I followed with one of the later boats and found McClernand had stopped, very properly, nine miles below Fort Henry.

Seven gunboats under Flag-officer Foote had accompanied the advance.

The transports we had with us had to return to Paducah to bring up a division from there, with General C.F.Smith in command.
Before sending the boats back I wanted to get the troops as near to the enemy as I could without coming within range of their guns.

There was a stream emptying into the Tennessee on the east side, apparently at about long range distance below the fort.

On account of the narrow water-shed separating the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers at that point, the stream must be insignificant at ordinary stages, but when we were there, in February, it was a torrent.