the logical consequence of the capture of Fort Henry, being the struggle on the part of the rebels to establish a new line of defense running from Memphis and Island No. Ten to Pittsburg Landing, on the Tennessee, and Chattanooga. Foote was happy in taking the initiative of victory. The movement was begun which, with wavering and alternate success, and after many severe conflicts, was in the end slowly to bear down and crush the power of the rebellion at the Southwest, where its greatest and final strength lay. The military qualities and skill which were displayed in the battle of Fort Henry need not be dwelt upon, for they were very simple and thoroughly characteristic of the commander, in whose conduct of the affair we are vividly reminded of the past, and especially of the qualities exhibited in the Chinese "Barrier Forts" engagement, viz., a cool, scrupulous, perhaps over-cautious preparation, and rapid, concentrated, desperately close fighting. The boats drew nearer and nearer to the batteries in a fiercer death-hug. It was the Connecticut sailor calculating every chance and every mishap, and then throwing away all care and fear, and fighting with incredible fury. It was undoubtedly anticipated by Grant and the Army that if the gun-boats were capable of weakening or even reducing the fort, that it would be only after many hours, in which time they would have ample opportunity to bear an equal if not predominant part; but the matter was settled in somewhat over an hour; while the forces engaged were about equally Letter of General McClernand. 209 balanced, since, in the whole conflict, Foote brought to bear but eleven heavy guns against as many or more of the same weight on the part of the enemy. The country and the government received the news of the fall of Fort Henry with enthusiasm. The loyal papers over the whole country were full of the details of the conflict and congratulations upon the happy event-which was one of those events not in itself of great proportions, but whose "singular felicity" depends upon its time, circumstances, and consequences. One of the most generous acknowledgments of the victory, and one that must have been personally gratifying to Foote, was the letter of General McClernand, written the day after the battle: "HEAD-QUARTERS, FIRST DIVISION, FORT FOOTE "COMMODORE FOOTE, Flag-Officer, Western Waters: “DEAR SIR,—As an acknowledgment of the consummate skill with which you brought your gun-boats into action yesterday, and of the address and bravery displayed by yourself and your command, I have taken the liberty of giving the late 'Fort Henry' the new and more appropriate name of Fort Foote.' "Please pardon the liberty I have taken without first securing your concurrence, as I am hardly disposed to do, considering the liberty which you took in capturing the fort without my co-operation. "Very respectfully yours, etc., "JOHN A. MCCLERNAND, Brig.-Gen., Com. First Division." From the mass of other letters and testimonials of honor and gratitude which speedily flowed in, we select but these two, as expressive at the same time of the value set by the gov ernment upon our commander's services and of warm personal friendship: "NAVY DEPARTMENT, February 13, 1862. "SIR,-Your letter of the 7th instant, communicating the details of your great success in the capture of Fort Henry, is just received. I had previously informed you of the reception of your telegraphic dis |