Battle of Fort Donelson
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Why was Fort Donelson strategically important?
In today's telling, we're still in early days, in the winter of 1862, when we find ourselves in northwestern Tennessee, between the mighty Tennessee River and its parallel waterway to the east, the Cumberland. It's a place called Fort Donaldson that would tip the balance in the West for the Union. A battle that would bring a little-known Brigadier General named U.S. Grant into the limelight. And to explain the tactical strategies of this battle and critical consequences for both sides, I am speaking with Professor Chris Makowski. Chris is the Copey Hill Fellow at the American Battlefield Trust, our good friends. Hello Chris, welcome to the show. Don, I'm delighted to be here. Thanks for having me. I found myself staring at a map with this one, studying the geography.
We should explain what's at stake here, Chris. Kentucky, which has remained with the Union, has two major rivers that connect with the Ohio. Head due south on these rivers, you end up going into Confederate Tennessee. Control them, the Tennessee and the Cumberland, you got a straight shot into other states to the south, like Mississippi and Alabama.
What role did the rivers play in the Civil War?
But it's ultimately Nashville that's in the crosshairs of the Union, isn't it? Es ist. Nashville ist wichtig, weil es eine große Produktion für die Konföderation ist. Es ist auch sehr nahe an der norderlichen Frontier der Konföderation. Also aus einer norderlichen Perspektive, das sind einfache Auswirkungen. Wenn du dazu kommen kannst, kannst du eine konfederatische Staatskapital erzeugen. Du kannst ihre Produktionen kapitalisieren. Und so gibt es viele verschiedene Gründe. Und natürlich nur der Moral-Bust, um zu sagen, dass du eine Staatskapital und Konföderation erzeugt hast. Wenn du dich an diese Geografie anschaust, ist es alles um die Berge, ist es nicht? So the rivers really act as waterway highways deep into the heart of the Confederacy.
As you point out, if you get into the Tennessee River in particular, you can go south all the way through Tennessee, down toward Mississippi, into Alabama, circle back up into eastern Tennessee. So these waterways really go deep into the Confederacy in ways that you can't easily get to by road, but you can certainly sail right in, steam right in, I should say.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
Why was Fort Donelson strategically important?
2:34–3:40
2
What role did the rivers play in the Civil War?
3:40–6:03
3
How did Ulysses S. Grant plan the assault on Fort Donelson?
6:03–8:24
4
What were the challenges faced by Union forces during the siege?
8:24–9:58
5
Who were the Confederate leaders at Fort Donelson?
9:58–12:04
6
What led to Ulysses S. Grant's 'Unconditional Surrender' nickname?
12:04–14:17
7
How did the Confederate forces respond to the Union's siege?
14:17–32:25