The Battle of Fort Donelson, part of the American Civil War, was an impressive and rewarding victory for the north in February 1862. It also earned Ulysses S. Grant one of his first major victories, as well as giving him the nickname “Unconditional Surrender Grant.” The Battle of Fort Donelson, along with the capture of Fort Henry, had a long-lasting effect on the war, as it forced the Confederates out of Kentucky and most of western Tennessee. These troop movements would eventually lead to the great Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, which was the largest battle in American history up to that point.
