One of the very best recounting of the Fall of Forts Henry and Donelson. Thank you! A lot of times, this campaign is kind of brushed over as being only significant to the ascendency of U.S. Grant. However, it was a hugely important battle(s) in the Civil War itself. I once read that some Confederate generals felt that the South actually lost the Civil at these two battles. Basically the interior of the Confederacy was now ripped open and laid bare to attack. The American Civil War was won in the Western theater.
Agreed. The North actually made significant progress in the west pretty quickly. The Mississippi was clear by the summer of 63. The North was as successful in the west as the South was in the east.
Arguably, the most under-rated battles of the American Civil War. Only learned about these when I read "Grant" by Ron Chernow. Visited Donelson in 2021 and walked a key part of the Confederate positioning on their right flank that I believe made them vulnerable to Lauman's 4th Brigade's penetration on the 2nd Day. Grant's difficulties with Halleck both impeded his rise as a General, but perhaps also prepared him for the arduous politics of the Vicksburg campaign which had many unsuccessful efforts along the way (Holly Springs, Chickasaw Bayou, etc.). Similarly, his difficulties in earning a living developed a character that wasn't rattled by defeat. 1. His willingness to go on to Ft Henry/Donelson even after "losing" a Confederate counter-attack at Belmont. 2. His tactics to turn an initial defeat on the Right flank at Donelson to a successful attack on the left flank. 3. This led to his unwillingness to retreat after a bloody, demoralizing (to many) 1st day at Shiloh, followed by a hard-won victory on the 2nd Day . . . . which led directly to the capture of Corinth and then, eventually, Vicksburg.
The emphasis on the importance of not just the Mississippi River, but also the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, is very well done, here. Armies march on their stomachs, which means they need food and boots more often than they need powder and shot, and that makes communications and supply key to victory. There are no dams on the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, at this point in history, and they both run pretty wide and deep. That makes them navigable for steam-powered riverboats that can carry tons of supplies. Because both of them bend so far south between their headwaters in the Appalachians, and their confluences with the Ohio, anyone who controls access to the Cumberland and the Tennessee can support operations deep within Confederate territory. This was very well done. :)
I just discovered your video series yesterday with Buford’s stand at Gettysburg, and I was blown away by the clarity of the narration and the illumination of the visuals. I’ve read both Grant’s Memoirs and several of his biographies but your video provided a visual picture that brought it all to life. I hope you will consider doing a video on Grant’s Vicksburg campaign, which was taught at West Point for many years afterwards.
I have been on an American Civil War binge. Your, kind sir, have the best ratio of battle, context and logistics explained in a video. Thorough, professional and kinky!
My friend, you've made a great video with easy to follow exposition and graphics. Most importantly, you've shed light on what made Gen Grant first stand out in the war. Here, you make clear his boldness in strategy, whereas most texts focus on his tenacity in grinding out tough battles. Really appreciate the insight. Subscribed!
Great vid! Well done! One note: The locals have always pronounced Cairo as Kay-ro. The area may be referred to as "Little Egypt", but the pronunciation of the town does not follow linguistic rules. See: Buena Vista, VA. :)
Amazing show! The topography is vital to each part of the battle. The way you show the rivers now and what they would have looked like at the time was wonderful for understanding what happened. Grant really did help turn the war. Thanks!
Fantastic video Jeffrey. As a "strategy nut," I love the great detail you lend to both the (decisive) campaign and to the constituent battles. You weave the whole thing together very well while providing a wealth of pertinent information. Bravo sir!
Dear Jeffrey, Thank you for a great presentation and detailed analysis of the battles to take the two forts. I loved it! As your wonderful use of the graphics and aerial and topo maps really afforded me the means to understand and realize how and what was done. Awesome to be able to watch, learn and enjoy. Looking for more of what you do. Again, thanks! SammyC
Extremely well written. I studied the Ft Henry/Donelson campaign for the Civil War Times magazine years ago. I found that most historians gloss over Grant's assessment of the breakout attempt. You nailed it right on the head.
Grant really shook up the front in a few days. Those rivers lead right into the deeper south. I am also surprised the little attention these forts get. It's a major decisive victory.
Loved your maps. Zooming in while giving relevant information. Kuddos for your work on recreating the river in its 1862 condition. Narration also very nice. Calm and clear.
People might be willing to believe him if he would only learn how to correctlypronounce city names properly. ciaro Ill clearly shows he has never been here nor done his homework It is NOT Ciro but is pronounced Caro. Long “A”. I knoww I live at Columbus Ky. Gheesh!!!
This is WONDERFUL. I have been to these areas. My mom's (Mary Immel) book "CAPTURED" tells the true story of a boy taken by Confederate troops as they fled these areas. Grant was truly on his game and on the rise. I enjoyed Michael Korda's small and very accessible bio of Grant - used it in all my classes. THANK you, Jeffrey. Well done.
