155 Years Ago, January 22, 1862: The Water's Rising at Fort Henry

JANUARY 22ND, 1862:  The USS Lexington, Lt. Shirk, with Brigadier General Charles F. Smith on board, conducted one of the frequent gunboat reconnaissances up the Tennessee River, and fired a few long-range shots at Fort Henry.

The rising waters were making operations feasible as the new armored gunboats were becoming available.  Shirk reported, "The river is so full at present (and is still rising) that whenever there is water, there is a channel."

--Old B-Runner