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The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11–16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The Union capture of the Confederate fort near the Tennessee – Kentucky border opened the Cumberland River, an important avenue for the invasion of the South.
Our Battle of Fort Donelson page includes history articles, battle maps, photos, travel information, and a wealth of related material related to this important Civil War battle.
The Battle of Fort Donelson was the first major Union victory in the Civil War and a major victory for Ulysses S. Grant. The losses of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson were disasters for the...
Battle of Fort Donelson, American Civil War battle (February 1862) that collapsed Southern defenses in the Mid-South and forced the evacuations of Columbus, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, as well as a general Confederate retreat in Kentucky.
After the fall of Fort Donelson, the South was forced to give up southern Kentucky and much of Middle and West Tennessee. The Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, and railroads in the area, became vital Federal supply lines.
The Union victory at Fort Donelson elated the North, and stunned the South. Within days of the surrender, Clarksville and Nashville would fall into Union hands. Grant and his troops had created a pathway to victory for the Union.
On February 16, 1862, after the failure of their all-out attack aimed at breaking through Grant’s investment lines, the fort’s 12,000-man garrison surrendered unconditionally. This was a major victory for Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and a catastrophe for the South.