15:40 it‘s odd how much less famous this battle is than Hamton Roads. Yes yes, that was two Ironclads fighting each other and scattering the wooden ships, but really, this battle already shows what they can do. Wooden ships were in trouble the moment Foote‘s turtle boats were able to approach and shell an enemy gun fort at point blank range without being turned into match wood.
I didn't know much about these two battles until watching this video. Now I do! You also showed how they fit into the bigger picture and how important they were. Also, they showed the Union they needed to build stronger ironclads!! Very important info! Keep your videos coming, please. I'm a new subscriber.
Thanks! The battles happen in specific places for specific reasons, and geography (rivers, mountain passes, cities, railroad junctions) were critical to the success of each side.
The most surprising thing to me was that it seems the Union had a dozen or so casemate ironclads by the end of 1861. I thought ironclad monitors and such were a development of the war, but in this case it is apparent they had several in construction before the war even broke out.
This was an amazing video. There are nitpicks that others will address, but the primary purpose is "inform the uninformed," which you do admirably. You've sweated the details, and it shows. I'm now a subscriber.
Excellent work. I knew of these battles and their general importance, but you made it come alive in a really clear way. I was impressed with the satellite views. Grant was a real strategist.
Thank you very much for this. My great-great-grandfather fought in Mc Clernand's division. He was in the 8th Illinois infantry. I knew about this battle, but, not as much as you presented here. Interestingly this division would go on to fight in other well-known battles such as Shilo. Thank you again.
If you visit Fort Donelson there is a cemetery there, and right in the middle is a monument to an Illinois regiment surrounded by the graves of 30 men from the regiment killed in the battle.
@@JeffreytheLibrarian What I know was passed down to us is from my great aunts. Some of what we know is from original documents and stories, of course.
Buford at Gettysburg - Grant at Fort Henry. Your explanations and graphics have helped me understand these battles better than anything I have seen over the 5 years I've been following Civil War literature. Wonderful productions. Looking forward to viewing more videos. Thank you
My great-great grandfather was with the 2nd Iowa at Ft. Donelson. He left our family a fascinating account of the battle naming a number of the people serving in the battle with him.
You start each of your videos with a shot of eastern North America and then zoom in to the relevant area. This reflects your commitment to context. I'm fascinated by the Civil War and for the first time I really understand these battles. Excellent work!!
Thank you! The battles happened in specific places for specific reasons. There was a strategic element to each site, and the only way to really understand it is to see it spatially. When you see the locations of Henry and Donelson on a map, it suddenly makes sense why Grant would want those.
Really enjoyed this. You set up the operating environment, showing the challenges and significance of the battles and the theatre. Also great showing the terrain features and how they affected the tactics and strategy. Great briefing!
yep these are top notch... by far the best... thank you for your hard work and focus w/ Foote like dedication on details and balanced narrative... cheers!
My moms family is from Dover Tennessee. I’m half Yankee and half Reb. Spent many summers exploring Ft Donaldson and the surrounding woods. Tennessee is beautiful!! So are the people.
Stumbled upon this video by accident. As a German, strangely enough, I am totally fascinated by the American Civil War. I know a lot through years of studying scripts, Ken Burns documentation, etc. This video is a very well explained lesson on a small part of the conflict. More please.
Plenty of germans served in federal forces, immigrants to usa after 1848, year of revolution, would have been somewhat experienced in war and still under age 40 yrs, many served at gettysberg , culps/ kulps? hill esp new york units,
Love it. Great video. Grant has such an impressive career as he starts in the west and eventually is called east. Great narration and maps to show how the battles happened.
This is a great video and great explanation. I’m reading Grant’s memoirs now and this really cleared up some confusion I had on this battle. Thank you.
Very well done and educational. I have visited Memphis, Shiloh and Vicksburg campaigns but hadnt yet paid much attention to these 2 forts which became the first victims of Grants assault down the Mississippi river. Now I know and hope the visit again.
Thanks for watching! Those forts were critical. The only good news the Union had that first year or so. Grant secured the Tennessee River early on, which is really significant but overlooked.
Great videos! I've been enjoying your work very much. My question is did you mean "Gibraltar" the British fortress versus "Trafalgar" the Spanish cape near where the naval battle took place when referring to Columbus, KY?
This is well done. I visited and walked parts of this battlefield in Oct'21, and I discovered something interesting per 26:07 of your video. The 30th Tennessee's lines on the Confed's extreme right were at the "actual crest" as opposed to the "military crest" {You can see them if you drive or walk the park sites!}. This is a rookie mistake as it made their defense against Lauman's Iowan who were attacking thru lowlands to the West that Lauman's line couldn't see. By the time the Confed's realized they were under attack, the it was too late and 2nd Iowan's were upon them. Even thought fighting was fierce, this was a huge gain of territory for the Union. The Confeds retreated back to thru the gully at the their back, to the next ridge East, which led to (imo) the unexpected surrender. This is one of the most under-rated Union victories / Confederate defeats of the early war. Without Donelson/Henry . . .there would be no Shiloh, Corinth or Vicksburg.
