ACW: Battle of Fort Donelson - "Unconditional Surrender"

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Following the relatively-easy capture of Fort Henry by Flag Officer Foote’s gunboat flotilla on February 6th, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant begins marching his District of Cairo overland to capture nearby Fort Donelson, overlooking the Cumberland River. However, unlike Fort Henry, Fort Donelson will prove to be a tough nut to crack.
Music from Flimstro: filmstro.com/music/
Sources:
The Fort Henry-Fort Donelson Campaign: The History and Legacy of the Union Victories that Made Ulysses S. Grant a Major General
by Charles River Editors
The Battle of Fort Donelson: No Terms But Unconditional Surrender (Civil War Series)
part of the Civil War Sesquicentennial Series
The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
by Ulysses S. Grant
Military History of Ulysses S. Grant from 1861 to 1865
by Adam Badeau
Script written by J. Woody
#americancivilwar #westerntheater #civilwar

[@WarhawkYT]

Make sure you like and subscribe to see more animated Civil War battles!

[@burtonlee22]

My great great grandfather Col. James Baird Weaver fought under Grant at Fort Donelson. He led the Iowa 2nd Infantry to victory. I would not be alive today if he had not survived this battle, Shiloh and many others.

[@craigparkinson2844]

My Great Grandfather was in the 2nd Iowa out of Davenport. He was wounded in the mouth at the battle. The picture of Grant on horseback overlooking the battle has a wounded soldier by the campfire. He was wounded in the mouth! I have been to the battlefield. I feel that the activities of the 2nd Iowa were more important than this video claims. The narrator was also too enthralled with the future leader of the KKK.

[@theduke7539]

@@craigparkinson2844 Forrest lost what Valor he earned when he lead the KKK. But during the war, he was every bit of the confederate equal to Union Colonel Custer. And the focus on the Lee during Gettysburg, Donelson was the confederates battle to lose. It was only by pure luck that the rebels made just a handful of dire mistakes. Had there been even a hint of more clout in the rebel officers, they would have escaped to Nashville and lead a much bloodier campaign against Grant.

[@josephcockburn1402]

@@craigparkinson2844 they had no business invading the South.

[@MrIluvbutts]

@@josephcockburn1402 they sure did. We don't take kindly to thieving, slaving traitors.

[@Thegreatone100]

Awesome🇺🇸.

[@meofamily4]

I'm surprised and pleased at an hour-by-hour, day-by-day account of these crucial Civil War battles.

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

Its all documented. Theres a big book even called the official wartime records of the Civil War or something. The entire thing was documented. But it is fun to see these youtubers set up their maps and even models, it actually is really cool, yer right!

[@Zarastro54]

This is why Lincoln liked Grant. “He fights!” While the Confederate command dithered and worked out who was going to take the blame, Grant knew the value of initiative and momentum and seized it here and whenever possible. Don’t give the enemy time to breath, break them here and now to prevent future suffering.

[@ravarga4631]

Federal commanders too often planned and prepared but did not fight as decisively as grant, their troops fought and died heavily in the east because commanders had read the memoirs of napoleonic wars commanders and imitated them.

[@groussac]

@@ravarga4631 Did Grant not read the same memoirs and employ the same tactics? I'm not being a smart ass here, I'm just asking. Seems to me that in both the Western and Eastern theaters, they amassed troops to concentrate fire and stormed barricaded positions. Like at Cold Harbor, for example, when Grant was in charge. Hard to see how this was any different from what Burnside did at Fredericksburg. IMO, it wasn't tactics that distinguished Grant from his contemporaries. It was his character. Quoting from WT Sherman: 'It will be a thousand years before Grant's character is fully appreciated. Grant is the greatest soldier of our time if not all time... he fixes in his mind what is the true objective and abandons all minor ones. He dismisses all possibility of defeat. He believes in himself and in victory. If his plans go wrong he is never disconcerted but promptly devises a new one and is sure to win in the end. Grant more nearly impersonated the American character of 1861-65 than any other living man. Therefore he will stand as the typical hero of the great Civil War in America.'

[@danielhess1082]

Little foot note, Grant's promotion to major general was officially major general of volunteers. There were multiple grades of major general rank which is part of the reason you see the Rank of Major General being used on various levels of command. Not as clear cut as it is today.

