f the Mississippi and Ohio。 A little farther east Grant had another excellent position at Paducah； beside the junction of the Ohio and the Tennessee。 Naval forces were of course indispensable for this amphibious campaign； and in Flag…Officer Andrew Hull Foote the Western Flotilla had a commander able to cooperate with the best of his military colleagues。 Halleck's lefta semi…independent commandwas based on the Ohio； stretched clear across Kentucky； and was commanded by a good organizer and disciplinarian； General Don Carlos Buell； whose own position at Munfordville was not only near the middle of the State but about midway between the important railway junctions of Louisville and Nashville。
Henry W。 Halleck was a middle…aged； commonplace； and very cautious general； who faithfully plodded through the war without defeat or victory。 He looked so long before he leaped that he never leaped at allnot even on retreating enemies。 Good for the regular officework routine； he was like a hen with ducklings for this river war； in which Curtis； Grant； Buell； and his naval colleague Foote； were all his betters on the fighting line。
His opponent； Albert Sidney Johnston； was also middle…aged； being fifty…nine； but quite fit for active service。 Johnston had had a picturesque career； both in and out of the army； and many on both sides thought him likely to prove the greatest leader of the war。 He was； however； a less formidable opponent than Northerners were apt to think。 He was not a consummate genius like Lee。 He had inferior numbers and resources； and the Confederate Government interfered with him。 Yet they did have the good sense to put both sides of the Mississippi under his unified command； including not only Kentucky and Tennessee； Missouri and Arkansas； but the whole of the crucial stretch from Vicksburg to Port Hudson。 In this they were wiser than the Federal Government with Halleck's command； which was neither so extensive nor so completely unified。
Johnston took post in his own front line at Bowling Green； Kentucky； not far south of Buell's position at Munfordville。 He was very anxious to keep a hold on Kentucky and Missouri； along the southern frontiers of which his forces were arrayed。 His extreme right was thrown northward under General Marshall to Prestonburg； near the border of West Virginia； in the dangerous neighborhood of many Union mountain folk。 His southern outpost on the right was also in the same kind of danger at Cumberland Gap； a strategic pass into the Alleghanies at a point where Kentucky； Tennessee； and Virginia meet。 Halfway west from there； to Bowling Green the Confederates hoped to hold the Cumberland near Logan's Cross Roads and Mill Springs。 Westwards from Bowling Green Johnston's line held positions at Fort Donelson on the Cumberland； Fort Henry on the Tennessee； and Columbus on the Mississippi。 All his Trans…Mississippi troops were under the command of the enthusiastic Earl Van Dorn； who hoped to end his spring campaign in triumph at St。 Louis。
The fighting began in January at the northeastern end of the line； where the Union Government； chiefly for political reasons； was particularly anxious to strengthen the Unionists that lived all down the western Alleghanies and so were a thorn in the side of the solid South beyond。 On the tenth Colonel James A。 Garfield； a future President； attacked and defeated Marshall near Prestonburg and occupied the line of Middle Creek。 The Confederates； half starved； half clad； ill armed； slightly outnumbered； and with no advantage except their position； fought well； but unavailingly。 Only some three thousand men were engaged on both sides put together。 Yet the result was important because it meant that the Confederates had lost their hold on the eastern end of Kentucky； which was now in unrestricted touch with West Virginia。
Within eight days a greater Union commander； General G。H。 Thomas； emerged as the victor of a much bigger battle at Mill Springs and Logan's Cross Roads on the upper Cumberland； ninety miles due east of Bowling Green。 The victory was complete； and Thomas's name was made。 Thomas； indeed； was known already as a man whose stentorian orders had to be obeyed； and a clever young Confederate prisoner used this reputation as his excuse for getting beaten： 〃We were doing pretty good fighting till old man Thomas rose up in his stirrups； and we heard him holler out： 'Attention； Creation！ By kingdoms； right wheel！' Then we knew you had us。〃
