davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23
BATTLES AT MOBILE.
QUARTER CENTENARY OF ITS CAP,
TURE BY CANBYiS MEN.

How Spanish Fort and Blskely Fell
"Can't You Send Force of Negroes
with Axese''-FiGht in Mobile Bay in
1S64-Farragut.
The 18th of April, this year, is the twenty
fifth anniversary Of the day the national
forces entered Mobile, the last Confederate
stronghold that was surrendered.
On the bay side the mouths OF the Mobile,
Tensas and Apalachee rivers were protected
by Instructions. Forts HuGer and Tracy
were built on the Apalachee, and ten bat
teries covered Spanish river channel. Besides
all these, long lines of piles were driven into
the bay across the channel, leaving narrow
openings for the blockade runners for Mo-
bile was famous blockade running port.
At the entrance from the sea TO Mobile Bay
were two old United States forts, Morgan
and Gaines. The Confederates had seized
them in 1861. Fort Gaines was on Little
Dauphi Island, west of Fort Gaines, and
covering Grants Pass, while Fort Morgan
was on Mobile Point. Torpedoes were here
planted across the channel. On the land side
were LnISe lines OF IoELIlCdLicil>.
Up 10 the summer Of 1854 the Mobile
blockade runners had their own way mostly.
May II, 1868, however, Gen. Z. R. S. Candy
was appointed to the command OF the mill
tary division of West Mississippi. That sum-
nIer, Aug ;. Mobile was attacked for the
first time during the war. admiral Farra-
gut, commander of the west gulf squadron,
opened fire on Fort Gaines. Aug. 3, Gen.
Gordon Granger landed q force of 1909
Union infantry on Dauphin Island.
Aug. 4, 1864, Gordon Granger's men, pro-
tected by Farragut's fleet, marched up Dau-
phin Island TO within half mile OF Fort
Gaines. There they intrenched themselves
and waited till next day, Aug. ). 1t was on
the morning of Aug. ; that the historic scene
OF FalTagut steaming up Mobile Bay dashed
to the rigging of MS flagship, the Hartford,
was enacted. The leading ship of the attack
ing squadron was the Tecunlsah. Steaming
up the bay she struck torpedo and went TO
the bottom with her captain and l29 of her
crew. Then the flagship Hartford, with the
admiral on board, took the lead. The two
forts, Gaines and Morgan, played on the feet
with a whitening fire.
The Hartford passed Fort Morgan. The
Confederate ram Tennessee, believed to bs
invincible, bore down directly upon ths
Hartford. The other Union gunboats at
tackled the Tennessee on all sides. There
was a desperate fight that lasted twa hours.
At last the ram was disabled by Union shot
and she'll and surrendered with her crew and
officers, $50 in all Aug. Fort Gaines
passed into the hands of the Union force.
Aug % Fort Morgan was surrendered after
a general bombardment by sea and land.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23

line, and the men Of Battery Nine and Fort
tIcGilvery were put under arms for defense
The Second Michigan infantry, occupying
the trenches between Suedman ard Battery
Nine, retired, slirmishing before the Confed-
crate column, and. entering the battery, aided
the e1rriscn. the ,Twcntieth Michigan and
section Of the Fifth United States artillery,
In repclSing this assault. The defeIse Of Bat
terry Nine and Fprt Haskell against these sud-
den attacks gave Gordons movement severe
check on the ianks and limited the success he
had counted upon. II was novs growing
hight Ee had not siienced TIE Union guns
that swept the space between ths lines where
be intended 10 move out his mar force, and
be mad not msde point IA Se rear. The
column sent 10 the rear 70 secure the battery
had been misguided, and, having rande a halt
10 get their bearings, soon found themselves
confronted by an opposing force The Seven
teentA Michigan. on duty at WiilcoxS head
quarters, had been led by Maj. Mathews to-
ward tue scene % the lighting, and began
sSlrm-sni0g with the Coufe6erates, " o halt
cd and made no further attempt Many OF
the Fourteenth men from Fort StedEnan and
some from the Fifry->eventh MASSACHUSETTS,,
in camp near there, had fallen hs * towards
the rear battery and formed line and opened
fire
The Third division, under Gen. dartranft.
had bsen ordeCei out 0y Gen. PaIke. aud. the
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23