[@matthewsmith9553]

As someone who has just recently "bit" by the civil war history bug, this video is amazing! I'm a visual learner so I learn much more through battle videos like this! My Dad and Grandparents grew up near where this battle took place and I've been to the fort numerous times but I feel like your video has opened my eyes to how big and crucial this battle was. Thank you! I really hope you plan on doing videos like this of every single battle in the civil war. I'll watch all of them!

[@WarhawkYT]

We surely will, just in due time of course! Thanks Matthew!

[@kallekonttinen1738]

As an European I have read from ww1 & ww2 all there is to read. Then I started to search more reading from other topics. After sporadic readin of Napoleonic wars, Vietnam war, France-Prussia war and Russia-Japan war I found American Civil war. Lot of reading, lectures and videos available. I love it! Such an overwhelming event! Only problem is US geography. Opposite to Europe I do not automaticly know where is places such as Richmond or Nashville so these map based videos are great! Thanks!

[@ColemanCanna]

@@kallekonttinen1738one thing i have heard many times from folks outside the states thats a little difficult. How many city/towns are of the same name in different states.

[@grandadmiralzaarin4962]

"I did not come here to surrender my command."-Lt Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest upon hearing the talks of surrender by his Commanding officers. Floyd and Buckner were far too timid for command, Forrest led out a sizable detachment of 700 and escaped intact, had Backner and Floyd followed his example and advice they almost certainly could have saved the majority of the 12,000 men and 48 artillery pieces to fight another day.

[@redclayscholar620]

Only difference is Forrest had 700 cavalry. Marching 12,000 troops on foot in the dark while not drawing attention would have been a Herculean effort and if caught they would not have been able to counter.

[@grandadmiralzaarin4962]

@@redclayscholar620 not at all. Forrest didn't just have cavalry with him in the breakout as well as having to dismount on three separate occurrences against what were in the dark seen as picket lines(but were in actuality picket fences). Standard procedure in an evacuation is to leave a rear guard to keep up appearances to the enemy, most of the heavy equipment and of course the wounded would have remained at the fort. That two brigades evacuated by steamer earlier in the day, and Forrest's force encountered no enemy, even scouts, throughout their breakout and the eyewitness accounts from both the command, Grant's forces later and the consensus of military historians and personnel all concur that the majority of the garrison(potentially upwards of 7,000 men) could have escaped to fight again. In point of fact, Buckner screwed over the remaining forces by posting guards to prevent more people going with or after Forrest. The irony being that the only true barrier to the Confederate Army's escape was its own commanders' timidity and incompetence.

[@TheNightWatcher1385]

My great great great great grand uncle served with the 4th Mississippi Infantry and was captured at this battle. He died at POW Camp Morton in Indianapolis. RIP, uncle Henry.

[@raaven616]

The Confederate Generals there really screwed the pooch. They could have used to two boats to ferry the army across the river during the hours of darkness on the two snow nights. They could have also used the those two nights to form flank attacks since the sound was covered by snow. I personally would have spiked the guns and moved the command across the river then on to Gen. Johnston's position.

[@ArmenianBishop]

The capture of the Confederate Garrison was definitely avoidable. Basically, the garrison was blundered away with the fort, and it was among one of the most appalling and Confederate fiascos. Aside from Forrest extricating his cavalry, General Bushrod Johnson made a remarkable escape from the fort, walking through enemy lines, he got away without a scratch, while the bulk of the garrison surrendered.

[@raylast3873]

A general escaping alone by himself isn‘t really an impressive achievement. It‘s like a captain abandoning his ship and leaving the crew behind.

[@ArmenianBishop]

@@raylast3873 Normally, it wouldn't look so good; but, Bushrod Johnston, was essentially relegated to the status of a POW, when he slipped away through enemy lines. He escaped by deceiving the enemy into thinking that he was one of them. Do you really think it would've worked so well, if he had brought more men along? Anyway, at Fort Donelson, there were two commanding officers (Floyd & Pillow) who very much did disgrace themselves by "escaping" and leaving the garrison holding the bag. Floyd resigned from his command, giving command of the fort to Pillow who also resigned, and gave the command to Simon Buckner, who would surrender the fort.

