[Footnote: This fort was situated near Pensacola. Lieutenant Slemmer, seeing that an attack was about to be made upon him, transferred his men from Fort McRae, an untenable position, to Fort Pickens, an almost impregnable fortification, which he held until reinforcements arrived.] 1862. THE SITUATION.--The national army now numbered 500,000; the Confederate, about 350,000. During the first year there had been random fighting; the war henceforth assumed a general plan. The year's campaign on the part of the North had three main objects: (1) the opening of the Mississippi; (2) the blockade of the Southern ports; and (3) the capture of Richmond. [Illustration: VIEW OF RICHMOND, VA.] THE WAR IN THE WEST. The Confederates here held a line of defence with strongly fortified posts at Columbus, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Bowling Green, Mill Spring, and Cumberland Gap. It was determined to pierce this line near the centre, along the Tennessee River. This would compel the evacuation of Columbus, which was deemed impregnable, and open the way to Nashville (map opp p 222). CAPTURE OF FORTS HENRY AND DONELSON.--Accordingly, General Giant with his army, and Commodore Foote with his gunboats, moved from Cairo (kay'-ro) upon Fort Henry. [Footnote: As a part of the general movement, in January General Thomas had advanced against _Mill Spring_ and on the 19th driven out the Confederate force at that place, with the loss of General Zolhcoffer (tsol'le ko-fer) a favorite Southern leader] A bombardment (Feb. 6) from the gunboats reduced the place in about an hour. The land troops were to cut off the retreat; but as they did not arrive in time, the garrison escaped to Fort Donelson. The fleet now went back to the Ohio, and ascended the Cumberland, while Grant crossed to co-operate in an attack on Fort Donelson. The fight lasted three days. [Footnote: For four nights of inclement winter weather, amid snow and sleet, with no tents, shelter, fire, and many with no blankets, these hardy western troops maintained their position. The wounded suffered intensely, and numbers of them froze to death as they lay on the icy ground.] The fleet was repulsed by the fire from the fort, and Commodore Foote seriously wounded. Grant, having been reinforced till he had nearly thirty thousand men, defeated the Confederates in an attempt to cut their way out, and captured a part of their intrenchments. As he was about to make the final assault, the fort was surrendered (Feb. 16), with about fifteen thousand men. [Footnote: When General Buckner, commander of the fort, wrote to General Grant, offering capitulation, Grant replied that no terms would be received except an "unconditional surrender," and that he "proposed to move immediately upon their works." These expressions have been much quoted, and U. S. Grant has been often said to signify "Unconditional Surrender Grant."]