The Battle of Forts Henry and Donelson

When the Southern States seceded and organized the Confederacy, Kentucky wavered between Union and Secession. The governor was for Secession, but the legislature was for the Union. So the State, which had been brought up in the school of compromise by her greatest statesman, Henry Clay, compromised in this instance by undertaking to remain neutral. For a time the United States and the Confederacy appeared tacitly to recognize the neutrality of her soil, while both recruited regiments among her people. The first violation of her neutrality was done by General Leonidas Polk, who, with a Confederate force, occupied Columbus on the 3rd of September, 1861. Thereupon General Grant, with a National force, occupied Paducah on the 5th September. Henceforth Kentucky's neutrality was not regarded. As it was well known that a large part of the population of Kentucky was in favor of secession, the Confederate authorities were very loath to let go any part of the State, so General Albert Sidney Johnston was, in September, 1861, placed in command of the Confederate forces in the West, whose task was to hold Kentucky and Tennessee, and the Mississippi River. He made Bowling Green his headquarters, and issued a proclamation saying in effect that he would respect Kentucky's neutrality and withdraw his army from her soil as soon as he should be assured that the Union commanders would do likewise. His line stretched from Columbus to Cumberland Gap. At Columbus, which was fortified, General Polk had, in January, 1862, 12,000 effectives and in the entrenched camp at Bowling Green there were about 22,000 effectives. General Tilghman garrisoned Forts Henry and Donelson with 5,000 or 6,000 men. At Cumberland Gap there was a fortified Confederate camp. Below Columbus the Mississippi was guarded by two or three garrisoned forts.