[@fortusvictus8297]

To be fair, the entire Western theater was a lost cause and the Confederate generals knew it. There was no way to defend the Tennessee Valley, Mississippi, Ohio, and Cumberland rivers all at the same time from 90k+ USA troops with about 25k troops at best for the CSA. The whole point was to make the US have to work for it, and they did. More bloodshed would not have significantly delayed the outcome. The REAL failure was 10k soldiers being pinned down in the forts and not withdrawing as many troops as possible first.

[@tigerlilly66]

Ineptitude by generals wasn't limited to just the Union and idiots like George McClennan, Burnside, and Hooker! Thank God for US Grant and Sherman who more than made up for the incompetents. Otherwise, Colorado would be a slave state with a sodomite governor.

[@theduke7539]

I grew up near Fort Donelson and have made several trips around it. The whole area is surreal. It's hard to sit in the quiet fields and imagine thousands of men waiting death as the thunder of the largest cannons in the western hemisphere pound on the river front. Growing up, one of my best friends carrys Simon Buckners name and is a direct decendant, and looking at his dad, he is a dead ringer for the general.

[@danmathis1696]

I'm from Dover too! I live in NC and miss going to that park.

[@dpo1960]

Just visited there. Amazing story of our American heritage.

[@kennethhamby9811]

As a middle Tennessean, I have been to Dover and Ft, Donaldson several times. If Forrest had had any say in this matter, things would not of happened this way, The loss of Ft. Donaldson, cost the loss of the war. It open a gash in the Confederacy that bled it out. It allowed Grant to rise in Lincoln’s respect. It could of just as easy turned into a defeat to the Union.

[@huntclanhunt9697]

Thank God it didn't result in a defeat then!

[@definitely_not_Hirohito]

Not exactly, but also it's called Donelson.

[@Chris-oi2ew]

Very good video!! Fort donelson isn’t talked about much so thank you for making this.

[@WarhawkYT]

Thanks Christiqn! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@ArmenianBishop]

It seems that Buckner surrendered, because he foresaw an overwhelming morning attack. Correct me if I'm wrong. Despite the humiliation of surrendering the fort, there was still goodwill, between them, after the war. In 1885, Buckner was a pall-bearer at Grant's funeral. Buckner was exchanged in August, 1862. Buckner got a little revenge as one of the officers who received the surrender of 4,000 Union troops at Munfordville, Kentucky, in September, 1862.

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

Maybe they went to West point together

[@robertoamorico2151]

Incredible! After break the union line those confederate generals return to the start point for inevitable surrender.

[@zurgesmiecal]

that's the point I don't understand

[@ericappleman5843]

Your level of detail is phenomenal. It bolsters your deliberate delivery. Don’t change a thing!

[@JazzMan76]

Your series on the Civil War battles are very well done. I'm enjoying them thoroughly.

[@WarhawkYT]

Thank you Dennis, we will have another video coming out this weekend!

[@michaelfitzgerald434]

Absolutely excellent! I visited Ft. Donelson awhile back. I had no idea how enormous this battlefield was. Very well done. As an aside, Grant captured 3 Confederate Armies, intact, in the field: Ft. Donelson, Vicksburg and Appomattox. No other General on either side captured even one!

[@Cyberfender1]

The author, Shelby Foote(spelling) said that the Union was fighting with one arm tied behind it's back. Grant was a good general but Cold Harbor puts an asterisk in his History.(his worst) He was blessed with Inept Confederate Generals and a strong flotilla in Foot.( irony about his wound in the foot) Sorry, I chucked.

[@matthewdavid6134]

@@Cyberfender1 So you said, "He (Grant) was blessed with Inept Confederate Generals" is that including Lee?

[@ohauss]

@@Cyberfender1 The thing about Cold Harbor is that in the end, it was rather a meaningless failure. Lee had already been driven back all the way to Richmond, and while the assault was costly for the Union, relative casualty rates for the Confederates made it a pyrrhic victory in that they wouldn't be able to afford such "victories" more often. Lee's campaign was pretty much lost militarily, the sole hope was that a stubborn defense would lead to a political change. In the end, and in light of the later fall of Atlanta dashing all hopes of said political change, the "victory" at Cold Harbor probably cost many more Confederate lives, as it delayed what was pretty much inevitable. Admitting that in the long run, the situation was rather hopeless would have likely prevented a lot.

