Thanks for posting that. I think if the gunboats he mentions around Lick Creek (Lexington & Tyler) weren't there that Bragg's Corp may have had a chance to force Grant's hand on the 6th. If such had been the case who knows how things may have progressed. I'm not saying Grant would have surrendered but the Union river fleet was the best friend U.S. Grant ever had.

P.S to Pam... "war eagle"... Don't even think about it. Anybody with a proper southern upbringing knows the difference :-)