Unknown, February 6, 1862

CAPTAIN:

Inclosed I send you my order for the attack upon Fort and corroborating information here to the effect that the enemy were rapidly re-enforcing, I thought it imperatively necessary that the fort Should be carried to-day. My forces were not up at 11 o’clock last night when my order was written, therefore I did not deem it practicable to set an earlier hour than 11 o’clock to-day to commence the investment.

The gunboats started up at the same hour to commence the attack, and engaged the enemy at not over 600 yards. In a little over one hour all the batteries were silenced and the fort surrendered at discretion to Flag-Officer Foote, giving us all their guns, camp and garrison

E. M equipage, &c. The prisoners taken are General Tilghman and staff,

. Captain Taylor and company, and the sick. The garrison, I think,

must have commenced their retreat last night or at an early hour this morning. Had I not felt it an imperative necessity to attack Fort Henry to-day I should have made the investment complete and delayed until to-morrow, so as to have secured the garrison. I do not now believe, however, that the result would have been any more satisfactory.

The gunboats have proved themselves well able to resist a severe eannonading. All.the iron-elad boats received more or less shots—the flag-ship some 28—without any serious damage to any except the Essex.

This vessel received one shot in her boiler that disabled her, killing and

wounding some 32 men, Captain Porter among the wounded.

I shall take and destroy Fort Donelson on the Sth and return to Fort Henry with the forees employed, unless it looks feasible to oceupy that place with a small force that could retreat easily to the main body. I shall regard it more in the light of an advance grand guard than as a permanent post.

For the character of the works at Fort Henry I will refer you to reports of the engineers, which will be required.

Owing to the intolerable state of the roads no transportation will be taken to Fort Donelson and but little artillery, and that with double teams.

Hoping that what has been done will meet the approval of the majorgeneral commanding the department, I remain, &c.,

U. S. GRANT, l Brigadier-General, Capt. J. C. KELTON, Saint Louis, Mo.

FrELD ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CAIRO, No. 1. ) Camp in Field, near Fort Henry, February 5, 1862.

The First Division, General J. A. MeClernand commanding, will move at 11 o’clock a. m. to-morrow, under the guidance of Lieutenant-Colonel McPherson, and take a position on the roads from Fort Henry to Fort Donelson and Dover. It will be the special duty of this command to prevent all re-enforcements to Fort Henry or escape from it, also to be held in readiness to charge and take Fort Henry by storm promptly on

the receipt of orders. Two brigades of the Second Division, General

O. F. Smith commanding, will start at the same hour from the west bank of the river, and take and occupy the heights commanding Fort available and such other troops as in the opinion of the general commanding Second Division may be necessary for its protection. The Third Brigade, Second Division, will advance up the east bank of the Tennessee River as fast as can be securely done, and be in readiness to charge upon the fort or move to the support of the First Division, as may be necessary. All the forces on the west bank of the river not required to hold the heights commanding Fort Henry will return to their

_ transports, cross to the east bank, and follow the First Division as rapidly as possible. The west bank of the Tennessee River not having been reconnoitered, the commanding officer intrusted with taking possession of the enemy’s works there will proceed with great caution, and obtain such information as can be gathered and such guides as can be found in the time intervening before 11 o’clock to-morrow.

_ Whe troops will move with two days’ rations of bread and meat in

: : ss r ES B their haversacks. One company of the Second Division, armed with rifles, will be ordered to A to Flag-Omo Foote, as sharpshooters, on board the gunboats. i

j . Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Report of Brig. Gen. John A. McClernand, U. S. Army, conn First Division.