- - We 49, - 10 stAe NfAA-e-- ---l ~
Ala. on the Tennessee river, with his com
mand, $4,000 men, three cavalry divisions,
under Gems. Long, Upton aud McCooS.
They took with them poatoon train, sup
ply train Of $50 wagons and six batteries.
They were prepared for O sixty day cam
paign The three divisions moved by differ
ent routes to Eiyton, Ala, reaching there
March 80. TIE Confederate Cen Dick
Taylor was a. Meridian, Miss, with an in
fantry corps and :, COO cavalry under Forrest.
March = Wilson learned that Chalmers, Of
Forests command was approaching Tusca-
loOsa. Wilson tbereupon detached CroNton's
brigade and ordered IL to advance rapidly to
Tuscaloosa in advance OF Chalmers and burn
the bridges, stores and public buildings at
that place. Then he was % rejoin the COM
maud at Selma. The main body meantime
moved rapidly through ElytCn 90 Montevallo.
As they advanced Gen. Upton destroyed the
Cahawba rolling mills and other IRON works
and valuable property. March u the main
body reached MontevaIlo. A portion of For
rests force had meantime appeared IN the di-
rection Of Selma. Against this Upton was
sent The task now before Wilson was the
destruction Of FORESTS cavalry.
Upton rode out on the Selma road, Alex
auders brigade leading. Soon force Of
Confederates under Roddy was encountered
Alexander charged into this force and routed
it. The COnfederates refreshed towards Ran
dolph, but stopped and showed fight five
miles south of Montevallo. They were at
tackled by Winslows brigade and again rout-
ed fifty Of them being captured
The Union main column now pushed on
towards Selma. Forrest himself was in
front. Gen. Croxton meantime was near
Trion, engaged with W II. II. Jackson's
Confederate division. Chalmers at Union
was ordered to join Forrest, while Jackson,
at Trion, was also endeavoring to join For
rest. Gen. Croxbon had captured Confed-
crate courier near Trion with dispatches,
which he at once sent 10 Wilson, revealing
the Confederate plans
Wilson Immediately sent McCOok 70 join
Crozton and hold back Jackson. Then he
ordered Upton and Long 90 push Forrest Wig
orously towards Selma Near Ebenezer
Church. April /, Forests forces were en-
countered in battle line. Union authorities
say Forrest had 500 men; IN the Cam
paigns Of Gen. \. b. Forrest the number is
put at 500 After an hours hot fEhtmg,
Forrest was routed. His men broke ranks
and fed They were pursued till dark. Three
guns and 200 prisoners were captured by
Wilson's men This Gght is called the battle
Of Ebenezer Church.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23

had two. Fort Haskell had four guns and
Batteries Eleven and Twelve. between Has
kell and Ste6man, had cohorn mortars. All
of these pieces commanded the space between
the lines whore Gordon proposed to push
through. \ brigade OF infantry. the Third
brigade First division, Ninth corps. COM
mended by Gen. \. Is. NcLauGhien. garri-
soned the line from Fort Haskell 70 Battery
Nine. The command At the time OF the at
tack numbered !. $50 men. and the space COW
cred by the ranks was over a mile in extent
Beside the trench guard and garrison steadily
maintained, there was a picket line in front
of the entire space which was kept I'D day
and nighE. The Second ard FirSt hrigades of
the First division performed similar duty on
the line to the right and left, respectively, Of
the Third brigade Gen. o. 3. Wilcox com
manded the First division and Gen. John G.
PArke the corps. The reserves to this line
consisted Of six regiments under Gen. John
r. Hsrtranft, constituting the Third divi-
don. They were stationed about one mile In
The rear and covered > space Of four miles.
The distance from Fort Stedmaa, where
the first blow was 10 be struck. 10 tho Con
tedeYate salient tColquict's). where Gordon
was to start his srormius parties, was sixty
rods
With lines 50 close as they were on the
front OF Wi-cox's division il was difficult Tor
the Confede-ates 70 ln2Ee any movement IN
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23

