Ulysses S. Grant Autograph Letter Signed.

GRANT, Ulysses S.

Item Number: 109861

Rare autograph letter signed by and in the hand of Ulysses S. Grant written in the midst of the Battle of Fort Henry; Grant’s first major victory in the American Civil War. One page, the letter reads, “Head Quarters, Dept of Ohio, Fort Henry Tenn. Feb 7th 1862. Capt. Walke The party that went up the river last night for the purpose of destroying the R.R. bridge had to return without accomplishing their object in consequence of finding the bridge guarded. I would request that you go up with your boat today and take some twenty men that I will furnish to do the job. Respectfully, U.S. Grant Brig. Gen.” The letter refers to the Battle of Fort Henry, fought on February 6th, 1862 in Donaldson, Middle Tennessee which marked the first important victory for the Union and for Grant in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. In fine condition. Matted and framed with a gelatin silver print of Grant after the portrait by Mathew Brady at Cold Harbor, 1864.

On February 4 and 5, Grant landed two divisions just north of Fort Henry on the Tennessee River with a plan to advance upon the fort on February 6 while it was being simultaneously attacked by Union gunboats commanded by Flag Officer Andrew Hull Foote. A combination of accurate and effective naval gunfire, heavy rain, and the poor siting of the fort, nearly inundated by rising river waters, caused its commander, Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilghman, to surrender to Foote before the Union Army arrived. The surrender of the fort opened the Tennessee River to Union traffic south of the Alabama border and allowed Grant's army proceeded overland twelve miles to engage with Confederate troops in the Battle of Fort Donelson. The Battle of Fort Henry marked the first important victory for the Union and Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.