▁gun bo ats ▁came ▁up ▁the ▁river ▁from ▁Fort ▁Don el son ▁and ▁reported ▁the ▁fort ▁displayed ▁a ▁white ▁flag ▁and ▁was ▁desert ed . ▁The ▁Feder als ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁fort ▁and ▁en larg ed ▁it ▁so ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁control ▁traffic ▁on ▁the ▁Hop kins ville ▁( K ent ucky ) ▁Pi ke . ▁Clark sv ille ▁was ▁left ▁with ▁a ▁small ▁g arrison ▁of ▁Union ▁troops . ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁this ▁small ▁g arrison ▁was ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 1 st ▁Ohio ▁Vol unte ers ▁commanded ▁by ▁Col . ▁Rod ney ▁Mason . ▁▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁combat ▁During ▁July ▁and ▁August ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁there ▁was ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁gu err illa ▁activity ▁around ▁Clark sv ille . ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁Clark sv ille ▁was ▁re capt ured ▁by ▁Confeder ate ▁Caval ry . ▁Col . ▁Mason ▁was ▁c ash ier ed ▁for ▁surrender ing ▁Clark sv ille ▁so ▁easily , ▁although ▁this ▁penalty ▁was ▁later ▁rev oked . ▁Union ▁soldiers ▁were ▁sent ▁from ▁Fort ▁Don el son ▁to ▁re take ▁Clark sv ille ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁Sk irm ishes ▁were ▁fought ▁at ▁New ▁Prov idence ▁on ▁September ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁and ▁at ▁R igg ins ▁Hill ▁on ▁September ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁The ▁town ▁and ▁fort ▁were ▁re occup ied ▁by ▁Federal ▁troops