U.S. Army Brigadier General Charles F. Smith’s Division included Colonel John McArthur’s Brigade, Colonel John Cook’s Brigade, Colonel Jacob G. Lauman’s Brigade, Colonel Morgan L. Smith’s Brigade, and the 2nd Battalion, 1st Missouri Light Artillery under Major John S. Cavender, consisting of three batteries of four Parrott guns each under Captains Welker, Richardson, and Stone. This division, less Morgan L. Smith’s Brigade, marched from Fort Henry and arrived at this point on the evening of February 12, 1862. Cook’s and Lauman’s Brigades bivouacked in the valley south of here, while McArthur’s Brigade camped southeast of here near the old Fort Henry Road. Early on February 13, the regiments of Cook’s and Lauman’s Brigades occupied a position along the ridge to the front facing Confederate trenches about 600 yards distant, while McArthur’s Brigade remained in support of Cavender’s artillery. At 10 A.M., the entire command moved forward through dense timber supported by Cavender’s batteries, crossed the ravine, and advanced up the steep slopes against the Confederate works under heavy artillery and musketry fire until fallen timber and brushwood blocked further progress. There, the flanking fire of Porter’s battery and the fire of Confederate sharpshooters in the trenches became so destructive that after enduring it for more than two hours and suffering heavy casualties, the troops were compelled to fall back beyond range. At nightfall they returned to their previous bivouac. On February 14, in compliance with orders, the division limited itself to harassing action on a less ambitious scale. The 2nd Iowa Infantry under Colonel James M. Tuttle arrived by transport at General Smith’s headquarters about 11 A.M., was assigned to Lauman’s Brigade, and formed on the extreme left of the line, nearly opposite the right of the Confederate trenches. At nightfall all advance parties were recalled and the troops bivouacked in the same position as on the preceding nights.