The Southern
force, which was drawn up outside, retreated southward, but the fort,
its guns and immediate defenders, are ours."
Dick saw the faintest smile of satisfaction pass over the face of the
General, who said:
"Commodore Foote has done well. Ride back and tell him that the army is
coming up as fast as the nature of the ground will allow."
In a short time the army was in the fort which had been taken so
gallantly by the navy, and Grant, his generals, and Commodore Foote,
were in anxious consultation. Most of the troops were soon camped on
the height, where the Southern force had stood, and there was great
exultation, but Dick, who had now seen so much, knew that the high
officers considered this only a beginning.
Across the narrow stretch of land on the parallel river, the Cumberland,
stood the great fort of Donelson. Henry was a small affair compared
with it. It was likely that men who had been stationed at Henry had
retreated there, and other formidable forces were marching to the same
place. The Confederate commander, Johnston, after the destruction of
his eastern wing at Mill Spring by Thomas, was drawing in his forces and
concentrating. The news of the loss of Fort Henry would cause him to
hasten his operations. He was rapidly falling back from his position
at Bowling Green in Kentucky. Buckner, with his division, was about
to march from that place to join the garrison in Donelson, and Floyd,
with another division, would soon be on the way to the same point.
Pages:
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196