One of Morgan's Men: Memoirs of Lieutenant John M. Porter of the Ninth Kentucky Cavalry

2 You Have Crowned Yourselves with Glory

23 2 YOU HAVE CROWNED YOURSELVES WITH GLORY General Grant moved elements of his Federal army—soon to be known as the “Army of the Tennessee”—on troop transports up the Tennessee River from Paducah, Kentucky, with Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote’s armada of gunboats in early February 1862. On February 6, Foote’s naval forces bombarded Fort Henry on the east bank of the Tennessee, forcing its surrender by Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman within seventy-nine minutes. Grant disembarked his land forces at Fort Henry and moved them twelve miles east to besiege Fort Donelson, situated on the west bank of the Cumberland River, while a fleet of gunboats ascended the Cumberland from Smithland, Kentucky, to bombard the fort. General Johnston called upon Buckner, with elements of his division then at Russellville, Kentucky, to reinforce Fort Donelson while the rest of the Confederate army evacuated Kentucky. Buckner ordered John M. Porter to accompany him. Porter thus found himself in Fort Donelson. Grant’s army arrived in front of the outer works of Fort Donelson on February 12. In command of the Confederate forces there, about 18,000 strong, was Brigadier General John B. Floyd of Virginia. Brigadier General Gideon J. Pillow of Tennessee and General Buckner commanded the two divisions forming the garrison. The Confederate lines extended more ONE OF MORGAN’S MEN 24 than three miles, from just east of Dover, Tennessee, on the river, all the way around Fort Donelson to nearly one mile west of it, also on the river. The Confederate defenders turned back a Federal naval assault on February 14. Confederate ground assaults on February 15 actually broke through the Federal lines and gained possession of the Charlotte and Forge roads to Nashville, but General Pillow ordered the troops withdrawn. That night General Pillow and General Floyd left the fort, fearing what would happen to them if captured, leaving General Buckner to surrender the garrison . The surrender conference took place on February 16 in the Dover Tavern, Buckner’s headquarters in Dover, Tennessee, between Buckner and Grant, former classmates at the U.S. Military Academy. Grant demanded that Buckner surrender “unconditionally,” which Buckner reluctantly agreed to do. Porter became a prisoner of war. General Johnston withdrew his Confederate forces from Kentucky altogether. They first occupied Nashville and then Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It became necessary toward the last of December 1861, around Christmas, to strengthen the Confederate forces at Fort Henry on the Tennessee River and Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River, both of which were menaced by Federal troops. General Buckner moved with a few thousand men to Russellville. The ostensible object of the move was to be in a position from which he could move, as soon as the roads were passable, to attack Brigadier General Thomas L. Crittenden, then in command of a considerable force of the enemy at Calhoun, on the Green River. But the real purpose was to be within aiding distance of Fort Donelson, if it should become necessary to reinforce that position.1 The wisdom and necessity of this movement was soon made obvious. Already, the enemy had profited by some experience and resorted to famous flank movements, the only way for them to force General Johnston from his position at Bowling Green. A formidable fleet of vessels under the command of Flag Officer Andrew Foote and a large Fed- YOU HAVE CROWNED YOURSELVES WITH GLORY 25 eral army under Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant, in February 1862, ascended the Cumberland River for the purpose of reducing Fort Donelson. Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman had been forced to surrender the Confederate forces at Fort Henry on the Tennessee River, only twelve miles west of Fort Donelson. The rivers were only some twelve miles apart at those points. Upon General Buckner learning that the Federals were moving on Fort Donelson, he moved his command from Russellville as expeditiously as possible to the fort, which was destined, in a few days, to witness bloody and terrible scenes. BeforeGeneralBucknerleftBowlingGreen,hedetached from the “Guides” Joseph S. Gray, Dempsey Burton Bailey, Thomas Robinson, J. W. Rasdell, Reuben M. Johnson and myself, to proceed with him to Russellville. After remaining for two or three weeks at Russellville, scouting very often in the vicinity of the enemy at Calhoun and South Carrollton, we were ordered to move with the army to Fort Donelson. Arriving at Clarksville, we halted a few days...