The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-11-27
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
MOBILE BAY.
Graphic Account of the Operations by Land and
Wafer.

short account of the bombardment and siege of
Forts Morgan and Gaines at the entrance of
Mobile Bay, aud the part the Goth Iowa took
in it. In order to convey a clear idea of the
obstacles to be overcome by our feet, it will
perhaps be we'll to glance hastily at the locality
A vessel of any considerable size, in entering
Mobile Bay, must pass between Forts Morgan
and Gaines and close under the guns OF the
former. Mobile Point, on the western ex-
tremity of which stands Fort Morgan, is a long
peninsula, which juts out from the mainland,
extending due west a distance of IL miles.
Fort Morgan known as Fort Boyer in the war
of 1872 is pentagOual tract, built upon regu-
lar angles, and protected upon the sea-front by
a strong battery of masonry and turf, the ditch
being protected by low and close grove of the
bay0net palm, forming natural and almost
imprcgnabie abatis. Three miles northwest
from Mobile Point, across the strait which
forms the principal ship entrance, is the east
ern extremity of Dauphn Island, on which
stands Fort Gaines. This is less important
work than Fort Morgan, although if it had
been finished as originally designed by the
National Government, would have mounted
twice as many guns as the latter.
The entrance to the bay, between Forts Nor
gan and Gaines, was defended also by strong
abatis formed of "spiles," which extended
across in such manner as to leave narrow
channel on either side through which vessels
in entering were compelled to pass, thus bring
ing them Immediately under the guns of the
forts. These channels were also guarded by
innumerabie torpedOes, so placed, however, as
TO permit blockade-runnng vessels, guided by
pilots possessing a thorough knowledge of their
locality to pass in and out with perfect safety.
An officer possessing less than iron nerves
would have been dismayed by obstacles SO
formidable. The concentrated fire of 60 guns
of the heaviest caliber, in easy range, and the
network of torpedoes might be successfully
Nv a1n,. hut han hos
obstacles were passed there remained another
and still more dangerous one i'll the iron mon
ster, the double-turreted
MONITOR TENNESSEE,
covered with seven-inch wrought-iron casing,
armed with six 15-inch guns, and huge iron
ram capable of crushing in the sides of any
ordinary wooden vessel which lay beyond the
entrance, exulting in conscious power, awaiting
in silence the moment when the fleet should
pass the other barriers and enter the arena in
which she held sway, when she should join in
the fray and carry death and destruction
among her more frail antagonists.
Nothing daunted by difficulties and dangers
which lay before him in overcoming these OBJ
stacles Admiral Farragut, ever foremost where
dangers were thickest, after forming his line
Of battle on the morning of the 9Th of August,
1864, mounted to the rigging of his own vessel,
where two small howitzers were placed to rake
the enemy's water batteries as he passed, and
gave the signal for the
FLEET TO ADVANCE
Calamity and in silence they moved up to
the work, amidst thunders of artillery from
the forts, until the narrow pass under the
enemy's guns was reached, when our gallant
feet also opened-slowly at first but gradually
increasing the rapidity of their fire until the
intervals of time were all filed by one continu-
Gus roar, as broadside after broadside was
a.. =. a 4. e
suspense followed, as the fleet was obscured
from view in clouds Of smoke, through which
the bright flashes of the guns alone could be
seen and the unfiinching shouts of the gallant
seamen heard, when suddenly the curtain of
smoke was drawn aside, disclosing tie heroic
commander still in the rigging, with his two
guns pouring their rapid discharges of grape
shot down into the enemy's water batteries
while he swung his hatln the air, cheering on
his already damaged fleet. Another moment
and the fort was passed. when the Tennessee
Joined in the melee. Firing her huge guns
with great rapidity, she suddenly dashed
her ponderous PROV against the side of the
Hartford, crushing it in as if it were an
egg-shell. Again she drew back, gathering
force to repeat the blow, when the flagship
closed with her. Shots glanced harmlessly
from her iron casing. The Brooklyn, after clos
ing with her, lay close up broadside against
her, while she Tained heavy 200 pound solid
shot pointblank on her roofing at distance
of only nine feet, without avail Our huge
ships, with a full Roadway of steam, attempted
again and again to run her down by forcing
themselves on her back. She seemed invuner-
able at ali points, when by mere chance solid
shot from the Brooklyn struck the only exposed
spot, (the opening through which her rudder
chain passed, jamming the iron casing in On
the chain and rendering her unmanageable,)
when she surrendered. Half an hours work put
her n pnannlPfa md within I,
from her capture she was manned by crew
from our own fleet, lying in easy range, and
her guns working with great effect against the
fort. The daring bravery and unfinching de-
termination displayed by
ADMIRAL FARRAGUT
and his gallant officers and men in this action
were never surpassed. The admiration ELECTED
by it from those who were mere spectators was
unbounded, and we could not avoid feeling
of pride when we reflected the feat was accom-
plished by our own gallant navy. The success
Of the feet in passing these forts and the sur
render OF one OF them gave us possession of the
bay. Our transports, after the surrender of
Fort Gaines, were enabled TO pass the guns of
Fort Morgan, by running through the channel
on the northeast side of the strait, by which
the troops assembled to Pilot Town, six miles
east of Fort Morgan, where our regiments-the
Gath Ill. and Goth Wis.-landed on the 9th
Gkirmish line, consisting of the left wing Of our
regiment was at once thrown out, and we ad-
yanced towards the fort some distance, when
we were relieved by the Gath H., and ordered
10 the rear On picket duty During this time
our monitors, assisted by the monitor Tennes-
sec, were engaging the water batteries, while
the remainder of the feet lay off some three
miles in the bay, occasionally firing broadsides
at the fort. The remainder OF the troops hav-
ing disembarked, we moved down Oh the 1Ith
within two miles of the fort, where we en-
camped, and Immediately constructed bomb
proofs " 10 protect US from the fire of the ene-
my's large guns. A banquette" was then
commenced within 600 yards of the fort, ex-
tending across the peninsula from the seaside
20 the bay. This was completed ON the Goth,
and our batteries, consisting of Is mortars, 10
heavy siege guns, and eight field pieces being
In position at short intervals in rear of the
"banquette," the bonbardment was ready to
begin. During the construction of the BAN
quette our camp was several times furoulsy
thelled by the large guns of the fort, but most
OF the shots passed entirely over u.s. exploding
some distance in our rear, and doing little
damage beside frightening away our colored
servants One shot cut the hammock string of
private VIM. Mcconnell and let him fall. He,
however, tied it up again, and said: I" The
ID rebels shall not spoil my rest that way"
One passed through Lieut.. Denison's tent and
nearly demolished the bombproof occupied by
our company OBJ. On the morning of the 22d,
at sunrise, the monitors were seen slowly APP
preaching the fort, while the vessels Of the fleet
were quietly taking their position in line of
battle. The night previous we had been unable
to sleep, owing to the incessant fire from the