Your maps are fabulous! I have read a few accounts of this campaign, but you really solidified my understanding of both the strategic situation and the tactical considerations.
These are, in my opinion, some of the finest CW videos. Just a fine point: Cairo is not pronounced like the Egyptian city. The city in Illinois is prounced as KAY ROW.
Thanks JtL. Your detail filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge of these two battles. I am sure that you are aware, but your readers may not be, but you can see a salvaged Ironclad gunboat of this era, the USS Cairo, on display at Vicksburg Military Park. My understanding is that only 4 ironclads survive to this day.
Thank you! I think Fort Donelson is one of the most decisive actions of the war. Stonewall returned the favor later that year at Harper's Ferry, capturing about the same number of Union soldiers.
What a superb commentary. You explain the strategic situation, the general's tempers and thinking, influences & risks of new technology, use maps wonderfully and clearly show the process of campaign & battles. Liked, subscribed, & recommended. Thank you.
When I went on a week trip with my father to see Civil War battlefields, Fort Donelson was our first stop. Seeing those massive guns aiming upriver must have been very intimidating for the Union Navy.
Really good and enjoyable video. I am a Civil war history nut and it looks like you have plenty on the subject, so I will be sure to check out your other videos. As a sided note on the USS Carondelet, the locals pronounce it "Karon'delay" (the t is silent. Wiki has this wrong as well; at least how the locals say it. It follows the same principle as Chevrolet). It was a independent city during the civil war era and was incorporated into the city of St Louis in 1870. The St Louis area has some tricky names based in part of their French heritage. Other fun city names in the area that usually get butchered are Des Peres and Creve Cour. Keep up the good work!
Yes, French names are difficult in the USA. Sometimes we do the silent letters, sometimes not. In the future, I will pronounce it like you recommend. thanks!
Absolutely brilliant analysis of the two sieges. I have read books (and the wiki articles) but this mode of information really clears up exactly what happened. You are a scholar and a gentleman, Sir.
. MY 3X Great grandfather was with the 2nd Illinois Calgary engage in this conflict. Great to see this narrative on these battles and to see what he went through. Thank you.
I found this documentary to be both excellent and fascinating. I always keep in mind the people involved in those events wouldn't have described the hellish suffering and abject terror as fascinating.
Thanks for watching! I imagine many would wonder why we want to remember something so terrible, but others would be heartened that people generations later were still remembering their efforts.
about 700 confederate prisoners taken from both forts are buried at camp butler cemetery at springfield illinois. it was originally a pow camp , where the majority died of disease.
Just asking but can you do a video on the battle of Chickamauga and the battle really interests me because you see on the last day of the battle Longstreet made a charge just like he did at Gettysburg but instead of the charge being a defeat like it was at Gettysburg the charge at Chickamauga was successful and it lead to a devastating rout of the southern portion of the union army however not all of the union army had fled as general Thomas With 4 divisions was reinforced by the troops from the Reserve Corps under Gordon Granger and then at 4:30 pm Longstreet unleashed prestons division and Longstreet later wrote that there were 25 assaults on Snodgrass Hill and at the same time Thomas received orders from general rosencrans to take command of the army and begin a general retreat and among the generals killed were union Brigadier General William Haines Lytle, Union Colonial Hans Christian heg, Confederate Brigadier Generals Preston Smith and James Deshler but among the most famous famous casualties at the battle of Chickamauga was Confederate Brigadier General Benjamin Hardin Helm and he is famous and also well known for being the Half Brother in Law of President Abraham Lincoln and after the battle Rosecrans was relieved in command of the army of the Cumberland and was replaced by Thomas but the battle of Chickamauga laid the way for the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge and these two battles broke the confederates grip on Chattanooga and opened the doors to the Deep South which resulted in the Atlanta Campaign where Sherman would lock horns with Confederate Generals Johnston and the One Legged and One Armed Confederate Lieutenant General John Bell Hood and the Atlanta campaign set in motion the famous March to the sea and the union victory’s at Franklin and Nashville Tennessee but the fighting around Chattanooga also set the stage for general grant to be commanding general of the USA army and the rise of General Philip Sheridan and the Inevitable clashes between Grant and Lee
I was there in June, '19. Drove past at first and went back around. I stood at the cannon battery, looking at the river imagining in my mind's eye what it looked like with the ships in water, imagining what the soldiers must of thought, etc.
What an awesome job you did on this. Perfectly paced, great narration, just the right amount of detail, great maps...Thank you so much for your time doing this. I am hoping you have done some Napoleon videos ;)
Last year, I discovered Star Forts in UA-cam. Monroe. Ticonderoga, Jefferson, Union in New Mexico, Liberty Island. Montgomery in Rouses Point and a couple in Crown Point. These were built way before American Wars but used in 1864
Great presentation! I appreciate how you show where everything was on the now altered landscape. One thing though... You twice refer to the defenses at Columbus as a "Trafalgar". I believe the word you're thinking of is "Gibraltar", a great British naval fortress. Trafalgar was a large scale naval battle out at sea.
