harge of all its big guns。 Then the fire waxed hot and heavy on both sides； the gunboats knocking geyser…spouts of earth about the fort； and the fort knocking gigantic splinters out of the gunboats。 The Essex ironclad was doing very well when a big shot crashed into her middle boiler； which immediately burst like a shell； scalding the nearest men to death； burning others； and sending the rest flying overboard or aft。 With both pilots dead and Commander W。D。 Porter badly scalded； the Essex was drifting out of action when the word went round that Fort Henry had surrendered： and there； sure enough； were the Confederate colors coming down。 Instantly Porter rallied for the moment； called for three cheers； and fell back exhausted at the third。
The Confederate General Tilghman surrendered to Foote with less than a hundred men； all the rest； over twenty…five hundred； having started towards Fort Donelson before the flag came down。 The Western Flotilla had won the day alone。 But it was the fear of Grant's approaching army that hurried the escaping garrison。 An hour after the surrender Grant rode in and took command。 That night victors and vanquished were dining together when a fussy staff officer came in to tell Grant that he could not find the Confederate reports。 On this Captain Jesse Taylor； the chief Confederate staff officer； replied that he had destroyed them。 The angry Federal then turned on him with the question； 〃Don't you know you've laid yourself open to punishment？〃 and was storming along； when Grant quietly broke in： 〃I should be very much surprised and mortified if one of my subordinate officers should allow information which he could destroy to fall into the hands of the enemy。〃
The surrender of Fort Henry； coming so soon after Prestonburg and Logan's Cross Roads； caused great rejoicing in the loyal North。 The victory； effective in itself； was completed by sending the ironclad Carondelet several miles upstream to destroy the Memphis…Ohio railway bridge； thus cutting the shortest line from Bowling Green to the Mississippi。 But the action； in which the army took no part； was only a preliminary skirmish compared with the joint attack of the fleet and army on Fort Donelson。 Fort Donelson was of great strategic importance。 If it held fast； and the Federals were defeated； then Johnston's line would probably hold from Bowling Green to Columbus； and the rails； roads； and rivers would remain Confederate in western Tennessee。 If； on the other hand； Fort Donelson fell； and more especially if its garrison surrendered； then Johnston's line would have to be withdrawn at once； lest the same fate should overtake the outflanked remains of it。 Both sides understood this perfectly well； and all concerned looked anxiously to see how the new Federal commander； General Grant； would face the crisis。
Ulysses Simpson Grant came of sturdy New England stock； being eighth in descent from Matthew Grant； who landed in 1630 and was Surveyor of Connecticut for over forty years。 Grant's mother was one of the Simpsons who had been Pennsylvanians for several generations。 His family was therefore as racy of the North as Lee's was of the South。 His great…grandfather and great…granduncle； Noah and Solomon Grant； held British commissions during the final French…and…Indian or Seven Years' War （1756…63） when both were killed in the same campaign。 His grandfather Noah served all through the Revolutionary War。 Financial reverses and the death of his grandmother broke up the family； and his father； Jesse Grant； was given the kindest of homes by Judge Tod of Ohio。 Jesse； being as independent as he was grateful； turned his energies into the first business at hand； which happened to be a tannery at Deerfield owned by the father of that wild enthusiast John Brown。 A great reader； an able contributor to the Western press； and a most public…spirited citizen； Jesse Grant was a good father to his famous son； who was born on April 27； 1822； at Point Pleasant； Clermont County； Ohio。 Young Grant hated the tannery； but delighted in everything connected with horses； so he looked after the teams。 One day； after swapping horses many miles from home； he found himself driving a terrified bolter that he only just managed to stop on the edge of a big embankment。 His grown…up companion； who had no stomach for any more； then changed into a safe freight wagon。 But Ulysses； tying his bandanna over the runaway's eyes； stuck to the post of danger。
