strong forts in Kentucky which they named
Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. General Grant marched against them with an
army and Commodore Foote steamed against them with a fleet of iron-clad
steamboats. Fort Henry was taken by the fleet before Grant could get to
it. Then he marched across country to Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland
River. He attacked this fort so fiercely that the Confederates tried to
get out of it but did not succeed. Then they proposed to surrender, and
asked him what terms he would give them.

"No terms except an immediate and unconditional surrender," he said. "I
propose to move immediately on your works."

This settled the matter. They surrendered--fifteen thousand in all.
After that many said that U. S. Grant stood for "Unconditional
Surrender" Grant.

I cannot tell you about all the fights that took place in the West, but
there was a terrible battle at a place called Pittsburg Landing, which
lasted two days, and in which Grant came very near being defeated. There
was a severe one at Murfreesboro on the last day of the year, and
another three days afterwards. Grant was not there, but Bragg, the
Confederate General, was defeated.

The Confederates had an important stronghold on the Mississippi River at
the city of Vicksburg, where they had many forts and a large number of
cannon. General Sherman tried to capture these forts but was driven
back. Then General Grant tried it and found it a very hard task.

The country was all swamp and creeks which no army could get through, so
Grant at last marched south on the other side of the river, and then
crossed over and marched north again. He had to fight every step of his
way, and to live on the food his men could carry, for he had cut loose
from the North. But he soon reached the city and began a long siege. The
Confederates held out until all their food was gone, and until they had
eaten up nearly all their horses and mules. Then they surrendered.
Twenty-seven thousand men were taken prisoners.

This took place on the 4th of July, 1863, the same day that General Lee
marched away from the field at Gettysburg. That was one of the greatest
Fourths of July this country had ever seen, for with it the last chance
of the South was lost. General Lee had lost many thousands of his hardy
veterans, men whom he could never replace. And in the fighting around
Vicksburg and the capture of that city nearly fifty thousand more fell
on the battle-field or were taken p