Love your videos and the details provided! Researching my gr gr grandfather, who was in the 12th Iowa (under Smith), so appreciate learning what role he played in the conflict in these battles before Shiloh.
Love your videos. As a native of Southern Illinois I have one small critique, Cairo is not pronounced like the city in Egypt by the same name. It is pronounced (/KA-roh). The mispronunciation is quite understandable as we also have a Vienna pronounced () and two Eldorados, one pronounced like the conquistadors city of gold and the other with a long "a". Crazy Illinoisans!
Good video, I have a few thoughts that I'd like to add: Carondolet is pronounced like caron-do-lay with a silent t. General Wallace was Lew Wallace, who would later write "Ben Hur." General Buckner's son Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. would also become a general in the US Army, and was killed during the battle of Okinawa.
Indeed. I've been wondering if anyone else had caught that. It's a minor point -- even Google Maps has troubles with St. Louis names -- but the former city of Carondelet, now a neighborhood in south St. Louis, is pronounced ka-RON-de-LET.
One of the very best recounting of the Fall of Forts Henry and Donelson. Thank you! A lot of times, this campaign is kind of brushed over as being only significant to the ascendency of U.S. Grant. However, it was a hugely important battle(s) in the Civil War itself. I once read that some Confederate generals felt that the South actually lost the Civil at these two battles. Basically the interior of the Confederacy was now ripped open and laid bare to attack. The American Civil War was won in the Western theater.
Agreed. The North actually made significant progress in the west pretty quickly. The Mississippi was clear by the summer of 63. The North was as successful in the west as the South was in the east.
Arguably, the most under-rated battles of the American Civil War. Only learned about these when I read "Grant" by Ron Chernow. Visited Donelson in 2021 and walked a key part of the Confederate positioning on their right flank that I believe made them vulnerable to Lauman's 4th Brigade's penetration on the 2nd Day.
Grant's difficulties with Halleck both impeded his rise as a General, but perhaps also prepared him for the arduous politics of the Vicksburg campaign which had many unsuccessful efforts along the way (Holly Springs, Chickasaw Bayou, etc.). Similarly, his difficulties in earning a living developed a character that wasn't rattled by defeat.
1. His willingness to go on to Ft Henry/Donelson even after "losing" a Confederate counter-attack at Belmont.
2. His tactics to turn an initial defeat on the Right flank at Donelson to a successful attack on the left flank.
3. This led to his unwillingness to retreat after a bloody, demoralizing (to many) 1st day at Shiloh, followed by a hard-won victory on the 2nd Day . . . . which led directly to the capture of Corinth and then, eventually, Vicksburg.
This was really good! I loved how you removed the trees to see the rifle pits. Learned something new!
Thanks for watching!
I agree about the "tree removal" also trips me out about the river levels rising!
Very well done. The visuals add a factual understanding to what written text left to the imagination
The emphasis on the importance of not just the Mississippi River, but also the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, is very well done, here.
Armies march on their stomachs, which means they need food and boots more often than they need powder and shot, and that makes communications and supply key to victory.
There are no dams on the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, at this point in history, and they both run pretty wide and deep.
That makes them navigable for steam-powered riverboats that can carry tons of supplies.
Because both of them bend so far south between their headwaters in the Appalachians, and their confluences with the Ohio, anyone who controls access to the Cumberland and the Tennessee can support operations deep within Confederate territory.
This was very well done. :)
Thank you! The rivers are critical. They are highways, and the Tennessee and Cumberland cut across large portions of the south.
I just discovered your video series yesterday with Buford’s stand at Gettysburg, and I was blown away by the clarity of the narration and the illumination of the visuals. I’ve read both Grant’s Memoirs and several of his biographies but your video provided a visual picture that brought it all to life.
I hope you will consider doing a video on Grant’s Vicksburg campaign, which was taught at West Point for many years afterwards.
I have been on an American Civil War binge. Your, kind sir, have the best ratio of battle, context and logistics explained in a video. Thorough, professional and kinky!
Thank you so much! That means alot to me.
My friend, you've made a great video with easy to follow exposition and graphics. Most importantly, you've shed light on what made Gen Grant first stand out in the war. Here, you make clear his boldness in strategy, whereas most texts focus on his tenacity in grinding out tough battles. Really appreciate the insight. Subscribed!
Thank you! I appreciate it!
Great vid! Well done! One note: The locals have always pronounced Cairo as Kay-ro. The area may be referred to as "Little Egypt", but the pronunciation of the town does not follow linguistic rules. See: Buena Vista, VA. :)
Thank you!
Same in Hudson Valley with name Cairo pronunciation
Locals actually pronounce it Care-row. Kay-row is how other close-bys pronounce it
Pronounced like Karo corn syrup.
