y opened the way for the Union advance to Fort
Donelson, and marked the first step of the United States Government
toward regaining control of the Mississippi. It broke the northern
battle-line of the Confederacy, and never again was that line
re-established.

With Fort Henry fallen, and Gen. Tilghman and his little garrison
prisoners on the Union gunboats, Grant's soldier-boys and Foote's
blue-jackets began active preparations for continuing the conquest of
Tennessee by the capture of Fort Donelson. No time was lost. The very
night that the stars and stripes were first hoisted over the bastion
of Fort Henry saw three of Foote's gunboats steaming up the river on a
reconnoitring expedition. Before them the Confederates fled in every
direction. After several hours' advance, they came to a heavy
railroad-bridge spanning the river, and effectually preventing further
progress. Beyond the bridge were several Confederate steamers, black
with men, and heavily laden with valuable military stores. With all
steam on, they were dashing up stream, and rapidly leaving the
gunboats behind. Enraged at seeing such valuable prizes slipping
through their hands, the Union gunners sent shell after shell
shrieking after the flying boats, but to no avail. A party was hastily
landed for the purpose of swinging the draw of the bridge, but found
the machinery broken, and the ways on which the bridge swung twisted
and bent out of shape. An hour's hard work with axes and crowbars, and
the draw was swung far enough to let pass the "Conestoga" and the
"Lexington." They dashed forward like greyhounds slipped from the
leash; and, after several hours' hard steaming, a smoke over the
tree-tops told that the Confederate fugitives were not far ahead. Soon
a bend in the river was passed; and there, within easy range, were two
of the flying steamers. A commotion was visible on board, and boat
after boat was seen to put off, and make for the shore; on reaching
which the crews immediately plunged into the woods, and were out of
sight before the gunboats could get within range. Soon light blue
smoke curling from the windows of the steamers told that they had been
fired; and as the last boats left each vessel, she ceased her onward
course, and drifted, abandoned and helpless, down the stream. When
within about a thousand yards of the two gunboats, the deserted
steamers blew up with such force, that, even at that great distance,
the glass was shattered in the "