After passing through West Point without any special distinction； except that he came out first in horsemanship； Grant was disappointed at not receiving the cavalry commission which he would have greatly preferred to the infantry one he was given instead。 Years later； when already a rising general； he vainly yearned for a cavalry brigade。 Otherwise he had curiously little taste for military life； though at West Point he thought the two finest men in the world were Captain C。F。 Smith； the splendidly smart Commandant； and； even more； that magnificently handsome giant； Winfield Scott； who came down to inspect the cadets。 Some years after having served with credit all through the Mexican War （when； like Lee； he learnt so much about so many future friends and foes） he left the army； not to return till he and Sherman had seen Blair and Lyon take Camp Jackson。 After wisely declining to reenter the service under the patronage of General John Pope； who was full of self…importance about his acquaintance with the Union leaders of Illinois； Grant wrote to the Adjutant…General at Washington offering to command a regiment。 Like Sherman； he felt much more diffident about the rise from ex…captain of regulars to colonel commanding a battalion than some mere civilians felt about commanding brigades or directing the strategy of armies。 He has himself recorded his horror of sole responsibility as he approached what might have been a little battlefield on which his own battalion would have been pitted against a Southern one commanded by a Colonel Harris。 〃My heart kept getting higher and higher until it felt as though it was in my throat。 I would have given anything then to have been back in Illinois； but I had not the moral courage to halt and consider what to do。 When we reached a point from which the valley below was in full view 。 。 。 the troops were gone。 My heart resumed its place。 It occurred to me at once that Harris had been as much afraid of me as I had been of him： This was a view of the question I never forgot。〃
Grant's latent powers developed rapidly。 Starting with a good stock of military knowledge he soon added to it in every way he could。 He had the insight of genius。 Above all； he had an indomitable will both in carrying out practicable plans in spite of every obstacle and in ruthlessly dismissing every one who failed。 Not tall； not handsome； in no way striking at first sight； he looked the leader born only by reason of his square jaw； keen eye； and determined expression。 Lincoln's conclusive answer to a deputation asking for Grant's removal simply was； 〃he fights。〃 And； when mounted on his splendid charger Cincinnati； Grant even looked what he was〃a first…class fighting man。〃
Grant marched straight across the narrow neck of land between the forts； which were only twelve miles apart。 Foote of course had to go round by the Ohiofifteen times as far。 His vanguard； the dauntless Carondelet； now commanded by Henry Walke； arrived on the twelfth and fired the first shots at the fort； which stood on a bluff more than a hundred feet high and mounted fifteen heavy guns in three tiers of fire。 Grant's infantry was already in position round the Confederate entrenchments； and when his soldiers heard the naval guns they first gave three rousing cheers and then began firing hard； lest the sailors should get ahead of them again。 Birge's sharpshooters； the snipers of those days； were particularly keen。 They never drilled as a battalion； but simply assembled in bunches for orders； when Birge would ask： 〃Canteens full？ Biscuits for all day？〃 After which he would sing out： 〃All right； boys； hunt your holes〃； and off they would go to stalk the enemy with their long…range rifles。
Early next morning Grant sent word to Walke that he was establishing the rest of his batteries and that he was ready to take advantage of any diversion which the Carondelet could make in his favor。 Walke then fired hard for two hours under cover of a wooded point。 The fort fired back equally hard； but with little effect except for one big solid shot which stove in a casemate； knocked down a dozen men； burst the steam heater； and bounded about the engine room 〃like a wild beast pursuing its prey。〃 Forty minutes later the Carondelet was again in action； firing hard till dark。 Late that night Foote arrived with the rest of the flotilla。
The fourteenth was another naval day。 Foote's flotilla advanced gallantly； the four ironclads leading in line abreast； the two wooden gunboats half a mile astern。 The ironclads closed in to less than a quarter…mile and hung on like bulldogs till the Confederates in the lowest battery were driven from their guns。 But the plunging fire from the big guns on the bluff crashed down with ever increasing effect。 Davits were smashed like matches； boats knocked into kindling wood； armor dented； started； ripped； stripped； and sent splashing overboard as if by strokes of lightning。 Before the decks could be resanded there was so much blood on them that the gun crews could hardly work for slipping。 Presently the Pittsburgh swung round； ran foul of the Carondelet； and dropped downstream。 The pilot of the St。 Louis was killed； and Foote； who stood beside him； wounded。 The wheel…ropes of the St。 Louis； like those of the Louisville； were shot away。 The whole flotilla then retired； still firing hard； and the Confederates wired a victory to Richmond。
Both sides now redoubled their efforts； for Donelson was a great prize and the forces engaged were second only to those at Bull Run。 Afloat and ashore； all ranks and ratings on both sides together； there were fifty thousand men present at the investment from first to last。 The Confederates began with about twenty thousand； Grant with fifteen thousand。 But Grant had twenty…seven thousand fit for duty at the end； in spite of