Ugh. Now there's a horrible movie and song stuck in my mind! "Kayro - Ayro -Illinos" . I don't recall the movie but there it is. 😮
Excellent presentation with very clear and well researched graphics.
Thank you!
You're going to be the all-time King of this if you continue. Beautiful maps. Great breakdowns. I love this. Dont stop
Thank you so much. I plan to keep plugging away.
Yes, you DO have to stop these "war" videos, because I need my Koine Greek!!! 😐
Very well done. The maps help so much to understand what you are saying. Thank you.
Thank you for watching!
Amazing show! The topography is vital to each part of the battle. The way you show the rivers now and what they would have looked like at the time was wonderful for understanding what happened. Grant really did help turn the war. Thanks!
Fantastic video Jeffrey. As a "strategy nut," I love the great detail you lend to both the (decisive) campaign and to the constituent battles. You weave the whole thing together very well while providing a wealth of pertinent information. Bravo sir!
Thank you so much!
Dear Jeffrey, Thank you for a great presentation and detailed analysis of the battles to take the two forts. I loved it! As your wonderful use of the graphics and aerial and topo maps really afforded me the means to understand and realize how and what was done. Awesome to be able to watch, learn and enjoy. Looking for more of what you do. Again, thanks! SammyC
I really appreciate your comments. Thank you!
Extremely well written. I studied the Ft Henry/Donelson campaign for the Civil War Times magazine years ago. I found that most historians gloss over Grant's assessment of the breakout attempt. You nailed it right on the head.
Grant really shook up the front in a few days. Those rivers lead right into the deeper south. I am also surprised the little attention these forts get. It's a major decisive victory.
Loved your maps. Zooming in while giving relevant information. Kuddos for your work on recreating the river in its 1862 condition. Narration also very nice. Calm and clear.
I appreciate it. Thanks for watching!
Your videos are excellent! This is such a gift to all who are able to watch. You are truly preserving history.
I really appreciate it! Thank you!
People might be willing to believe him if he would only learn how to correctlypronounce city names properly. ciaro Ill clearly shows he has never been here nor done his homework It is NOT Ciro but is pronounced Caro. Long “A”. I knoww I live at Columbus Ky. Gheesh!!!
This is WONDERFUL. I have been to these areas. My mom's (Mary Immel) book "CAPTURED" tells the true story of a boy taken by Confederate troops as they fled these areas. Grant was truly on his game and on the rise. I enjoyed Michael Korda's small and very accessible bio of Grant - used it in all my classes. THANK you, Jeffrey. Well done.
Thank you for the book recommendation. Thanks for watching!
This was extremely well done. Thank you.
Thank you!
Nicely done! Well paced, and the historical changes to the battle sites was very nice to see. Thank you!
I appreciate it!
15:40 it‘s odd how much less famous this battle is than Hamton Roads. Yes yes, that was two Ironclads fighting each other and scattering the wooden ships, but really, this battle already shows what they can do. Wooden ships were in trouble the moment Foote‘s turtle boats were able to approach and shell an enemy gun fort at point blank range without being turned into match wood.
I didn't know much about these two battles until watching this video. Now I do! You also showed how they fit into the bigger picture and how important they were. Also, they showed the Union they needed to build stronger ironclads!! Very important info! Keep your videos coming, please. I'm a new subscriber.
Thanks! The battles happen in specific places for specific reasons, and geography (rivers, mountain passes, cities, railroad junctions) were critical to the success of each side.
⁵th hmm
Guess you never heard of another invention other than UA-cam. It's called history books.
The most surprising thing to me was that it seems the Union had a dozen or so casemate ironclads by the end of 1861. I thought ironclad monitors and such were a development of the war, but in this case it is apparent they had several in construction before the war even broke out.
I read about these battles many years ago in Civil War Times. Thanks for refreshing my memory.
Thanks for watching!
As always great job...just enough detail to fully remember and explain everything simply to the viewer!
Thank you!
Indeed. Well done! I love the graphics and detailed order of battle.
This was an amazing video. There are nitpicks that others will address, but the primary purpose is "inform the uninformed," which you do admirably. You've sweated the details, and it shows. I'm now a subscriber.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.
Fantastic effort! I learned a ton.
Thanks for watching!
Excellent work. I knew of these battles and their general importance, but you made it come alive in a really clear way. I was impressed with the satellite views. Grant was a real strategist.
Grant opened the front in a few weeks, giving the south its first devastating loss.
absolutely outstanding
these maps really helped me understand this battle
I can only really understand it myself if I put it on a map. Thanks for watching!
Thank you very much for this. My great-great-grandfather fought in Mc Clernand's division. He was in the 8th Illinois infantry. I knew about this battle, but, not as much as you presented here. Interestingly this division would go on to fight in other well-known battles such as Shilo. Thank you again.
If you visit Fort Donelson there is a cemetery there, and right in the middle is a monument to an Illinois regiment surrounded by the graves of 30 men from the regiment killed in the battle.
