<P> Johnston wanted to give command of Fort Donelson to Beauregard, who had performed ably at Bull Run, but the latter declined because of a throat ailment . Instead, the responsibility went to Brig. Gen. John B. Floyd, who had just arrived following an unsuccessful assignment under Robert E. Lee in western Virginia . Floyd was a wanted man in the North for alleged graft and secessionist activities when he was Secretary of War in the James Buchanan administration . Floyd's background was political, not military, but he was nevertheless the senior brigadier general on the Cumberland River . </P> <P> On the Union side, Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck, Grant's superior as commander of the Department of the Missouri, was also apprehensive . Halleck had authorized Grant to capture Fort Henry, but now he felt that continuing to Fort Donelson was risky . Despite Grant's success to date, Halleck had little confidence in him, considering Grant to be reckless . Halleck attempted to convince his own rival, Don Carlos Buell, to take command of the campaign to get his additional forces engaged . Despite Johnston's high regard for Buell, the Union general was as passive as Grant was aggressive . Grant never suspected his superiors were considering relieving him, but he was well aware that any delay or reversal might be an opportunity for Halleck to lose his nerve and cancel the operation . </P> <P> On February 6, Grant wired Halleck: "Fort Henry is ours...I shall take and destroy Fort Donelson on the 8th and return to Fort Henry ." This self - imposed deadline was overly optimistic due to three factors: miserable road conditions on the twelve - mile march to Donelson, the need for troops to carry supplies away from the rising flood waters (by February 8, Fort Henry was completely submerged), and the damage that had been sustained by Foote's Western Gunboat Flotilla in the artillery duel at Fort Henry . If Grant had been able to move quickly, he might have taken Fort Donelson on February 8 . Early in the morning of February 11, Grant held a council of war in which all of his generals supported his plans for an attack on Fort Donelson, with the exception of Brig. Gen. John A. McClernand, who had some reservations . This council in early 1862 was the last one that Grant held for the remainder of the Civil War . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Union commanders </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Maj. Gen . Henry W. Halleck </Li> <Li> Brig. Gen . Ulysses S. Grant </Li> <Li> Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote </Li> <Li> Brig. Gen . John A. McClernand </Li> <Li> Brig. Gen . Charles F. Smith </Li> <Li> Brig. Gen . Lew Wallace </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Which commander won the battles at fort henry and fort donelson