Doyle, again I agree with almost everything you said. However, the few artillerymen at Ft. Henry put up a remarkable defense in spite of great odds and flooding. As a matter of fact, the fort was completly flooded by Feb. 8th and it was not even necessary to fire on it at all. It was doomed by poor design and nature....but, the marksmanship of those artillerymen was actually quite good.

Tilghman realized that it was only a matter of time before Fort Henry fell. Only nine guns remained above the water to mount a defense. While leaving artillery in the fort to hold off the Union fleet, he escorted the rest of his force out of the area and sent them off on the overland route to Fort Donelson, twelve miles away. Fort Heiman was abandoned on February 4, and all but a handful of artillerymen left Fort Henry on February 5.

Foote's seven gunboats began bombarding the fort on February 6. This was the first engagement for the Western Flotilla, using newly designed and hastily constructed ironclads. Foote deployed the four ironclads in a line abreast, followed by the three wooden ships, which held back for long-range, but less effective, fire against the fort. It was primarily the low elevation of Fort Henry's guns that allowed Foote's fleet to escape serious destruction; the Confederate fire was able to hit the ships only where their thin armor was strongest. One ship was a serious casualty, however. A "chance"(humbug) 32-pound shot penetrated USS Essex and hit her middle boiler, sending scalding steam throughout half of the ship. Thirty-two men were killed or wounded, including her commander.