General Grant launched a combined attack against Fort Henry on the Tennessee river to break A S Johnston's lines of defence protecting Tennessee. He sent Foote and his Ironclad river steamers against it's waterside, while he took 15,000 men overland to attack the landward side. The Confederate garrison commander realised the hopeless situation, and ordered the majority of his command to abandon the partially flooded fort and make their way to Fort Donelson on the Cumberland 12 miles away. He stayed with one company of gunners and put up a gallant defence against the gunboats, only surrendering to them when he'd suffered 50% casualties and most of his guns disabled. Mud delayed the arrival of the infantry until after the surrender.

Fort Henry, of the Tennessee river, in Tennessee near the border with Kentucky, USA (USA)