The infantry and the batteries drawn up
along the bluffs in the rear were able to do
some execution by firing on this column in
the flank However, they reached the slope
leading up to the fort, and in the face of can
lister from one gun Of the Third New Jersey
battery they pushed up within hail and sum-
moned the fort to surrender. \ storm Of
shells was pouring down on Haskell from the
regular Confederate batteries, md the para
pet facing Fort Stedman, and against which
the assault was aimed, was exposed to this
FIRE from the rear. The comnandant of Fort
Haskell, Maj. c. II. Houghton, of the Four
tenth New York heavy artillery, had been
struck down at this parapet while standing
by his colors. The commander of the bat
terry, Maj Christian Woerner, bravely stood
by the gun that commanded the strip of
breastwork along which the ConfederateS
were advancing, and for an answer to the
summons to surrender he sent charge of can
lster that struck the foremost of the column at
thirty PAGES A portion of the garrison, the
Fourteenth heavy artillery, aided by some
of the One Iundredth Pennsylvania, who
had left the outside of the breastworks and
come into the fort, stood to the parapetS and
opened with muskets. The Confederates
pressed up until they were within few steps
of the ditch, and then moved around to the
rear, where they were more sheltered.
The attempt on Fort Haskell by the rear
was repeated twice with no success. and as a
similar movement on Battery Nine had
failed, Gordoa's men found themselves
hemmed in un,ie- CALLING fire from batteries
much nearer 10 them now than when they
occupied their owa lines. As Gordon stated
in his narration, the hardest part was yet
before him. 1t was daylight, and all the OPP
position that he had feared, and which he
had expected to evads by moving under
cover of darkness, was confronting his men.
The artillery on both sides opened a terrific
cannonade the Union guns slciiing Gordon'S
men and the Confederate guns firing back
upon the batteries and upon ;ne Union troops
drawn no around the breach. Gordon CORE
sponded with Gen. Lee, and when ne found
that the re-cnfoTcenlents that had been prom
ised him were not forthcoming be ordered
his men to retire. This they attempted under
a storm of bullets, shells and grape. While
they were retreating some troops of the
Third brigade advanced 10 Fort Stedman
and planted hay on the works and received
a number Of prisoners Gen. Harranft adj
vanced his division, deplOyed across the plain,
with troops of the Second and Third brigadeS
of Willcox's division formed on either flank
This line covered the gap and swept UP TO
the trenches, capturing several hundred Con-
federates. who now willingly laid down their
arms Nearly 1900 prisoners and several
battle flags fell into the hands o. the Ninth
corps. The loss OF the corps was about 500
killed anu wounded and the same number
missing. TIE missing were the captured
picketS ard the garrison Of the trenches and
batteries, who had been seized at the first
been taken while asleep.
CEOEGE L KuMER
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23

Two Huudredth Pennsylvania, being near the
Court House road, advanced and eagaged the
Confaderates, whose skirnnishers were adj
vancing down this road. Other regiments OF
this division were brought up under cover OF
ravines that ran parallel with the works, and
by daylight the whole command Of six regi-
ments was on the scene. 1t was now plain
that Gordons surprises had secured no mora
than Fort Stedman, Batteries Ten, Eleven
and Twelve, and about three-qusrters OF a
mile Of infantry breastworks connecting and
adjoining these works.
His force of two divisions, under Gems. II.
W. Ransom and Pill Cook, was massed in
and around Fort Stedman, with sk.rnishers
out toward the rear Union works Two as
saults on fanking forts had been repulsed,
and the third, against the rear battery, had
been checked before the asSailants reached
within rife shot of the work The field of
the fighting was series of knobs with wide
open space in the rear, extending about half
a mile and terminating in bluff fifteen or
twenty feet high From the bluff the land
was open and generally level for mile to the
eastward.
All of the movements OF the captured line
could be watched from the Union rear, and
made out by the Union commanders the re-
serve batteries opened on the enemy in the
breach, and infantry was ordered up TO all
the weak points where the asSailants would
be- likely to attempt an advance. From the
main Confederate positions, also, the view
was unobstructed, and the combat about TO
take place was thus witnessed by thousands
of both armies, standing at their guns as idle
spectators. In addition TO the forces in the
breach with Gordon, two divisions from the
corps Of Longstreet and A. T. Hill had been
placed in position in front Of the Union line
to the left of the breach, in order to Join
Gordon's men, who expected to sweep down
and roll up Grants line toward the Norfolk
railroad A detachment of cavalry was eiso
in the vicinity with orders to galiop down
the river road toward City Point and raid
the depotS, landings and bridges the moment
the stormiag parties had silenced the batteries
commanding the road. The next step in Cor
don's plan was TO form on the space he held
and move toward the Union left, taking on
the way Fort Haskell, which his storming
party had not silenced. This work had three
guns on the north face, having a range on all
the ground between il and Fort Stedman.
Owing to the irregularity Of the line of
breastworks connecting these forts, the guns
of Haskell could not sweep the rear of the
breastworks beyond the distance of about
fifty yards The Confederates therefore used
these works as a cover, and column of a
couple of brigades started from Stedman to
move down on Haskell 70 strike it in the rear
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23