[@cretene1]

grant captured fuck all, pillow hadnt the balls to fight thats all

[@jeffburnham6611]

@@Cyberfender1 Grant was known as a "butcher", seemingly having little regard for his men, which wasn't true. His job was to win, and up until now many Union Generals were plagued by indecisiveness. Grant was one of Lincoln's favorite Generals, which is why he was given command of the Union Army after terrible leadership by people like McClellan, Hooker and Burnside.

[@MikeD56034]

excellent video I fully intend to share these with my pals who all enjoy civil war history.

[@ejdotw1]

Outstanding work!

[@xpress144]

Damn. VERY well done sir. Thank you

[@tabletopgeneralsde310]

That had gone in a total different direction, funny how some things develop. Thanks for your work.

[@jollyjohnthepirate3168]

Outstanding work.

[@WarhawkYT]

Thanks for watching! Next to come is the Battle of Island No. 10!

[@prch87]

Was just sitting near the river battery on my lunch break while watching this. Amazing to think about the battle that took place here

[@algray1195]

Dover is my home. Great history lesson.

[@MrMenefrego1]

Congratulations on a distinctive American Civil War series; other than the occasional oddly pronounced word, it's quite engaging. In fact, it is so well executed; you have a new subscriber here, and it takes a great deal for me to sub to any channel.

[@redefv]

Loving all this content. I found your channel a few days ago via the Vlogging Trough Histories Channel.

[@WarhawkYT]

Welcome Red FX!

[@charlayned]

I found it that way too. As a historian and genealogist, this stuff is right up my alley and I had 2 great grandfathers, on either side of that battle.

[@redefv]

@charlayned one of my great grandfather's immigrated from Hungry. Then the Civil War popped off and he joined a Michigan Calvary unit. His unit ended up capturing Jefferson Davis!

[@a.N.....]

love illustrations god bless. these types of videos done well and overly informed make for butter content my guy thank you.

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

I guess your God does not require good grammar.

[@mykofreder1682]

Any battle with Forest has many mentions of him, but in the end you wonder what he did other than ride around and get into skirmishes that total probably less than 1% of the battles casualties. A bigger Confederate, self promoting, blowhard probably never existed. His claim to fame is a raid on a bumbling US column with probably 1000 casualties, someone actually did one of these programs on that raid. Hoods attack on US supply lines after Atlanta had a lot more men and casualties but most people don't know of it because Forest wasn't there. He hung on the edges of the Franklin battle and again did little to nothing, meanwhile Hood fought an attrition battle that reduced his army to about the size of Forest unit who suffered few losses in the battle.

[@confederateshortyandjenna2378]

John Bell Hood decimated the army of Tennessee- Nathan Bedford Forrest is a hero! Forrest’s short address he gave in 1875 to a black Memphis civic group, the Pole Bearers’ Association, as evidence that he bore no ill will toward African Americans in general. Referring to hopes for a “reconciliation between the white and colored races of the southern states,” Forrest urged his audience to exercise their right of suffrage, and closed with the lines, “I want you to come nearer to us. When I can serve you I will do so. We have but one flag, one country; let us stand together. We may differ in colors, but not in sentiment Many things have been said about me which are wrong, and which white and black persons here, who stood by me through the war, can contradict. Go to work, be industrious, live honestly and act truly, and when you are oppressed I’ll come to your relief.” - Bedford Forrest Keep rewriting the history to make yourself feel better-

[@thomaswatson1739]

Forrest Calvary wasn’t of too much use because they were Calvary. They were fighting a defensive fort campaign. Ie one not suited for Calvary. Forrest knew this and wanted to not get the army pinned into the fort. Not his fault by Floyd’s

[@jackstuttgart8386]

Generals Lee, Sherman and Grant would disagree with you. The 29 yankees he killed would certainly consider him more than a "blowhard."

[@jaysemons]

@@confederateshortyandjenna2378 you do know he founded the kkk lol. Sounds like you're the one rewriting history trying your best to put lipstick on a pig.

[@kennethhamby9811]

You obviously don’t know history, lol 😂

[@Tizniter]

Nice work

[@RadioactiveSherbet]

The Confederate officers present turned a successful breakout into a first-class debacle. That's an impressive show of buffoonery.

[@MrIluvbutts]

That's the South for you

[@patrickhenry7416]

@@MrIluvbutts you mean democrats?

