11 February in history: Fort Donelson campaign begins, 1862

Quick answer

On 11 February 1862, five days after taking Fort Henry, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant met his commanders aboard a steamboat and sent John McClernand's division out on the road to Fort Donelson, Tennessee. The rest of the Union army followed the next day. After fighting from 13 to 15 February, the Confederate garrison surrendered unconditionally on 16 February.

The Battle of Fort Donelson, 1862: Unconditional Surrender Grant

13 to 16 February 1862 · 164 years ago

The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from 13 to 16 February 1862 in Tennessee. After taking Fort Henry, Ulysses S. Grant marched his army overland to Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River and surrounded it, while Union gunboats tried and failed to silence its river batteries.

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Battle of Montmirail, 1814: Napoleon's second blow of the Six Days

11 February 1814 · 212 years ago

Napoleon's army, including the Imperial Guard, fought Russian and Prussian corps under Osten-Sacken and Yorck near Montmirail during the Six Days' Campaign. After hard fighting Sacken's Russians had to retreat north, and a Prussian bid to help them was also repulsed.

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Frequently asked questions

Was the Battle of Fort Donelson fought on 11 February 1862?

Not the fighting. On 11 February Grant met his commanders and sent the first division forward. The army marched on 12 February, the main fighting lasted from 13 to 15 February, and the fort surrendered on 16 February. The National Park Service dates the battle from 11 February, the American Battlefield Trust from 13 February.

Who won the Battle of Fort Donelson?

The Union. On 16 February 1862 Brigadier General Simon Buckner surrendered the fort and most of its garrison to Ulysses S. Grant.

Why was Grant called Unconditional Surrender Grant?

When Buckner asked for terms, Grant replied that no terms except unconditional and immediate surrender could be accepted. The victory and the phrase made him famous in the North as "Unconditional Surrender" Grant.

How many Confederates surrendered at Fort Donelson?

No exact count was made. The American Battlefield Trust counts 12,392 missing and captured, the National Park Service study more than 14,000 prisoners, and Buckner told Grant to expect between 12,000 and 15,000. Floyd, Pillow and Forrest escaped with part of the garrison before the surrender.