FORTS HENRY & DONELSON (Part the Second)

In which we discuss the Battle of Fort Henry, which took place on February 6, 1862.

A print depicting the Federal gunboats steaming up the Tennessee River and attacking Fort Henry.

Our book recommendation for this episode is Where the South Lost the War: An Analysis of the Fort Henry-Fort Donelson Campaign, February 1862 by Kendall D. Gott.

“Some historians argue that the pivotal action of the Civil War was not Antietam or Gettysburg, but the twin Confederate losses at Fort Henry and Donelson, the battles that opened the way for the Union juggernaut to penetrate the Southern heartland and carve it into pieces, though it would take three years to accomplish.  Kendall Gott’s Where the South Lost the War is our first comprehensive look at these turning points in some years, and is especially good on the oft-dismissed Fort Henry operations.  It should establish itself as the standard word on both engagements and their impact.” ~ William C. Davis

Listen to Episode 90: HenryDonelsonPartSecond