Category Archives: C.F. Smith

February 4, 1862: Grant’s expedition is under way.

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Allen Gathman

Grant wasted no time in getting his expedition moving. He had his orders to move on January 30, and by February 4 he had landed troops near Fort Henry. From the Official Record: HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CAIRO, Near Fort Henry, … Continue reading →

Posted in C.F. Smith, John A. McClernand, Lloyd Tilghman, Tennessee, Ulysses S. Grant | Leave a comment

January 31, 1862: Grant’s ready to go

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Allen Gathman

Halleck ordered Grant to take Fort Henry. As was typical for Grant, and atypical for most of the Union higher-ups in the area, when Grant was told to move, he moved. The day after receiving his order, he was putting … Continue reading →

Posted in C.F. Smith, Henry Halleck, Tennessee, Ulysses S. Grant | Leave a comment

January 25, 1862: Grant is looking for boatmen

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Allen Gathman

General Grant, back from his successful diversion south in Kentucky, reports on the action, including C.F. Smith’s reconnaissance up the Tennessee River almost to Fort Henry. He also notes that he’s looking for men to crew his river gunboats, which … Continue reading →

Posted in C.F. Smith, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Ulysses S. Grant | Leave a comment

January 22, 1862: C.F. Smith says the navy can take Ft. Henry

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Allen Gathman

Fort Henry During Grant’s southward feint, gunboats went up the Tennessee rather close to Fort Henry, as The American Civil War reported recently. A few days later, General C.F. Smith took the Lexington back up within a few miles of … Continue reading →

Posted in C.F. Smith, Kentucky, Tennessee | Leave a comment

January 10, 1861: Still working on Grant’s feint

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Allen Gathman

Halleck ordered Grant to make a feint southward into Kentucky from Paducah, but he wasn’t prepared to send any troops from Missouri except a couple of unarmed regiments. Turns out even those were delayed. The 10th of January saw another … Continue reading →

Posted in C.F. Smith, Don Carlos Buell, George McClellan, Henry Halleck, Kentucky, Ulysses S. Grant | Leave a comment

January 9, 1861: Grant organizes a feint

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Allen Gathman

McClellan, Lincoln, and Buell all called on Halleck to attack the Confederates in western Kentucky to keep them from sending troops against Buell in the center of the state. After considerable resistance, Gen. Halleck, unwilling to send a real force … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew H. Foote, C.F. Smith, Don Carlos Buell, George McClellan, Henry Halleck, John A. McClernand, Kentucky, Ulysses S. Grant | Leave a comment

November 1, 1861: The situation at Paducah

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Allen Gathman

General Charles Ferguson Smith From the New York Times, Nov. 1, 1861: FORTIFICATIONS AND FORCE AT PADUCAH. The correspondent of the Detroit Advertiser writes, under date of Paducah, Oct. 18: “The lines occupy over a mile in extent, and every … Continue reading →

Posted in C.F. Smith, Kentucky | Leave a comment