30 were Gels. Miller. Mccormick and Briggs
while Col. Dcbbs was killed
But meantins what was that s0urzioe to
mutt and fighting in the rear, Ware the
Tkird OHIO had been left 70 guard the horsesI
Chalmers had come up with his command,
and endsavored 20 force hisway into the BE-
iesguered city. he had at1ac1ed the Union
rear guard vigorously. At TIE opening Ok
the assault the ConfederateS made an Rlmos1
successful sGrrie from the works, but wera
driven back. They were striving % open the
way for Chalmers 70 come into t1e-city.
Wilson had, however. been on the watch
for this very movement. 4 b0tbsry and .
regiment were ordered quickly 70 the support
OF the Third Ohio and Chalmers was 6rivsz
CT
Before The assault Cen UPTON had azked
snd recesvs6 permission ID perErate tAs
swamp and turn Forests rgh1. The move
Eent was successfully accomplished, and Up
tOas men entered the works. Numbers os
the ConfederStes made 10 ateeTups TO escape,
but threw down their arms, CRYING: .Dons
firsany morn. Feare coRScrTptS. For Gods
sake. Xaaks, don't butcher Us an
Thus Selma feil, and with II the lzSt inn
porsanr GrssnEl OF construction belonging 70
the southern peogIe remained in the possession
Of Gen Wilson. and The main parposs for
which that general had taken tie Geld was
accomplished says The Campaigns OF Gen.
y. 3. Forrest,
Lieut. Gen. Richard Taylor, Confederate
department commander. Was in Selma when
the tigat began, but got cut Of It quickly.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23
SELMA.

At daylight April ., tho Union troops re-
sumed the march to Selma. At a crossroads
six miles from Selma Col Mintys brigade Of
Longs command took short route over
the SummerviIle road, and at ) In the after
noon, april 2, arrived in front Of the Con-
federate WORKS al Selma. Upton's command
went by the Range Line and BurnSville roads.
Selma was formidably defended. An abstls
extended in front for 400 yards: after that
came a network OF timber and wooden
spikes, interviewer with wires The whole
space was planted thicziy with torpe,ioes In
the rear was line Of stoczade five Zee, nigh,
with ditch and earthvorks. On tae north
Of the city were the Qualifications. On the
south was the AlabauIa river. The east side
was protected By an almost iupeuetrabls
swamp, the west BY Valley creek.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23

Granger and Gen. Steele, rs, 000 men in all,
were gathered for the attack
One of the most formidable of Mobiles
Notifications was Spanish Fort, on the east
shore. The Union attack YVES made on SpoBy
ism Fort. Mobile was garrisoned at this time
by 9,000men. Gen. D. II. Marry, Confederate
commander of the department of the Gulf,
was in the city. Spanish Fort was two miles
long, and was seven miles east of Mobile.
The Union troops laid siege to it March %,
a. j. Smith on the right, Granger on the left.
Spanish Fort was commanded by Gen. Glib
son. Gems. HoltZclaw and Ector were with
him. The siege lasted thirteen days, being
carried on by regular approaches. April (
there was a general bombardment. April
Gen. Gibson telegraphed to Maury in the
city: Cant you take look at the situation
tomorrow! Can't you send me the detach-
ment belonging to Ector and Holtzclawl
Can't you send force of negroes with axeS1
l can make good soldiers of the negroes"
Gen. Candy had fixed April for the gen.
eral assault. At the same time he ordered
Granger and Smith, if any good opportunity
for assault occurred April 6, to take adj
vantage of it. Gen. Carr followed out
the instruction to assault if q good
opportunity offered on the Sth. Carr was
on the extreme Union right. opposite Ec-
tors brigade. After o'clock p m. he at
tackled Ector's brigade in flank, and after
a fierce hand to hand fight gained portion
Of the parapet of Spanish Fort. The Confed-
crates were surprised by the bold and sudden
attack. Cars men advanced from pit to
pit. Gen. Gibson suddenly and silently evac-
uated the works in the dusk, with portion
of his garrison, and crossed the Apalachee.
Canbys men captured with Spanish Fort
80 guns and 500 prisoners. April O. 1866, the
same day that Leo surrendered 10 Grant at
Appomattoz, Candy entered Spanish Fort
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23
INTERIOR OF FORT srEDMAN.


