Review: The Forts Henry and Donelson Campaign: February 6–16, 1862

The Forts Henry andDonelson Campaign: February 6–16, 1862

Edited by Steven E. Woodworth and Charles D. Grear

The capture of Forts Henry and Donelson in February 1862 marked one of the most important early turning points of the American Civil War. Yet, despite their enormous strategic significance, these operations sometimes receive less attention than the more celebrated campaigns and battles that followed. In The Forts Henry and Donelson Campaign: February 6–16, 1862, editors Steven E. Woodworth and Charles D. Grear have assembled a collection of seven essays that revisit this pivotal campaign and offer readers several fresh perspectives on the events that opened the Confederate heartland to Union invasion.

The Union victories at Fort Henry on February 6 and Fort Donelson on February 16 transformed the military situation in the Western Theater. Under the combined efforts of General Ulysses S. Grant and Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote, Federal forces gained access to the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, forcing Confederate withdrawals from Kentucky and much of western Tennessee. The surrender of more than 13,000 Confederate soldiers at Fort Donelson also brought national attention to Grant and established his reputation as a determined military commander.

Rather than simply retelling the familiar story of these engagements, the contributors examine several aspects of the campaign that deserve greater attention. Among the subjects explored are the influence of environmental conditions on military operations, the cooperation between the Union Army and Navy, Nathan Bedford Forrest's decisions at Fort Donelson, and the Confederate breakout attempt of February 15. Other essays examine Brigadier General Charles F. Smith's decisive assault against the Confederate defenses, Colonel Gabriel C. Wharton's efforts to justify the surrender, and the reaction of Texans to the Confederate defeats.

One of the strengths of this collection is its variety. Michael Burns's examination of environmental conditions reminds readers that weather, terrain, and geography could be just as influential as the decisions made by commanding generals. Blakeney K. Hill's discussion of Union Army-Navy cooperation offers an interesting look at the challenges of conducting joint military operations. Jonathan M. Steplyk's examination of the Confederate breakout attempt is particularly worthwhile, drawing upon soldiers' letters and diaries to explore what participants on both sides could actually see and understand amid the confusion of battle.

I also found the essays examining Confederate leadership and the consequences of defeat especially interesting. The contributions by Sheilah R. Elwardani and Charles D. Grear extend the discussion beyond the battlefield, exploring how Confederate officers attempted to defend their decisions and how the defeats affected Texans' understanding of the war. These chapters help demonstrate that the consequences of Forts Henry and Donelson extended well beyond the immediate loss of two military installations.

The editors have succeeded in bringing together established and emerging historians to examine a campaign from several different perspectives. Even readers who are already familiar with the events of February 1862 should find something new and worthwhile in these essays.

The Forts Henry and Donelson Campaign is a welcome addition to the Civil War Campaigns in the West series and a useful contribution to the scholarship of the Western Theater. For anyone interested in the early career of Ulysses S. Grant, the development of Union river operations, or the military collapse of Confederate positions in Kentucky and Tennessee, this book deserves its place on everyone’s Civil War bookshelf.

ISBN 978-0809339976, Southern Illinois University Press, © 2026, Paperback, 164 Pages, Maps, Tables, Photographs, End Notes follow each essay & Index. $24.95.  To Purchase the book click HERE.