erate colors were flaunted in his face。 His requisitions for arms and money were not met at Washington。 Union regiments marched in without proper equipment and with next to no supplies。 There were boards of inquiry on his contracts。 There were endless cross…purposes between him and Washington。 And early in November he was transferred to West Virginia just as he was about to attack with what seemed to him every prospect of success。 He had not succeeded。 But he had done good work in fortifying St。 Louis； in ordering gunboats； tugs； and mortar…boats； in producing some kind of system out of utter confusion；； in trusting good men like Lyon； and in sending the then unknown Ulysses Grant to take command at Cairo； the excellent strategic base where the Ohio joins the Mississippi。
The most determined fighting that took place during Fremont's command was brought on by Lyon； who attacked Ben McCulloch at Wilson's Creek； in southwest Missouri； on the tenth of August。 Though McCulloch had ten thousand； against not much over five； Lyon was so set on driving the Confederates away from such an important lead…bearing region that he risked an attack； hoping by surprise； skillful maneuvers； and the help of his regulars to shake the enemy's hold； even if he could not thoroughly defeat him。 Disheartened by his repeated failure to get reinforcements； and very anxious about the fate of his flanking column under Sigel； whose attack from the rear was defeated； he expressed his forebodings to his staff。 But the light of battle shone bright as ever in his eyes； he was killed leading a magnificent charge； and when； after his death； his little army drew off in good order； the Confederates； by their own account； 〃were glad to see him go。〃
On the twentieth of September the Confederates under Sterling Price won a barren victory by taking Lexington； Missouri； where Colonel James Mulligan made a gallant defense。 That was the last Confederate foothold on the Missouri； and it could not be maintained。
In October； Anderson； who had never recovered from the strain of defending Fort Sumter； turned over to Sherman the very troublesome Kentucky command。 Sherman pointed out to the visiting Secretary of War； Simon Cameron； that while McClellan had a hundred thousand men for a front of a hundred miles in Virginia； and Fremont had sixty thousand for about the same distance； he （Sherman） had been given only eighteen thousand to guard the link between them； although this link stretched out three hundred miles。 Sherman then asked for sixty thousand men at once； and said two hundred thousand would be needed later on。 〃Good God！〃 said Cameron； 〃where are they to come from？〃 Come they had to； as Sherman foresaw。 Cameron made trouble at Washington by calling Sherman's words 〃insane〃； and Sherman's 〃insanity〃 became a stumbling…block that took a long time to remove。
Grant； in command at Cairo； began his career as a general by cleverly forestalling the enemy at Paducah； where the Tennessee flows into the Ohio。 Then； on the seventh of November； he closed the first confused campaign on the Mississippi by attacking Belmont； Missouri； twenty miles downstream from Cairo； in order to prevent the Confederates at Columbus； Kentucky； right opposite； from sending reinforcements to Sterling Price in Arkansas。 There was a stiff fight； in which the Union gunboats did good work。 Grant handled his soldiers equally well； and the Union objective was fully attained。
Halleck； the Federal Commander…in…Chief for the river campaign of '62； fixed his headquarters at St。 Louis。 From this main base his right wing had rails as far as Rolla； whence the mail road went on southwest； straight across Missouri。 At Lebanon； near the middle of the State； General Samuel R。 Curtis was concentrating； before advancing still farther southwest against the Confederates whom he eventually fought at Pea Ridge。 From St。 Louis there was good river； rail； and road connection south to Halleck's center in the neighborhood of Cairo； where General Ulysses S。 Grant had his chief field base； at the junction of the Mississippi and Ohio。 A little farther east Grant had another excellent position at Paducah； beside the junction of the Ohio and the Tennessee。 Naval forces were of course indispensable for this amphibious campaign； and in Flag…Officer Andrew Hull Foote the Western Flotilla had a commander able to cooperate with the best of his military colleagues。 Halleck's lefta semi…independent commandwas based on the Ohio； stretched clear across Kentucky； and was commanded by a good organizer and disciplinarian； General Don Carlos Buell； whose own position at Munfordville was not only near the middle of the State but about midway between the important railway junctions of Louisville and Nashville。
Henry W。 Halleck was a middle…aged； commonplace； and very cautious general； who faithfully plodded through the war without defeat or victory。 He looked so long before he leaped that he never leaped at allnot even on retreating enemies。 Good for the regular officework routine； he was like a hen with ducklings for this river war； in which Curtis； Grant； Buell； and his naval colleague Foote； were all his betters on the fighting line。
