FEBRUARY 2ND
USS Hartford, Flag Officer Farragut, departs Hampton Roads, Va., to Ship Island, Mississippi to take command of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron and to begin preparations to attack New Orleans.
Out west, Flag Officer Foote still admonishing his men not to be wasteful on shells. Make sure you score hits after the first shot.
FEBRUARY 3RD
Foote writes Welles that he would have more ships to take against Fort Henry, except that he does not have enough men to man them. Halleck orders Grant to provide men for temporary duty on the warships. Grant's men, 23 regiments in all, leave from Cairo and Paducah, with Foote's gunboats in the lead.
FEBRUARY 4TH
Brig. Gen. Lloyd Tilgham, CSA, commander of Fort Henry, informed his superior that enemy "gunboats and transports in Tennessee River. Enemy landing in force five miles below Fort Henry. Grant and Foote proceed up the river with four gunboats and exchange shots with the fort.
THE BIG SCARE (OR WAS IT A SKEDADDLE?)
Torpedoes planted in the river and torn loose by flooding come floating by. Foote had some fished out to inspect. "Suddenly there was a strange hiss. The deck was rapidly cleared. Grant beat Foote to the top of the ladder. When Foote asked Grant why he was in such a hurry, Grant replied 'the Army did not believe in letting the Navy get ahead of it.'"
Grant Must Have Been in Better Shape. --Old B-Runner
What is a Flag Officer anyway? What rank is that?
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