e hope of cutting off the Union retreat to the boats. On all sides
the dark gray columns could be seen marching out of the woods, and
pouring down upon the retreating army of the North. Batteries were
wheeling into position, and staff-officers in travelling carriages
were dashing to and fro carrying orders. It seemed a black day for
the three or four thousand Unionists who were making for their
transports with all possible speed. But now was the time for the
gunboats to take a hand in the fight. Three of them dropped into
position, and began a deadly fire upon the Confederate line. The huge
shells ploughed their way through whole platoons of men. Bursting,
they would mow down soldiers like saplings before a cyclone. One shell
exploded directly beneath an officer's carriage, and threw horses,
carriage, and men high in the air. The Confederates hastened to get
their field-batteries into position, and replied to the deadly fire
from the ships, but to no avail. Their light artillery was of no
effect upon the plated sides of the gunboats, and they saw their
cannon dismounted or shattered by the solid shot from the big guns of
the iron-clads. They fought bravely, but the conflict was unequal. It
was sheer madness for any body of men, with muskets and light
artillery, to stand against the fire of the gunboats. The gunboats
saved the day. The retreat of the Union army was unchecked; and,
covered by the war-vessels, the transports returned safely to Cairo.

On the Tennessee River, near the northern boundary of Tennessee, the
Confederates had thrown up certain earthworks to which they gave the
name of Fort Henry. This, with Fort Donelson, situated near by, formed
the principal Confederate strongholds in Tennessee. Gen. Grant
determined to strike a heavy blow by capturing these two forts; and
Commodore Foote, with his seven gunboats, was ordered to co-operate
with the land-forces in the expedition. They started from Cairo on
Feb. 2, 1862. When a few miles below the fort, the troops were landed
and ordered to proceed up the back country, and attack the fort in the
rear, while Foote should engage it from the river with his gunboats.
While the troops were being landed, Gen. Grant boarded the "Essex,"
and went up the river to get a view of the fort they were about to
attack. Had it been completed in accordance with the plans of the
engineers, it would have been most formidable. Time, however, had been
short, and the earthworks were fa