February 18, 1862 - Tuesday - 160 years ago today

 Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Wood's Division

By the 18th, Wood's division had completed the movement by train to the Munfordville area, and remained there until orders came to move forward.

Further west, General Grant had invested Fort Donelson on the 12th, and there were several engagements over the next few days.  The Confederate army had created an escape route on the 15th, but did not take full advantage.  That evening, the generals had decided that the fort would have to be surrendered to the Union army.  Grant demanded unconditional surrender, and captured several thousand prisoners.  This made Grant famous in the North (U.S. Grant was now known as "Unconditional Surrrender" Grant), and morale improved both in the Northern states and in the army as well.

Their losses at Logan's Cross Roads, Fort Henry, and Fort Donelson convinced the Confederate leadership that Kentucky could not be held.  Their central force facing Buell's army, was to pull back to Nashville and then soon after, even further south.  The way was open for the Union occupation of Nashville.  

General Mitchel had occupied Bowling Green, and was probing further south toward Franklin, near the Tennessee border.  Another of Buell's divisions had reached Bowling Green.  The 40th Indiana, with Wood's division, remained at Munfordville, ready to move further south on short notice.

The Confederates also had a significant number of troops at Columbus, KY, that would soon move south toward Memphis, TN and Corinth, MS, which were major railroad hubs that they would need to protect.

General Halleck, after General Grant's recent victories, was thinking about the next move of the army, and began looking to move down the Tennessee River to the Corinth, MS area as well.

 

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