Visiting Fort Donelson in Dover, Tennessee

The Battlefield

The Fort Donelson National Battlefield is located in the small town of Dover, Tennessee, on the Cumberland River just on the northern tip of the state. Fort Donelson provides a days outing in a self guided tour of the site of General Ulysses Grant’s second great victory. There are also some hiking trails available on the site for those interested in communing with nature.

The Battle

The battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 12-16, 1862. It resulted in the first major Union victory of the Civil War, and fame for the general who brought about that victory: Ulysses S. Grant.  Fort Donelson, built early in the war by Confederate soldiers, was situated at an important crossroads between Tennessee and Kentucky. Two states which were vital to the Confederate war effort.  In early 1862, General Ulysses S. Grant engaged Confederate troops at Belmont and then Fort Henry, just west of Fort Donelson, winning both battles.

General Albert Sidney Johnston, the overall commander of Confederate troops in the west, decided to concentrate his troops at Fort Donelson, anticipating an attack from Grant. Johnson knew that the fall of the fort could possibly lead to the fall of Nashville.  By the time Grant had encircled the fort on February 12th, nearly 21,000 Confederate soldiers had retreated into the fort, and by February 13th, Grant had been re-enforced, and had at his disposal nearly 27,000 troops.