Grant - Fort Donelson - History

The Battle of Fort Donelson (February 11-16, 1862) was the first major northern victory in the civil war for the United States.

Confederate generals Gideon Pillow and John B. Floyd fled, leaving behind 13,000 soldiers, who waved a white flag above their fortifications. When the rebels asked for terms of surrender, Grant replied that no terms “except unconditional and immediate surrender” would be acceptable. This earned him the nickname “Unconditional Surrender.”

The victory, along with the capture of nearby Fort Henry, opened up the state of Tennessee to Union invasion, and helped turn Grant into a national spotlight. The further loss of 13,000 confederate soldiers would later play a pivotal role in the later battles such as Shiloh and Vicksburg.

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