boats, which he fought until seven of the number were dismounted or otherwise rendered useless.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. H. FOOTE,

Flag-Officer, Commanding U. S. Naval Forces Western Waters.

Major-General HALLECK,

Commanding Department of the Missouri.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, Saint Louis, February 9, 1862.

I have this moment received the official report of your capture of Fort Henry, and hasten to congratulate you and your command for your brilliant success.

H. W. HALLECK,
Major-General, Commanding Department.

Flag-Officer A. H. FOOTE, Cairo.

No. 3. Reports of Brigadier General U. S. Grant, U. S. Army, commanding land forces of the expedition.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CAIRO, Fort Henry, February 6, 1862.

Fort Henry is ours. The gunboats silenced the batteries before the investment was completed. I think the garrison must have commenced the retreat last night. Our cavalry followed, finding two guns abandoned in the retreat.

I shall take and destroy Fort Donelson on the 8th and return to Fort Henry.

U. S. GRANT,
Brigadier-General.

Major General H. W. HALLECK, Saint Louis, Mo.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CAIRO, Fort Henry, February 6, 1862.

CAPTAIN: Inclosed I send you my order for the attack upon Fort Henry. Owing to dispatches received from Major-General Halleck and corroborating information here to the effect that the enemy were rapidly re-enforcing, I thought it temperatively necessary that the fort should be carried to-day. My forces were not up at 11 o'clock last night when my order was written, therefore I did not deem it practicable to set an earlier hour than 11 o'clock to-day to commence the investment.

The gunboats started up at the same hour to commence the attack and engaged the enemy at not over 600 yards. In a little over one hour all the batteries were silenced and the fort surrendered at discretion to Flag-Officer Foote, giving us all their guns, camp and garrison