I really appreciate that. That's neat that you can trace your ancestry back to a relative in McClernand's division.
@@JeffreytheLibrarian What I know was passed down to us is from my great aunts. Some of what we know is from original documents and stories, of course.
Buford at Gettysburg - Grant at Fort Henry. Your explanations and graphics have helped me understand these battles better than anything I have seen over the 5 years I've been following Civil War literature. Wonderful productions. Looking forward to viewing more videos. Thank you
Thank you, friend! That is greatly appreciated. I am close to having another big Civil War video out.
My great-great grandfather was with the 2nd Iowa at Ft. Donelson. He left our family a fascinating account of the battle naming a number of the people serving in the battle with him.
Your ancestor's contribution is a treasure that should be passed down the generations. 2nd Iowa was critical in the attack on Fort Donelson.
You start each of your videos with a shot of eastern North America and then zoom in to the relevant area. This reflects your commitment to context. I'm fascinated by the Civil War and for the first time I really understand these battles. Excellent work!!
Thank you! The battles happened in specific places for specific reasons. There was a strategic element to each site, and the only way to really understand it is to see it spatially. When you see the locations of Henry and Donelson on a map, it suddenly makes sense why Grant would want those.
Really enjoyed this. You set up the operating environment, showing the challenges and significance of the battles and the theatre. Also great showing the terrain features and how they affected the tactics and strategy. Great briefing!
I appreciate it. Yes, when the geography is shown, it makes sense why certain locations were targeted.
yep these are top notch... by far the best... thank you for your hard work and focus w/ Foote like dedication on details and balanced narrative... cheers!
Much appreciated!
My moms family is from Dover Tennessee. I’m half Yankee and half Reb. Spent many summers exploring Ft Donaldson and the surrounding woods. Tennessee is beautiful!! So are the people.
This is the way to explain Civil War history! Excellent!
Thank you! I need to visually place things myself to understand them.
Very excellent videos my friend, your a true professional....Makes all us Civil War Buffs giddy
Thank you, that really means a lot. I appreciate it.
@@JeffreytheLibrarian Your Welcome
Stumbled upon this video by accident. As a German, strangely enough, I am totally fascinated by the American Civil War. I know a lot through years of studying scripts, Ken Burns documentation, etc. This video is a very well explained lesson on a small part of the conflict. More please.
Vielen dank! Ich arbeite, um mehr Videos zu machen.
Plenty of germans served in federal forces, immigrants to usa after 1848, year of revolution, would have been somewhat experienced in war and still under age 40 yrs, many served at gettysberg , culps/ kulps? hill esp new york units,
Love it. Great video. Grant has such an impressive career as he starts in the west and eventually is called east. Great narration and maps to show how the battles happened.
Thank you for the nice feedback.
Excellent video! Thanks so much for making this!!
My pleasure! Thanks!
This is a great video and great explanation. I’m reading Grant’s memoirs now and this really cleared up some confusion I had on this battle. Thank you.
Thank you for watching!
Very well done and educational. I have visited Memphis, Shiloh and Vicksburg campaigns but hadnt yet paid much attention to these 2 forts which became the first victims of Grants assault down the Mississippi river. Now I know and hope the visit again.
Thanks for watching! Those forts were critical. The only good news the Union had that first year or so. Grant secured the Tennessee River early on, which is really significant but overlooked.
Fantastic presentation, as another "strategy nut" being able to visualize Gen. Grants western theater campaign is truly a pleasure. Thank you Jeffrey.
Grant cracked the front wide open very quickly. He saw how the rivers would lead to victory.
Great videos! I've been enjoying your work very much. My question is did you mean "Gibraltar" the British fortress versus "Trafalgar" the Spanish cape near where the naval battle took place when referring to Columbus, KY?
You are correct. I was so caught up in the ironclads I switched out one British metaphor for maritime supremacy for another.
Glad I didn’t have to be the one to point it out. Great video, Grant is an underrated military genius.
This is well done. I visited and walked parts of this battlefield in Oct'21, and I discovered something interesting per 26:07 of your video. The 30th Tennessee's lines on the Confed's extreme right were at the "actual crest" as opposed to the "military crest" {You can see them if you drive or walk the park sites!}. This is a rookie mistake as it made their defense against Lauman's Iowan who were attacking thru lowlands to the West that Lauman's line couldn't see.
By the time the Confed's realized they were under attack, the it was too late and 2nd Iowan's were upon them. Even thought fighting was fierce, this was a huge gain of territory for the Union. The Confeds retreated back to thru the gully at the their back, to the next ridge East, which led to (imo) the unexpected surrender.
This is one of the most under-rated Union victories / Confederate defeats of the early war. Without Donelson/Henry . . .there would be no Shiloh, Corinth or Vicksburg.
Thank you!
Your maps are fabulous! I have read a few accounts of this campaign, but you really solidified my understanding of both the strategic situation and the tactical considerations.
Extremely educational, very well presented. Congrats on showing how this should be taught.
