Fort Heiman

Fort Heiman is part of Fort Donelson National Battlefield. Named for Confederate Col. Adolphus Heiman who commanded the fort's 1,000-man garrison, Fort Heiman was a small, irregular earthen fortification built here atop Stewart's Hill on the Kentucky Side of the Tennessee River. Designed to provide artillery support for flood-prone Fort Henry, it was begun in January 1862 using mostly slave labor from Alabama and Mississippi. But the fort was still unfinished when Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant launched his amphibious campaign in early February 1862. Its garrison, men from Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, and Kentucky, was withdrawn on February 4 before Union gunboats attacked Fort Henry. Remnants of Fort Heiman's entrenchments can still be seen as well as the remains of a later fort built and occupied by Union forces., Regulations Take only pictures. Leave no trace. , - Relic-hunting and metal detecting are strictly forbidden. Violators will be prosecuted. , - Do not walk or climb on earthworks or rock walls. Stay on trails. , - Do not disturb or remove any vegetation or historic objects. , - Hunting and/or the possession of firearms or other hunting weaponry is strictly prohibited. , - Pets must be leashed at all times. , - Parts of Fort Heiman are on private property. Please respect property rights., Safety Your safety is your responsibility. , - Be careful when walking on trails. The terrain may be uneven. Watch for steep hillsides and unmarked drop-offs. , - Watch for snakes, ticks, stinging insects, spiders, and poison ivy., Accessibility , - Fort Heiman is undeveloped. The road is partially paved. Features and trails are not identified. Access is based on personal ability. , Fort Henry , Built to guard against Union ship traffic on the Tennessee River. It was, however, susceptible to infantry attacks and spring flooding. The remains of the fort are now underneath Kentucky Lake. Only the fort's eastern rifle pits remain above water., Fort Donelson , Site of the North's first major victory of the Civil War, the park contains the remains of the fort itself, two river batteries, outer rifle pits, and the Dover Hotel where the surrender was arranged., (Image Caption): , Battle of Fort Henry