Hey everyone, welcome to episode 92 of our Civil War podcast.

My name is Rich.

I'm Tracy. Hello y'all. Thanks for tuning into the podcast. Last week we looked at the

Federal Timberclad's dramatic raid of the Tennessee River all the way to Florence, Alabama.

We also talked about Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston's controversial decision

to reinforce Fort Donaldson on the Cumberland River, but not to fully commit himself to its defense.

And then we left off at the end of the last episode with Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant's

Army on the march, closing in on Fort Donaldson, and with flag officer Andrew Futts, iron clads,

and transports, steaming toward the same spot. As we mentioned last time, as Grant's troops advanced

toward Fort Donaldson on February 12th, it was a splendid day, blue skies, warm temperatures,

and some men decided to leave their overcoats behind with their regiment's baggage,

and others who started out with coats were soon wanting to shed every ounce of unneeded weight

as they marched along, so the inexperienced federal soldiers decided to cast aside their overcoats

and even their blankets, perhaps thinking they could somehow be retrieved later. At any rate,

it was a decision they'd soon have caused to regret. There were only two narrow roads winding

through the 12 miles of heavily wooded and hilly terrain between Fort Henry and Donaldson.

As Grant's army picked its way eastward along the Ridge Road and the Telegraph Road,

the moment was ideal for the Confederates to launch a spoiling attack. Yet apart from some

sporadic skirmishing, the rebels made no attempt to block or even delay the Yankees advance.

One reason for that was that every available Confederate soldier at Donaldson was put to work

getting the fort ready to meet an enemy attack, but another reason that no spoiling attack was made

on Grant's force is that the Confederate command at Donaldson was constantly changing. In fact,

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