Letters and memoranda preserved by Colonel Charles Whittlesey, and some of my own, have been of service. I am under obligation to Colonel Scott for permission to freely read and copy, in his office, the reports compiled under his direction. To Ex-President Hayes for the loan of a set of the series of Military Reports, both National and Confederate, so far as printed, though not yet issued. To the Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio for the unrestricted use of its library. To Colonel Charles Whittlesey of Cleveland, and Major E.C. Dawes, of Cincinnati, for the use of original manuscripts as well as printed reports. M.F. FORCE. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE PRELIMINARY, 1 CHAPTER II. FORT HENRY, 24 CHAPTER III. FORT DONELSON, 33 CHAPTER IV. NEW MADRID AND ISLAND NUMBER TEN, 66 CHAPTER V. THE GATHERING OF THE FORCES, 91 CHAPTER VI. SHILOH--SUNDAY, 122 CHAPTER VII. SHILOH--NIGHT, AND MONDAY, 160 CHAPTER VIII. CORINTH, 183 LIST OF MAPS. PAGE WESTERN TENNESSEE, facing 1 FIELD OF OPERATIONS IN MISSOURI AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS, 3 THE LINE FROM COLUMBUS TO BOWLING GREEN, 25 FORT HENRY, 29 FORT DONELSON, 35 NEW MADRID AND ISLAND NUMBER TEN, 73 THE FIELD OF SHILOH, 125 THE APPROACH TO CORINTH, 185 [Illustration: Western Tennessee.] FROM FORT HENRY TO CORINTH. CHAPTER I. PRELIMINARY. Missouri did not join the Southern States in their secession from the Union. A convention called to consider the question passed resolutions opposed to the movement. But the legislature convened by Governor Jackson gave him dictatorial power, authorized him especially to organize the military power of the State, and put into his hands three millions of dollars, diverted from the funds to which they had been appropriated, to complete the armament. The governor divided the State into nine military districts, appointed a brigadier-general to each, and appointed Sterling Price major-general.