[@jamesnerf7123]

@@patrickhenry7416 like a hundred years ago maybe. Today they're called "Republicans" or "traitors" for short

[@patrickhenry7416]

@@jamesnerf7123 lmao keep drinking that government and media kool aid. It’s easy to feed sheep

[@jamesnerf7123]

@@patrickhenry7416 it's also easy to stomp the south

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

I was trying to find out when and where some of the 31st Illinois Infantry died, but I now know with the help of this video it was on Feb. 15 between 7 A.M. till noon. Im gonna go walking around out there Jan. 3 or so 2022, on my way to Florida.

[@Michael-ws7rc]

What a great video, thank you.

[@WarhawkYT]

Thank you Michael!

[@donaldshryock2852]

My great grandfather Alfred Whitfield was with the 11th Illinois volunteers infantry regiment company B . Under Wallace

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

I did a video called Civil War Dead in secret Masonic cemetery l.d. brite. It has yhe graves of 15 farm boys and an officer I think. They brought the bodies back to Pinkneyvile, their familes did. They were the 31st Illinois Infantry, but I think they voluntered also

[@donaldshryock2852]

@@secretamericayoutubechanne2961 my great grandfather died in 1905 with one bullet still in his leg he's buried in Chillicothe city cemetery Chillicothe Illinois

[@jackerhay]

Having gown up not far from the Conestoga River in PA, I must admit, that's a pronunciation I haven't heard yet. Still though, I love your videos! I'm listening to a civil war podcast, and watch your videos before I listen to the battle episodes so I can picture what happens as they narrate.

[@bronzesnake7004]

Awesome channel, accurate historical details!! Just subbed and liked!! Jack ~'()'~ Canada manly!

[@socalion90]

I have not fully watched the video yet, but great job so far and really enjoy how you are presenting the information. Keep it up!!

[@danmathis1696]

I'm from Dover. I loved going to that park.

[@richardbradley2335]

The Dover we have here had guns which fired on Germans !

[@zurgesmiecal]

@@richardbradley2335 wow your life must be really pathetic lol

[@travisbayles870]

My Great Great grandfather Private William Garner of the 32nd Tennessee Infantry Regiment part of Buckners division was at Fort Donelson

[@definitely_not_Hirohito]

Very cool, Buckner is the one turned back by John M Thayer.

[@rolo8950]

Ugh....sometimes I'm blown away by the thought process of some of these generals. In this battle, the confederate commander should have, at the last possible moment saved the garrison....they lost the fort, equipment, and men....all things the south lacked....these men and supplies could have been used elsewhere.

[@cliftons6811]

Hella good content bro, keep it up.

[@ColemanCanna]

My 3rd great grand father. Cicero A Coleman fought in the battle at Fort Donelson.

[@definitely_not_Hirohito]

What regiment?

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Thanks

[@tortuedelanuit2299]

Forts Henry and Donelson seem to me to be the turning point of the whole Civil War.

[@alanspaulding8283]

Andrew Hull Foote is my great (x4) grandad

[@definitely_not_Hirohito]

That's wild, fun fact, he was wounded at Donelson and while Grant was visiting McClernand and his div. were attacked. Wallace was under orders not to move and forwarded a plea for help to Grant but he was absent. Wallace sent Thayer to reinforce at about 8:30 when he got a second plea and info on Grant's whereabouts. Thayer led the 1st NE on Wynn's Ferry road and helped halt the rebel momentum to stop the attempted breakout.

[@definitely_not_Hirohito]

Crazy thing, the 1st NE who were in the front of Lew Wallace's men against Buckner took only 10 casualties in 3 quarters of an hour. Wallace remarked that "They alone repelled the charge"

[@nicholaswalsh4462]

"In defiance of Grant's Orders." That is the catch phrase of the Western Campaign at this time.

[@sgt_sus]

My grandfather was wounded and taken pow at this battle while his father was killed in Winchester Virginia fighting with the army of Northern Virginia

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

Great. Do you have anything to say about the video?

[@sgt_sus]

How about you make a comment about the video if you like it and not pay attention to other people's comments, or is that to hard a concept to obtain?

[@mattmatt2096]

It's February in Tennessee ... Union soldiers ditched their overcoats and blankets.... And their Officers/NCO's allowed this to happen...

[@TheDustysix]

The Union Officers bobbing up ...and down....up...Vertigo.

