Video: 'American Civil War: Battle of Fort Henry - "Grant Invades Tennessee"'

(Thursday, February 6, 1862, shortly after 12:34-1:45 p.m. local time; during the Battle of Fort Henry, part of the American Civil War) — Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant gave the United States its first important victory of the American Civil War today by capturing Fort Henry in Donelson, Stewart County, Tennessee.

On February 4 and 5, Grant landed two divisions just north of Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. His plan was to advance upon the fort on February 6 while it was being simultaneously attacked by Union gunboats commanded by Flag Officer Andrew Hull Foote.

A combination of accurate and effective naval gunfire, heavy rain, and the poor siting of the fort, nearly inundated by rising river waters, caused its commander, Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman, to surrender to Foote before the Union Army arrived.

The surrender of Fort Henry opened the Tennessee River to Union traffic south of the Alabama border. In the days following the fort’s surrender, from February 6 through February 12, Union raids used ironclad boats to destroy Confederate shipping and railroad bridges along the river.

On February 12, Grant’s army proceeded overland 12 miles to engage with Confederate troops in the Battle of Fort Donelson.