Feb. 12, 1862

Feb. 12, 1862:　 Federal troops are landed at Edenton, North Carolina, near Elizabeth City, also an early colonial town.  The Yankees take control of the surrounding countryside.

—Prelude: Ft. Donelson. Gen Grant’s troops begin filing into positions around the hills that surround Ft. Donelson and the nearby town of Dover, Tennessee, thus trapping the 18,000 Confederate troops therein.　Foote’s gunboats steam up the Cumberland close to the fort. One gunboat fires a series of salvoes into the fort and withdraws. Col Forrest, with his Confederate cavalry, forms a skirmish line and withstands attacks from an Illinois cavalry regiment for two hours, thus enabling Gen. Buckner to deploy his troops.

---In an attempt to protect Grant’s advance on Ft. Donelson, Gen. Halleck tries to persuade Gen. Buell to advance South to distract any Rebel attempts to reinforce Ft. Donelson. Buell commands an entirely different department, and Halleck’s persuasion falls on deaf ears. Buell deigns not to advance in fear of his own front.

---Judith White Maguire, a refugee, writes in her journal: "12th.—The loss of Roanoke Island is a terrible blow. The loss of life not very great. The ‘Richmond Blues’ were captured, and their Captain, the gifted and brave O. Jennings Wise [son of General Henry Wise, former governor of Virginia], is among the fallen. . . . He is a severe loss to the country. Captain Coles, of Albemarle, has also fallen. He was said to be an interesting young man, and a gallant soldier. The Lord have mercy upon our stricken country!"

—George Templeton Strong of New York writes in his journal:　 "Laus Deo! The best day we ahae seen since war began.　The Norfolk papers announce Burnside’s occupation of Roanoke Island, the whole rebel force prisoners, the gunboats captured, and Elizabeth City captured and burned; . . . Burnside is pushing on, up Albermarle Sound, it would seem.　 Hurrah for Burnside!"

—Mrs. Mary Boykin Chestnut of South Carolina writes in her diary of the Confederate losses:　 "Confederate affairs in a blue way.　Roanoke taken, Fort Henry on the Tennessee River open to them, and we fear the Mississippi River, too.　We have evacuated Romney–wherever that is.　New armies, new fleets, swarming and threatening everywhere. . . . England’s eye is scornful and scoffing as she turns it toward us—and on our miseries.　I have nervous chills every day.　 Bad news is killing me."