Thank you for watching!
These are, in my opinion, some of the finest CW videos. Just a fine point: Cairo is not pronounced like the Egyptian city. The city in Illinois is prounced as KAY ROW.
Surprisingly, great video. Well documented well explained. Subscribed.
You are one of the best I've seen very detailed 👌 enjoyed Gettysburg.
Such a well done summary. Thank you!
Thank you!
Thanks JtL. Your detail filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge of these two battles. I am sure that you are aware, but your readers may not be, but you can see a salvaged Ironclad gunboat of this era, the USS Cairo, on display at Vicksburg Military Park. My understanding is that only 4 ironclads survive to this day.
Thank you! I think Fort Donelson is one of the most decisive actions of the war. Stonewall returned the favor later that year at Harper's Ferry, capturing about the same number of Union soldiers.
What a superb commentary. You explain the strategic situation, the general's tempers and thinking, influences & risks of new technology, use maps wonderfully and clearly show the process of campaign & battles. Liked, subscribed, & recommended. Thank you.
Thank you!
Your films are Great! You're an amazing story teller. Again, very well done, Jeff.
I really appreciate it! That means alot to me.
Really clear, informative and well done - thanks!
Much appreciated!
great graphics - excellent video - thank you
Many thanks!
i love this, now understand the battles of early Grant.
Thanks for watching!
Great graphics and period photos to help illustrate the story.
Thank you!
This deepens my understanding on, well, everything!
Fantastic job. Loved the old pictures.
Thank you!
When I went on a week trip with my father to see Civil War battlefields, Fort Donelson was our first stop. Seeing those massive guns aiming upriver must have been very intimidating for the Union Navy.
Yes, and the US learned real fast that those guns could stop the ironclads at Fort Donelson.
Correction you mean aiming down river
Really good and enjoyable video. I am a Civil war history nut and it looks like you have plenty on the subject, so I will be sure to check out your other videos. As a sided note on the USS Carondelet, the locals pronounce it "Karon'delay" (the t is silent. Wiki has this wrong as well; at least how the locals say it. It follows the same principle as Chevrolet). It was a independent city during the civil war era and was incorporated into the city of St Louis in 1870. The St Louis area has some tricky names based in part of their French heritage. Other fun city names in the area that usually get butchered are Des Peres and Creve Cour. Keep up the good work!
Yes, French names are difficult in the USA. Sometimes we do the silent letters, sometimes not. In the future, I will pronounce it like you recommend. thanks!
I agree that your analysis and overall account are excellent. On the question of pronunciation, it is KAY-ro, Illinois, not KY-ro.
Fantastic work! Thank you for such amazing attention to detail.
Thank you! The stories are in the details.
Absolutely brilliant analysis of the two sieges. I have read books (and the wiki articles) but this mode of information really clears up exactly what happened. You are a scholar and a gentleman, Sir.
Thank you, sir! I appreciate it.
This is great video and I wish I found it sooner. You made boring topic sound interesting and complicate matter seem simple. You have the right stuff!
I’ve watched a lot of these and this one is exceptionally good. Congrats. !!
Thank you!
Very good description of the battles at all levels, I learned a lot, thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for all your efforts with this video! Very well done!! 🎩🇺🇸🎩
Thanks for watching!
Excellent presentation. Thank you
Thanks for watching!
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MY 3X Great grandfather was with the 2nd Illinois Calgary engage in this conflict. Great to see this narrative on these battles and to see what he went through. Thank you.
Thank you for watching!
My 3x great grandfather was also with the 2nd Illinois Calvary in these
engagements. Wonder what part the Calvary played in these fights?
I found this documentary to be both excellent and fascinating. I always keep in mind the people involved in those events wouldn't have described the hellish suffering and abject terror as fascinating.
Thanks for watching! I imagine many would wonder why we want to remember something so terrible, but others would be heartened that people generations later were still remembering their efforts.
Excellent job! Very interesting film.
Thanks for watching!
So very helpful! Thank you for all your time and effort.
Thanks for watching! Much appreciated!
about 700 confederate prisoners taken from both forts are buried at camp butler cemetery at springfield illinois. it was originally a pow camp , where the majority died of disease.