[@MPRStig]

5:29 Epic History :-D

[@Korkzorz]

13.40 when Foote's attack starts.. "Something is afoot".. was that.. a deliberate pun?

[@theequalsgamer2074]

Soon as Floyd left fresh units arrived on boats to fight only to surrender

[@WarhawkYT]

thats a bruh moment

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

This was the famous battle where some of the wounded Union soldiers in pain laying on the battlefield, were then burned alive by dry leaves that somehow caught fire during the day even in the cold conditions. Its horrific! 10:22

[@alias6967]

Which is even worse when you remember the men lay there with black powder cartridge boxes that exploded like firecrackers and tore their stomachs as they burned.

[@rexvictorhardrada]

The term unconditional surrender is given to you when you embarrassed the enemy before.

[@Nperez1986]

To the Brink of Success.....the very jaws of defeat on the Union was taken away with indecisiveness...

[@charlayned]

I really wish you had put the terrain dots under the units. It's impossible to see the designations with the way it is. I had two 2nd great grandfathers who were squared off at this battle. Andrew Jackson Brown was in the 26th Tennessee Infantry (captured and sent to Ft. Morton) and George Warfield Morrison was in the 30th Illinois Infantry. I'll have to go look at other battle maps to see if the two regiments actually shot at each other! Interesting, GW Morrison was near Vicksburg when my other Confederate 2nd Great Grandfather, CC Smith of the 41st Georgia Infantry was captured. CC was paroled two days later, signed the promise, and promptly went back to fighting, ending up in the Atlanta fighting. All 4 of the men (the fourth was JM Clayton of the 6th Tennessee Calvary--Union) managed to survive the war.

[@tlo42058]

Ft. Donelson is about a hour from my house I live on the other side of LBL.

[@michaelsinger4638]

Ulysses S. Grant was the best commander of the entire war.

[@shawnbane585]

I might not say best. He knew what he had to do and did it,

[@AdamFuller50]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@AdamFuller50]

Not even close

[@briansass4865]

Definitely the best grasp of operational and strategic levels of combat.

[@-johnson4047]

Rebels will say lee is man fucking lost the war, Rebs stay losing

[@tennesseeridgerunner5992]

This video is so hard for me to watch because of the complete ineptitude of the Confederate General Staff.

[@scottanos9981]

Both sides had their fools. The south just couldn't afford to take a loss

[@tennesseeridgerunner5992]

@@scottanos9981 well said. I meant specifically the ineptitude of Generals John B Floyd and Gideon Pillow. To me "Gen" Pillow's actions border on straight up cowardice. Gen. Buckner was in over his head. The only general officer in grey who seemed to know wtf he was doing was the legendary Gen. N.B. Forrest. The waste in men and materiel was a loss the South could not recover from, as you alluded to previously. And it opened the way to the interior of Middle Tennessee and Nashville. We had that dang battle won and our leaders snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Oh well-Deo Vindice!

[@scottanos9981]

@@tennesseeridgerunner5992 Well Richmond falls again tomorrow. The Robert E. Lee statue is being removed from city center

[@tennesseeridgerunner5992]

@@scottanos9981 What is the template for keeping or removing statues? "Racism"? Well then, Let's not stop at Confederate icons, let's examine how ALL of America's great leaders who have been memorialized in concrete or iron felt and/or acted towards blacks. If they don't pass the test...Remove'em! I abhor how people of earlier centuries are judged by 21st Century standards. Also, what about morality? Does that play any part in statue removal? Black or white...were they addicts? Womanizers? Tax cheats? Murderers? Thieves? Rapists? Is the only litmus test for removal of a memorial how that individual felt/acted towards blacks? Is that it? What have we come to in this nation? Last question. Ask yourself why were the FBI files about MLK Jr. sealed for 50 years? Was he a Boy Scout? What past sin would he have had to commit to bring about the removal of his statue?

[@scottanos9981]

@@tennesseeridgerunner5992 Agreed. But we both know this is a cultural purge akin to Maoist China. Unfortunately though people have too much to lose to fight back.

[@tigerlilly66]

A "plum" of smoke; the gunboat "Constatoga"; the enemy might "excape";

[@WarhawkYT]

thats right baby ;)

[@darthvadersith514]

The “t” in Carondelet isn’t silent. At least it isn’t to people in St. Louis, where the USS Carondelet and several of her sister ships were built.

