This book is a compilation of speeches and papers presented at an annual meeting of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. The focus of the meeting was the capture of Fort Donelson and General Ulysses S. Grant's relationship with President Abraham Lincoln. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the Civil War and the relationships between the key figures of the era. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

With the collapse of the Confederate defenses at Forts Henry and Donelson, the entire Tennessee Valley was open to Union invasion and control.