Just asking but can you do a video on the battle of Chickamauga and the battle really interests me because you see on the last day of the battle Longstreet made a charge just like he did at Gettysburg but instead of the charge being a defeat like it was at Gettysburg the charge at Chickamauga was successful and it lead to a devastating rout of the southern portion of the union army however not all of the union army had fled as general Thomas With 4 divisions was reinforced by the troops from the Reserve Corps under Gordon Granger and then at 4:30 pm Longstreet unleashed prestons division and Longstreet later wrote that there were 25 assaults on Snodgrass Hill and at the same time Thomas received orders from general rosencrans to take command of the army and begin a general retreat and among the generals killed were union Brigadier General William Haines Lytle, Union Colonial Hans Christian heg, Confederate Brigadier Generals Preston Smith and James Deshler but among the most famous famous casualties at the battle of Chickamauga was Confederate Brigadier General Benjamin Hardin Helm and he is famous and also well known for being the Half Brother in Law of President Abraham Lincoln and after the battle Rosecrans was relieved in command of the army of the Cumberland and was replaced by Thomas but the battle of Chickamauga laid the way for the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge and these two battles broke the confederates grip on Chattanooga and opened the doors to the Deep South which resulted in the Atlanta Campaign where Sherman would lock horns with Confederate Generals Johnston and the One Legged and One Armed Confederate Lieutenant General John Bell Hood and the Atlanta campaign set in motion the famous March to the sea and the union victory’s at Franklin and Nashville Tennessee but the fighting around Chattanooga also set the stage for general grant to be commanding general of the USA army and the rise of General Philip Sheridan and the Inevitable clashes between Grant and Lee
I eventually hope to cover all the major engagements, so Chickamauga is on the list. Thanks for watching!
I was there in June, '19. Drove past at first and went back around. I stood at the cannon battery, looking at the river imagining in my mind's eye what it looked like with the ships in water, imagining what the soldiers must of thought, etc.
What an awesome job you did on this. Perfectly paced, great narration, just the right amount of detail, great maps...Thank you so much for your time doing this.
I am hoping you have done some Napoleon videos ;)
Thank you! I plan on doing Napoleon in the future.
Great vid. Had no idea the Union was using iron clad ships in brown water operations
Crazy to think ironclads were slinking up and down American rivers.
You can visit the USS Cairo at Vicksburg.
Last year, I discovered Star Forts in UA-cam. Monroe. Ticonderoga, Jefferson, Union in New Mexico, Liberty Island. Montgomery in Rouses Point and a couple in Crown Point. These were built way before American Wars but used in 1864
This is so well done man. Thanks for the content.
Thank you so much!
Grant was a military genius, with an innate clear understanding of complicated terrain, reminds me of Germanicus.
Great presentation! I appreciate how you show where everything was on the now altered landscape.
One thing though... You twice refer to the defenses at Columbus as a "Trafalgar". I believe the word you're thinking of is "Gibraltar", a great British naval fortress. Trafalgar was a large scale naval battle out at sea.
You are correct. I had ships on my mind, and the wrong word came out.
Very good understandable graphics.
Well done.
I appreciate it!
Love your videos and the details provided! Researching my gr gr grandfather, who was in the 12th Iowa (under Smith), so appreciate learning what role he played in the conflict in these battles before Shiloh.
That's awesome that you have the family connection to this story. Thanks for watching!
Yes you have like a simplistic flow that makes it easy to understand or something. Thank you for the knowledge bomb!
I appreciate it! Thanks for watching!
Knowledge bomb. Really.
My great great grandfather who was in the 32nd Tennessee Infantry Buckners brigade fought at Fort Donelson
Love your videos. As a native of Southern Illinois I have one small critique, Cairo is not pronounced like the city in Egypt by the same name. It is pronounced (/KA-roh). The mispronunciation is quite understandable as we also have a Vienna pronounced () and two Eldorados, one pronounced like the conquistadors city of gold and the other with a long "a". Crazy Illinoisans!
Thank you!
Good video, I have a few thoughts that I'd like to add:
Carondolet is pronounced like caron-do-lay with a silent t.
General Wallace was Lew Wallace, who would later write "Ben Hur."
General Buckner's son Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. would also become a general in the US Army, and was killed during the battle of Okinawa.
In st. louis we say ka-ron-da-let. A lot of things with that name attached around here.
Indeed. I've been wondering if anyone else had caught that. It's a minor point -- even Google Maps has troubles with St. Louis names -- but the former city of Carondelet, now a neighborhood in south St. Louis, is pronounced ka-RON-de-LET.
Clear explanation, though I've read about the battles in many accounts, this presentation made the action easy to understand. Thank you.
Much appreciated. Thanks!
Your videos are educational and awesome. Thank you
Thank you!
Good Job Homie! Much love from Kansas City!!
Thank you. GREAT work! Knew none of this basicly.
That's great that you know your ancestor was under McClernand. Many folks don't realize what their ancestors did.
Well done Jeffrey. I enjoy the maps.
Much appreciated!
I have camped at Panther Creek but didn't know how close it was to Ft. Henry -thank you!
Thanks for watching! Happy camping!
Excellent presentation. Liked, subscribed.
Thank you!
Excellent video! Thank you!!
Thank you!
Thanks for putting in the work. I enjoyed the presentation. Well done! Have a day. 😐
This video impressed me so much that you've earned my subscription. I'll start binge watching your videos now.
Thank you!
I knew of these battles a long time ago but I never knew metal clad gunboats were used. Thank you!
Yes, ironclads were in the rivers! Thanks for watching!
Very well done video about these battles. Please do a video or a series of videos following Grant through the Civil War.
I will keep doing more Civil War battles. More Grant is in the future.