construction and caliber, though none of them were heavy.?*°

For protection from the tremendous fire of our artillery, the rebels in the fort had dug
holes and winding ways in the ground, inside the works. It was said that after its evacuation, a
number of sick and wounded were found in these holes, and that two or three days afterward, a
rebel officer of rather high rank, was found concealed at the extremity of one of the covered

ways.**"

Surrender of Spanish Fort. The bombarding of the fort was carried on actively on the day
preceding this date [April 8] for 14 hours and at nightfall the 8th Iowa under Colonel Bell fought
the decisive action on the parapet. The Union infantry carried a portion of the garrison by storm
and before the hand-to-hand contest was over an entire brigade had taken possession and
commenced to intrench. Under feint of a determined resistance the garrison abandoned the fort,
moving to Fort Huger and crossing the Appalachie. A part of the force was intercepted by
Canby's troops and 500 prisoners were captured. Canby took possession of the fort April 9th.
Fort Blakely was carried by assault at nightfall of the 9th and about 3,500 men were captured; the
Union loss was 654 killed and wounded. Fort Tracy was occupied by the rebels flying from
Spanish Fort. The siege of Mobile included Forts Spanish and Blakely. The fortifications about
the city were very strong. The attack was made by Canby commanding the Army of the West
Mississippi, one corps marching from Fort Morgan up the east side of the bay to a small stream
called Fish River. A landing was secured and the remainder of the Command was brought to the
same point in transports. At the same time a column under General Steele left Pensacola,
directing its march upon Blakely, a port near the mouth of the Blakely River. A short distance
below Blakely lay Spanish Fort on whose defense the city depended. It became a necessity that
the communication by water of the city with the fort be cut off while the army made the land
investment. The virtual surrender of the city was made at nightfall of the 8th. The Union loss
was 213 killed, 1,211 wounded and that of the rebels 500 killed and wounded and 2,952 captured
and missing.**° |

All around the fort, at a suitable distance from the outer walls, the ground was planted
with torpedoes set in a double line, such as would be described by the corners of a common rail-
fence made with rails a foot or two shorter than usual. The effect of thus planting them, was that
no column of men, even so small as four abreast, could have passed over the line without hitting
the torpedoes. This same diabolical plan of defense we afterward found in use at Blakely --
diabolical, because it was as likely to work destruction after the contest was over, as while it
lasted, or even more so; as likely to kill the victor as the enemy. A description of the torpedo may
not be useless.

 

*° A. F. Sperry, History of the 33rd Iowa, p. 145.

*8 A. F. Sperry, History of the 33rd Iowa, pp. 146-147.
*° The Soldiers and Citizens Album...1865, p. 141.

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