His opponent； Albert Sidney Johnston； was also middle…aged； being fifty…nine； but quite fit for active service。 Johnston had had a picturesque career； both in and out of the army； and many on both sides thought him likely to prove the greatest leader of the war。 He was； however； a less formidable opponent than Northerners were apt to think。 He was not a consummate genius like Lee。 He had inferior numbers and resources； and the Confederate Government interfered with him。 Yet they did have the good sense to put both sides of the Mississippi under his unified command； including not only Kentucky and Tennessee； Missouri and Arkansas； but the whole of the crucial stretch from Vicksburg to Port Hudson。 In this they were wiser than the Federal Government with Halleck's command； which was neither so extensive nor so completely unified。
Johnston took post in his own front line at Bowling Green； Kentucky； not far south of Buell's position at Munfordville。 He was very anxious to keep a hold on Kentucky and Missouri； along the southern frontiers of which his forces were arrayed。 His extreme right was thrown northward under General Marshall to Prestonburg； near the border of West Virginia； in the dangerous neighborhood of many Union mountain folk。 His southern outpost on the right was also in the same kind of danger at Cumberland Gap； a strategic pass into the Alleghanies at a point where Kentucky； Tennessee； and Virginia meet。 Halfway west from there； to Bowling Green the Confederates hoped to hold the Cumberland near Logan's Cross Roads and Mill Springs。 Westwards from Bowling Green Johnston's line held positions at Fort Donelson on the Cumberland； Fort Henry on the Tennessee； and Columbus on the Mississippi。 All his Trans…Mississippi troops were under the command of the enthusiastic Earl Van Dorn； who hoped to end his spring campaign in triumph at St。 Louis。
The fighting began in January at the northeastern end of the line； where the Union Government； chiefly for political reasons； was particularly anxious to strengthen the Unionists that lived all down the western Alleghanies and so were a thorn in the side of the solid South beyond。 On the tenth Colonel James A。 Garfield； a future President； attacked and defeated Marshall near Prestonburg and occupied the line of Middle Creek。 The Confederates； half starved； half clad； ill armed； slightly outnumbered； and with no advantage except their position； fought well； but unavailingly。 Only some three thousand men were engaged on both sides put together。 Yet the result was important because it meant that the Confederates had lost their hold on the eastern end of Kentucky； which was now in unrestricted touch with West Virginia。
Within eight days a greater Union commander； General G。H。 Thomas； emerged as the victor of a much bigger battle at Mill Springs and Logan's Cross Roads on the upper Cumberland； ninety miles due east of Bowling Green。 The victory was complete； and Thomas's name was made。 Thomas； indeed； was known already as a man whose stentorian orders had to be obeyed； and a clever young Confederate prisoner used this reputation as his excuse for getting beaten： 〃We were doing pretty good fighting till old man Thomas rose up in his stirrups； and we heard him holler out： 'Attention； Creation！ By kingdoms； right wheel！' Then we knew you had us。〃
There were only about four thousand men a side。 But in itself； and in conjunction with Garfield's little victory at Prestonburg； the battle of Logan's Cross Roads was important as raising the Federal morale； as breaking through Johnston's right； and as opening the road into eastern Tennessee。 Short supplies and almost impassable roads； however； prevented a further advance。 One brigade was therefore detached against Cumberland Gap； while the rest joined Buell's command； which was engaged in organizing； drilling hard； and keeping an eye on Johnston。
In February the scene of action changed to Johnston's left center； where Forts Donelson and Henry were blocking the Federal advance up the Cumberland and the Tennessee。
On the fourth； Flag…Officer Foote； with seven gunboats； of which four were ironclads； led the way up the Tennessee； against Fort Henry。 That day the furious current was dashing driftwood in whirling masses against the flotilla； which had all it could do to keep station； even with double anchors down and full steam up。 Next morning a new danger appeared in the shape of what looked like a school of dead porpoises。 These were Confederate torpedoes； washed from their moorings。 As it was now broad daylight they were all successfully avoided； and the crews felt as if they had won the first round。
The sixth of February dawned clear； with just sufficient breeze to blow the smoke away。 The flotilla steamed up the swollen Tennessee between the silent； densely wooded banks。 Not a sound was heard ashore until； just after noon； Fort Henry came into view and answered the flagship's signal shot with a crashing discharge of all its big guns。 Then the fire waxed hot and heavy on both sides； the gunboats knocking ge