Capture of Fort Henry

[Johnny Rube]

From The New York Herald
Saturday, February 8, 1862

SPLENDID NAVAL VICTORY
Surrencer of Fort Henry to Union Gunboats

We have taken Fort Henry.

It was surrendered to Commodore Foote yesterday at two o'clock in the afternoon, after a most determined resistance.

The fight, which lasted an hour and twenty minutes, was conducted by the gunboats Cincinnati, Essex and St. Louis.

The Cincinnati fired one hundred and twenty-five rounds, and received thirty-four shots from the rebel guns, but only one man was killed.

The St. Louis fired one hundred and ten rounds, but received no damage.

The Essex was disabled after firing ten rounds by a ball striking her boiler. Thirty-two persons on board of her were killed, being scalded to death. Capt. Porter, who commanded her, was badly scalded, but not dangerously so.

One rebel general, one colonel, two captains and one hundred privates were taken prisoners.

The fort mounted twenty guns and seventeen mortars.

The land forces did not reach the scene of the action until half an hour after the surrender of the fort.

The Memphis and Ohio Railroad bridge, fifteen miles above the fort, has been taken possession of by our troops.

Details of the Battle

Cincinnati, February 7, 1862

The Gazette and Commercial's Cairo correspondence gives the following account of the bombardment and capture of Fort Henry: --

Yesterday, at half-past twelve P.M., the gunboats Cincinnati, St Louis, Carondelet, and Essex, the Tyler, Conestoga and Lexington bringing up the rear, advanced boldly against the rebel works, going to the right of Panther Creek Island, immediately above, where, on the east shore of the river, stands the fortifications, and keeping out of range till at the head of the island and within a mile of the enemy passing the island in full view of the rebel guns. We slowly advanced, every man at quarters, every ear strained to catch the flag officer's signal gun for the commencement of the action. Our line of battle was on the left of the St. Louis, next to the Carondelet, next the Cincinnati (for the time being the flagship, having on board Flag Officer Foote) and the next the Essex.

We advanced in line, the Cincinnati a boats length ahead, when, at half-past eleven, the Cincinnati opened the ball, and immediately the three accompanying boats followed suit.

The enemy was not backward and gave an admirable response, and the fight raged furiously for half an hour. We steadily advanced, receiving and returning the storms of shot and shell, when, getting within three hundred yards of the enemy's works, we came to a stand and poured into him right and left. In the meantime, the Essex had been disabled, and drifted away from the scene of action, leaving the Cincinnati, Carondelet and St. Louis alone engaged.

At precisely forty minutes past one o'clock the enemy struck his colors, and such cheering, such wild excitement as seized the throats, arms or caps of the four or five hundred sailors of the gunboats, can be imagined.

After the surrender, which was made to Flag Officer Foote by General Lloyd Tilghman, who defended his fort in a most determined manner, we found that the rebel infantry, encamped outside the fort, numbering four or five thousand, had cut and run, leaving the rebel artillery company in command of the fort.

The fort mounted seventeen guns, most of them thirty-two and thirty-four pounders, one being a magnificent columbiad. Our shots dismounted two of their guns, driving the enemy into the embrasures. One of their rifled thirty-two pounders burst during the engagement, wounding some of their gunners. The rebels claimed to have but eleven effective guns, worked by fifty-four men -- the number all told of our prisoners. They lost five killed and ten badly wounded.

The infantry left everything in their flight. A vast deal of plunder has fallen into our hands, including a large and valuable quantity of ordnance stores.

Gen. Tilghman is disheartened. He thinks it one of the most damaging blows of the war. In surrendering to the Flag Officer Foote the rebel General remarked, "I am glad to surrender to so gallant an officer." Flag Officer Foote replied, "You do perfectly right, sir, in surrendering; but you should have blown my boats out of the water before I would have surrendered to you."

In the engagement, the Cincinnati was in the lead, and, flying the flag officers pennant, was the chief mark. Flag Officer Foote and Captain Stembel crowded her defiantly into the teeth of the enemy's guns. She got thirty-one shots, some of them going completely through her. The Essex was badly crippled when about half through the fight, and crowding steadily against the enemy. A ball went through her side forward port, through her heavy bulkhead, and squarely through one of her boilers, the escaping steam scalding and killing several of the crew. Captain Porter, his aid, C.P. Britton, Jr., and Paymaster Lewis were standing in a direct line of the balls passing, Mr. Britton being in the centre of the group. A shot struck Mr. Britton on the top of his head, scattering his brains in every direction. The escaping steam went into the pilot house, instantly killing Messers. Ford and Bride, pilots. Many of the soldiers at the rush of steam jumped overboard and were drowned.

The Cincinnati had one killed and six wounded. The Essex had six seamen and two officers killed, seventeen men wounded and five missing. There were no casualties on the St. Louis or Carondelet, though the shot and shell fell upon them like rain. The St. Louis was commanded by Leonard Paulding, who stood upon the gunboat and worked the guns to the last.

Not a man flinched, and with cheer upon cheer sent the shot and shell among the enemy.

The Pursuit of the Flying Enemy

Gen. Smith on the west, and Gen. Grant on the east side of the Tennessee river, are pursuing the retreating rebels.

It is reported and credited by some of our officers, that the rebel troops at Fort Henry were not true to the rebel cause, and took advantage of an opportunity offered by an attack to run away from a fight that was distasteful to them.

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Note: Drat!! I see this should probably be posted in the discussions of the Western Theater. Perhaps it could be moved for me??? Johnny Rube