Here is what I hope to be the first post in a new TL of mine. I would greatly appreciate any input by yall to let me know whether or not I should continue. Thanks in advance.
Old times there were not forgotten
Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant had recently delivered the United States its first important victory in the Western Theater in the war against the southern states. On February 6,1862 he had succeeded in capturing Fort Henry & its defenders along the Kentucky-Tennessee border. Now just a week later his forces were heavily engaged in a battle to capture Fort Donelson from the Confederates & open up the Cumberland River to the Union as taking Fort Henry had done for the Tennessee River. Now on February 13,1862 three days into the Battle of Fort Donelson Grant was poised to gain such a victory again. General Grant had set up his headquarters behind Brigadier General Charles F. Smith's lines at Widow Crisp. Around 1600 in the afternoon shots rang out from Grants headquarters. The Confederate cavalry commander Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest & his forces had crossed Hickman Creek to the west of the battle attempting a daring raid behind Union lines. The battle lasted for an intense 150 seconds before the Confederate cavalry withdrew. The Union had suffered 21 casualties in the short skirmish of whom all but three would survive. One of the three however was General Grant who had taken a saber slash across the stomach & dying that night.
The attack on Union headquarters & death of General Grant shook up the Union Army. Early the next morning Confederate forces launched a counterattack south of the town of Dover. The attack broke through the Union lines sweeping Colonel Richard Oglesby's brigade north up against the Cumberland River & forcing their surrender. Brigadier General John A. McClernand's division broke & began retreating. With Grants death General Smith assumed temporary command of the army & at 1410 issued the order of retreat. The Battle of Fort Donelson was a Union failure & Smith had the army retreat to Fort Henry before withdrawing back to Paducha, Kentucky.
The stunning defeat at Fort Donelson severely hampered Union plans of action in the Western Theater of the war with both the Tennessee & Cumberland River's still in Confederate control the retaking of Tennessee would be much more difficult. President Jefferson Davis wanted General Albert Sidney Johnston, commander of Confederate forces in the Western Theater, to launch an immediate counteroffensive into Kentucky to destroy the Union Army & bring Kentucky into the Confederacy. Johnston however would wait more than a month.
Old times there were not forgotten
Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant had recently delivered the United States its first important victory in the Western Theater in the war against the southern states. On February 6,1862 he had succeeded in capturing Fort Henry & its defenders along the Kentucky-Tennessee border. Now just a week later his forces were heavily engaged in a battle to capture Fort Donelson from the Confederates & open up the Cumberland River to the Union as taking Fort Henry had done for the Tennessee River. Now on February 13,1862 three days into the Battle of Fort Donelson Grant was poised to gain such a victory again. General Grant had set up his headquarters behind Brigadier General Charles F. Smith's lines at Widow Crisp. Around 1600 in the afternoon shots rang out from Grants headquarters. The Confederate cavalry commander Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest & his forces had crossed Hickman Creek to the west of the battle attempting a daring raid behind Union lines. The battle lasted for an intense 150 seconds before the Confederate cavalry withdrew. The Union had suffered 21 casualties in the short skirmish of whom all but three would survive. One of the three however was General Grant who had taken a saber slash across the stomach & dying that night.
The attack on Union headquarters & death of General Grant shook up the Union Army. Early the next morning Confederate forces launched a counterattack south of the town of Dover. The attack broke through the Union lines sweeping Colonel Richard Oglesby's brigade north up against the Cumberland River & forcing their surrender. Brigadier General John A. McClernand's division broke & began retreating. With Grants death General Smith assumed temporary command of the army & at 1410 issued the order of retreat. The Battle of Fort Donelson was a Union failure & Smith had the army retreat to Fort Henry before withdrawing back to Paducha, Kentucky.
The stunning defeat at Fort Donelson severely hampered Union plans of action in the Western Theater of the war with both the Tennessee & Cumberland River's still in Confederate control the retaking of Tennessee would be much more difficult. President Jefferson Davis wanted General Albert Sidney Johnston, commander of Confederate forces in the Western Theater, to launch an immediate counteroffensive into Kentucky to destroy the Union Army & bring Kentucky into the Confederacy. Johnston however would wait more than a month.