There were only about four thousand men a side。 But in itself； and in conjunction with Garfield's little victory at Prestonburg； the battle of Logan's Cross Roads was important as raising the Federal morale； as breaking through Johnston's right； and as opening the road into eastern Tennessee。 Short supplies and almost impassable roads； however； prevented a further advance。 One brigade was therefore detached against Cumberland Gap； while the rest joined Buell's command； which was engaged in organizing； drilling hard； and keeping an eye on Johnston。
In February the scene of action changed to Johnston's left center； where Forts Donelson and Henry were blocking the Federal advance up the Cumberland and the Tennessee。
On the fourth； Flag…Officer Foote； with seven gunboats； of which four were ironclads； led the way up the Tennessee； against Fort Henry。 That day the furious current was dashing driftwood in whirling masses against the flotilla； which had all it could do to keep station； even with double anchors down and full steam up。 Next morning a new danger appeared in the shape of what looked like a school of dead porpoises。 These were Confederate torpedoes； washed from their moorings。 As it was now broad daylight they were all successfully avoided； and the crews felt as if they had won the first round。
The sixth of February dawned clear； with just sufficient breeze to blow the smoke away。 The flotilla steamed up the swollen Tennessee between the silent； densely wooded banks。 Not a sound was heard ashore until； just after noon； Fort Henry came into view and answered the flagship's signal shot with a crashing discharge of all its big guns。 Then the fire waxed hot and heavy on both sides； the gunboats knocking geyser…spouts of earth about the fort； and the fort knocking gigantic splinters out of the gunboats。 The Essex ironclad was doing very well when a big shot crashed into her middle boiler； which immediately burst like a shell； scalding the nearest men to death； burning others； and sending the rest flying overboard or aft。 With both pilots dead and Commander W。D。 Porter badly scalded； the Essex was drifting out of action when the word went round that Fort Henry had surrendered： and there； sure enough； were the Confederate colors coming down。 Instantly Porter rallied for the moment； called for three cheers； and fell back exhausted at the third。
The Confederate General Tilghman surrendered to Foote with less than a hundred men； all the rest； over twenty…five hundred； having started towards Fort Donelson before the flag came down。 The Western Flotilla had won the day alone。 But it was the fear of Grant's approaching army that hurried the escaping garrison。 An hour after the surrender Grant rode in and took command。 That night victors and vanquished were dining together when a fussy staff officer came in to tell Grant that he could not find the Confederate reports。 On this Captain Jesse Taylor； the chief Confederate staff officer； replied that he had destroyed them。 The angry Federal then turned on him with the question； 〃Don't you know you've laid yourself open to punishment？〃 and was storming along； when Grant quietly broke in： 〃I should be very much surprised and mortified if one of my subordinate officers should allow information which he could destroy to fall into the hands of the enemy。〃
The surrender of Fort Henry； coming so soon after Prestonburg and Logan's Cross Roads； caused great rejoicing in the loyal North。 The victory； effective in itself； was completed by sending the ironclad Carondelet several miles upstream to destroy the Memphis…Ohio railway bridge； thus cutting the shortest line from Bowling Green to the Mississippi。 But the action； in which the army took no part； was only a preliminary skirmish compared with the joint attack of the fleet and army on Fort Donelson。 Fort Donelson was of great strategic importance。 If it held fast； and the Federals were defeated； then Johnston's line would probably hold from Bowling Green to Columbus； and the rails； roads； and rivers would remain Confederate in western Tennessee。 If； on the other hand； Fort Donelson fell； and more especially if its garrison surrendered； then Johnston's line would have to be withdrawn at once； lest the same fate should overtake the outflanked remains of it。 Both sides understood this perfectly well； and all concerned looked anxiously to see how the new Federal commander； General Grant； would face the crisis。
Ulysses Simpson Grant came of sturdy New England stock； being eighth in descent from Matthew Grant； who landed in 1630 and was Surveyor of Connecticut for over forty years。 Grant's mother was one of the Simpsons who had been Pennsylvanians for several generations。 His family was therefore as racy of the North as Lee's was of t