The plight of thousands of slaves living in Kentucky & 
Tennessee changed forever in February 1862.  
General Ulysses S. Grant's victory at Forts Henry 
and Donelson provided better opportunities
for slaves to achieve their freedom.

The Union Army occupied the river forts and controlled
 important waterways until 1865.  Freedom-seekers not only
 found refuge at these Union military posts, they received 
encouragement and assistance from Union soldiers who
 helped them escape.  As early as November 1862, Union
 soldiers were trying to help slaves escape. Reverend Jerome 
Spilman, chaplain of the 5th Iowa Cavalry, was trying to 
secure safe  passage for a fugitive slave to Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 Later in the war,  the  Union Army sent out recruiting parties 
to enlist slaves into the service.

Civilians also assisted slaves in their quest for 
freedom.  Soldiers' wives and local women are recorded
 as assisting slaves whose lives were threatened by 
slave masters.  Some slaves took any means necessary to 
escape from the region.  Aaron Turner, captured with his 
master at Fort Donelson in 1862, went to prison camp in 
Ohio.  By June 1862, Aaron was released from prison
 and joined the Union  Army.  
 

For further information about the Underground 
Railroad story,
please visit http://www.cr.nps.gov/ugrr