Gallery: Actions in the fall of 1861 and early 1862
Fort Henry Pistol Relics
This .36 caliber Colt pocket pistol relic was recovered from the Fort Henry battlefield some time after the battle. The relic is still loaded with six rounds of ammunition.
The Battle of Fort Henry was fought on February 6, 1862, in western Tennessee; it was the first important victory for the Union and General Ulysses Grant. Grant planned to attack the fort after a naval bombardment by Union gunboats under the command of Flag Officer Andrew Foote; however, the bombardment and rising river water forced Confederate General Lloyd Tilghman to surrender to Foote before the army arrived. The victory opened the Tennessee River to Union traffic past the Alabama border.
Images Courtesy Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield; WICR 30061