[@donchichivagabond1578]

Really great breakdown! Imagine if you had even better visuals?

[@TheWarKnights]

They were forced to stay up all night, because of the cold. then WERE ordered into a bunch of sniper fire and died on the 15th.

[@BillP-kg1yp]

A good video in spite of your Uleeeeysses S. Grant pronunciation.

[@FlashPointHx]

This was a really well put together video! Did YT give you any grief about using confederate images?

[@WarhawkYT]

Thanks you FPH! None so far, but we'll see in the future

[@FlashPointHx]

@@WarhawkYT Good to know - I wanted to create series on Jackson's Shenandoah campaign in 62 but was worried I'd get my video banned

[@talleman1]

This battle would make a good movie.

[@definitely_not_Hirohito]

YES

[@Khasidon]

11:35 12 Fahrenheit is -11 celsius

[@ravarga4631]

Mcclernand did good work for grant at shiloh, donelson, not always the most strict adherant to the letter of given orders.

[@jessmarksrushent.1769]

Key victory for Grant and he got it done in 3 days!

[@jessgatt5441]

By the way, the USS Carondelet, was blown up with 700+ wounded Union soldiers aboard on the way upriver to hospitals in Washington. A confederate set a bomb and blew up the boilers killing hundreds.

[@coolcat1684]

Buckner had loaned Grant money when he was down on his luck…some pay back hehe

[@cal4837]

Chernow quoted Buckner in his Grant biography that Grant, in repayment, made available to [Buckner] as a POW his wallet. They were definitely honorable friends to each other.

[@Cyberfender1]

Pillow was an idiot! Indecisiveness and lack of Command structure. But, a major win for freedom and unity of our Great Country( and the cost of the nation as as a whole for the sin of slavery) Good vids!

[@ShengTai80]

A bit heavy on the contribution of Forrest as well as some questionable pronunciations but otherwise a fine visual rendering of the battle that made Grant's reputation.

[@cidmatrix9643]

Some odd pronunciation, but pretty good!

[@yaitz3313]

Why didn't you use Timothy B. Smith's book on the Battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson as a source? It gives a much more detailed analysis of the fighting at Fort Donelson.

[@danielmontgomery613]

I would like to point out just how much knowledge is out there. It’s possible for him to study 20 years and never read that book. It’s possible he knows it and just chose not to or failed to elaborate upon it. There’s a lot of info to put in a video like this.

[@tomhurley974]

good men dying for corrupt leaders

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

at 10 : 23 did the Pnkneyvile die

[@jakemocci3953]

Forrest should’ve been in charge

[@definitely_not_Hirohito]

Wouldn't have mattered

[@92up7]

I finally understand the, “run Forrest run” from 90s movie. I knew I had heard the name Nathan Bedford Forrest before. I’d always not understood what the kids in my middle school were referring to. His, “I did not come here to surrender my command” makes it pretty obvious; or at least it does regarding my classmates. Anyone know if the kids were right considering this idea? I’m curious now. Funny what one will recall from 8th grade history class…

[@definitely_not_Hirohito]

I never realized this was why... 😆 😂

[@johnmruzik8824]

Shelby Foote

[@tlo42058]

My 4th great grandfather died here Samuel Coleman Lee 50th TN :( LEE OF VA Robert E. Lee lines 4th cousin 7x removed

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

I ask again exactly how did the 15 American Bad Ass heroes die?, that were brought back to Pinkneyville, Ill. I did a youtube video on it calld secret civil war dead with LD BRITE I think they were shot and froze to death. THEY are so much American heroes, but maybe didnt even know it. They died a horrible death.

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

How did the Illinois farm boys die?

[@CMDRFandragon]

Kinda odd to me how a couple hundred killed in a whole army of many thousands results in a defeat.....

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

They had to abandon the Fort. How is that not a defeat. It opened up the Cumberland River, then the Tenn. After that all the southern cities would fall like Dominos

[@CMDRFandragon]

@@secretamericayoutubechanne2961 I mean, more like, just a couple hundred dead, causes a whole army of 10s of thousands to retreat. GUess they dont wanna stay and grind away their whole army, but still.....

