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1862] Grant captures Forts Henry and Donelson. 495 Halleck, but was dismissed with scant ceremony. About this time news was received that General Thomas had won a victory at Mill Springs in eastern Kentucky, breaking up Zollicoffer's entrenched camp, and driving his forces back through Cumberland Gap; and after Grant had a second and third time asked permission to attack, Halleck, on January 30, telegraphed to him : " Make your preparations to take and hold Fort Henry." One week later, the joint expedition of Grant and Foote ascended the Tennessee, and on February 6, after an hour's bombardment, Fort Henry surrendered. Grant immediately reported the victory, adding the confident sentence, "I shall take and destroy Fort Donelson on the 8th." If he could have at once marched his land forces over the intervening twelve miles, he might have made good his prediction, for even after the retreating garrison from Henry reached Donelson, there were only 6000 or 7000 of the enemy in that fort; but it was a much larger and stronger work. River floods delayed his march until the 12th, and when on the 13th he invested the fort, the garrison had been reinforced by about 12,000 Confederates under Generals Pillow, Floyd, and Buckner. The next afternoon, Foote made a gun-boat attack, which was repulsed ; and on the morning of the 15th a vigorous sortie by the enemy drove back the right of Grant's line, and for some hours opened a pathway of escape, of which the garrison, however, through some misunderstanding of orders, did not take advantage. Learning what had happened, Grant ordered an immediate assault, by which the entrenchments on the extreme left were carried, and the break on the right closed. That night, in a council of war, the two senior Confederate generals trans- ferred their command to Buckner, the junior, who, on Sunday morning, the 16th, proposed an armistice, to arrange terms of capitulation. " No terms," replied Grant, "except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works." Buckner had no alternative; and on the same day Grant was able to report the capture of Fort Donelson, with two generals, about 15,000 prisoners, 20,000 stand of arms, 48 pieces of artillery and 17 heavy guns. In recognition of his success the press and people of the Union thereafter interpreted his initials to mean "Unconditional Surrender" Grant. The fall of Fort Donelson caused the Confederate commanders without delay to abandon Nashville and evacuate Columbus; but dis- agreement in the views of the Union generals prevented their taking full advantage of the retreat and demoralisation of the enemy. Buell wished to continue his separate campaign, while Halleck boldly asked for supreme command in the West an advantage which McClellan was unwilling to grant him over his friend and favourite. Unable thus to co-operate, Buell moved forward to Nashville, while Halleck gave preparatory orders for an expedition up the Tennessee. Selfish rivalry, CH. XV.