Federal army and navy forces attack Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River, but they find the defenses much stronger than Fort Henry.

Exploring the most important 55 months in American history
Federal army and navy forces attack Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River, but they find the defenses much stronger than Fort Henry.
Ulysses S. Grant plans to follow up the victory at Fort Henry by capturing a much stronger Confederate fort in Tennessee.
Federals capture a key point on the Tennessee River that opens a path into Tennessee.
The Federal invasion of Tennessee begins with a joint army-navy operation against Fort Henry on the Tennessee River.
Henry W. Halleck receives intelligence convincing him to allow Ulysses S. Grant and Andrew H. Foote to move against Fort Henry on the Tennessee River.
Abraham Lincoln’s repeated requests for Federal forces to launch an invasion of eastern Tennessee continue to go unheeded, causing great frustration.