It would facilitate the investment of Fort Henry materially if the troops could be landed south of that stream.

To test whether this could be done I boarded the gunboat Essex and requested Captain Wm.

Porter commanding it, to approach the fort to draw its fire.

After we had gone some distance past the mouth of the stream we drew the fire of the fort, which fell much short of us.

In consequence I had made up my mind to return and bring the troops to the upper side of the creek, when the enemy opened upon us with a rifled gun that sent shot far beyond us and beyond the stream.