Confederates - Military
At daybreak, boats with 400 reinforcements arrive at Fort Donelson, but it's too late. During the night, Nathan Bedford Forrest and his calvary had fled southeast rather than surrender. Generals Floyd and Pillow boated across the Cumberland and made their getaway also. A few others "here ad there" simply walked away.
But a majority of the Confederate force there, along with General Simon Buckner, stayed behind.
Buckner asked for terma, Grant eeplied: "No terms except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works."
Buckner surrendered.
Estimates of the number of soldiers who surrendered range from 5,000 to 15,000. Confederate casulaties were estimated at 1,500.
Grant had 27,000 or so men under his command. He lost 500 killed and 2108 wounded, and 224 missing.
The fall of Fort Henry and then Fort Donelson were a catastrophe for the south. The way to Tennessee was now wide open. Kentuck was lost, and two important rivers were in Union hands.
In Nashville, Tennessee, Governor Isham Harris packed up the state papers and left, after hearing the news from the retreating trroops from Hardee's command.
On the Cumberland, the gunboat St. Louis destroyed the Tennessee ironworks.
Arkansas
There is action at Pott's Hill on Sugar Creek.
Bibliography
The Civil War Day By Day: An Almanac 1861-1865. E.B. Long with Barbara Long, De Capo, 1971
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