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

@@CMDRFandragon Well neither side thought the war would last long or be so bloody. At the end of this video it shows the stats. How did the Confederates know they were outnumbered? It would be hard to tell visually. I thought there was less troops than there actually was. Some of the opposing Generals went to West Point together. The South was bluffing. The South was outnumbered from the start. Surely they checked the population of the N. vs. Southern states. Maybe the South knew they would probably lose, but wanted to try anyways.

[@thomaswatson1739]

Dixie should have took to the saddle and used mobile warfare like Forrest instead of traditional warfare.

[@cal4837]

Something like 12K reb soldiers were captured....That's a huge L, boss lmao

[@MaJieMao]

It was stupid for the Confederates to put up a defense with their back to the river and no supplies to last a prolonged fight.

[@definitely_not_Hirohito]

Well, the river was their supply and they had another fort only 12 miles away.

[@smooth247fyi]

Why go to War if you're not gonna fight til the death???

[@kaletovhangar]

Too many soldiers and officers are actually not determined to fight it out.They are going to fight til someone else's death or capture and the moment they are alone,they give up themselves.That should be always on the mind of striving officer in any army.

[@buddhamaster322]

This battle was more a Confederate failure than a Union victory. Had they pressed the attack instead of stalling it would have been a Union route, or at the very least they would have escaped, instead they ordered the men back into the trap.

[@definitely_not_Hirohito]

There was an attempted breakout, but it was repelled by Colonel Thayer.

[@roysimmons3549]

Strangely all of these videos show Union victories. Did the confederates never win a battle.during four years?

[@definitely_not_Hirohito]

They won several, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Penninsula Campaign, 1st Bull Run, 2nd Bull Run, so on and so forth.

[@TheWarKnights]

Sir, whoever made this video, Please. I think you may know the truth

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

Can any sort of Civil War person answer my question???

[@praetorian2020]

what question the poster appears to delete things

[@zurgesmiecal]

@@praetorian2020 How did the Illinois farm boys die?

[@andrewevans5750]

"nowhere, do the confederates impeded the union troopses advance" should be "nowhere, do the confederates impede the advance of the union troops." you can even add flare without destroying the grammar.

[@andrewgardner1702]

You fought like lions but were lead by donkeys.

[@drawingdead9025]

So, terrible southern leadership lost the battle.

[@FieldMarshalYT]

I would say Grant's ability to reinvigoraye the Union army also had something to do with it.

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

Yeah they did get cut to Pieces because of poor leadership what happened to those Illinois Farm boys they got cut to pieces after mean up all night in the freezing cold

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

Did my people die at 28 15 ???

[@somerandomvertebrate9262]

I'm Swedish. I don't understand this. The Confederates had 16 000 men against 24 000 for crying out loud, and had been whipping the Federals to boot. Why the hell did they surrender?

[@Necron990]

No kidding, had Forrest led that assualt they would've achieved victory and escape. Then those generals responsible ran off and left Buckner to surrender. Sheesh!

[@Necron990]

@Hervé Masseau agreed, but since they had agreed and acted upon the breakout order, they were doing very well and could've withdrawn the entire garrison

[@noralockley8816]

As you can note on the map the confederate's emptied their flank by the fort to consentrate an attack on the Union flank. When the Confederates stalled in their attack and Pillow causing confusion it gave Grant the opportunity to seize the initiative. Not only did they push the Confederates to retreat to their lines it allowed Grant to order Smith's fresh troops to seize the undefended flank by the fort. This made the position undefendable. So either try to escape again before Grant swarms in with Smith or surrender.

[@billwilson3609]

Both sides had piss poor high ranking officers that were politically appointed to their positions. Fortunately the Confederacy had more at Fort Donaldson than Grant did plus Grant was present to straighten out the mess created by his knuckleheads.

[@jefdukes641]

The word is "escape", not "excape"!!!!!

[@zurgesmiecal]

Hooray to Col. Forrest!

[@WarhawkYT]

One of the best or the best Confederate Cavalrymen!

[@huntclanhunt9697]

A bit too focused on Forrest. A common issue though, he's even more overrated than Lee.

[@mattfaulk8724]

😂 the man might be overrated, but his ability to command was never in doubt. He rarely lost a fight on his own terms and wasn't stupid, unlike Pillow and Buckner. And to say Lee was overrated is even more so false. He was always outnumbered, out gunned and out supplied and still only lost due to lack of man power... next time don't bring bias with you when passing judgment about someone 160 years ago