UNION CAPTURE OF FORT HENRY

Union Capture of Fort Henry

During the American Civil War, control of rivers was as important as control of railroads, and Union commanders in the Western Theater understood that geography could be a weapon. On February 6th, 1862, combined Union army and navy forces under Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant and Flag Officer Andrew Foote attacked Fort Henry on the Tennessee River, a Confederate strongpoint guarding access into the Deep South. Ironclad gunboats led the way, pounding the poorly positioned fort, which sat on low, flood-prone ground that left its defenses vulnerable to rising water and plunging fire. Confederate commanders, recognizing their disadvantage, evacuated most of their infantry toward nearby Fort Donelson, leaving the garrison unable to hold. The quick Union victory opened the Tennessee River as a highway deep into Confederate territory, allowing Federal gunboats to steam south and threaten interior supply lines. Fort Henry’s fall also boosted Grant’s reputation, setting the stage for the larger and bloodier struggle at Fort Donelson later that month and signaling that the Confederacy’s western flank was far from secure.