for maneuvering large bodies of men. The
Prince Georges Court House road ran direct
ly from Petersburg past Hare's Hill, crossing
both the Confederate and the Union lines. 1t
seemed perfectly feasible for the Confederates
to throw a good column of men of all arms
into this space and add strength to it as it
should move down the Union lines toward
Grants left. But first it would be necessary
to make breach in the Union works. This
Gen. Gordon provided for, and his plan, APP
proved by Lee, was as follows:
To take Fort Stedman by direct assault at
night, then send separate body of men to
each of tho rear forts, who, claiming to be
Federals, might pass through the Federal re-
serves and take possession of the rear line of
forts as if ordered to do SO by the Federal
commander; next to press with his whole
force 10 the rear of Grants main line and
force him out of his trenches, destroy his
pontoons cut bis telegraph wires and press
down his flank.
The forts referred TO in the rear of Fort
Stedman were not, with one exception in
the rear. One high fortified battery stood on
the bluff near the Court House road in rear
of Stedman. On the Union left of Stedman,
in the direction Gordon proposed to move his
force as soon as he had opened breach, was
Fort Haskell and on the-Union right of Fort
Stedman was Battery Nine, an inclosed work
mounting two guns and also a mortar bat
terry. Still to the right of Battery Nine
stood Fort NcGilvery, mounting cannon and
mOrtarS. Fort Stedman proper had four
guns in position, and Battery Ten, adjoining,
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23

NJ reefss. Nssl tasy lea = "e1~u s~i
oTrtszs,7 &C., a. Vas. ta.sy ssSs 70 - q lssszs
zxarEyazar1s iu>sz1ssa - esaVsy tas ~ x
s-ss1.sea- tl.s azsocl-s1a = lcsss z.tA srtrzzss
fatzsa aa< ezra ed 49, Se.zz as.ssTai Bss
coTu fH1 eYsss-a as "a Fzl1es = fa1s e. s1rs
sss be- Dyas~g elzfsavasssa " al go hays
49, ssz1s - - .ast IS ceallseel - -
rzsseh ze.rz1s tEs 0zstT ntfszs u sg-rs-sssFaJ
J-1-1a@ta. sr1 - szzaT f1sces ~ - C1sssa-
peaks h@T tas cgs-ss tlfzozr svsgy szefziz.
strezs ui.s = 1osra} az1a atos tls r-rf.las
q re vsse- coFgr.1s Ezs he2s e. - tsEalvsT
q-aassts-s - fry ETosad cora asaal. a--a
sErsi3v uszs - - Ie-senl z11 - sarscarrs
O. aaasraes aveee e-rzx szsll tsa. ts- sHss.s
te.sr 4n -ce =. AZ .sarsszs sFsssr.--
-. Lgss 1.5ss Lsr-sz-Ez&
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23

GEN. JOHN E. GORDON. nearly a mile of the
lines were aroused by the sounds Of attack,
and awoke to find their own guns turned upon
them and the cold steel Of daring enemy
held TO their very breasts.
In an interview with some Of his old antag-
onists Gen. John B. Gordon, who at this crisis
came to the front as a successor to 'StOne-
walln Jackson, whose cid command, or what
there remained Of it, had come under Cor
don's leadership, told how he had two confer
ences with Ice early in March, and at these
conferences it was decided to make night
sortie on Grants lines at Fort Stedman, on
Hares Hill, il front of Petersburg.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-03-23

II the doctors Had intended to De caugnS,
they could hardly have managed it more 70
the purpose. The party consisted Of three
Louisville white men and two or three
colored men; Of these DR.. W. Edward Grant
and DR.. ]. T. Blackburn and one eolored
man are In the custody of the Indiana OH
GERS, while George Brown, colored, IS dead
and the third white man and negro Of there
was anothsrI escaped The doctors were evil
IDENTIFY what skilled reSurrectionists call guy
blokes"-that IS, they knew nothing about
the technique Of the business, went AZ 1t in
the most awkward way possibla. syzolated the
sthics OF grave robbing az the wy start and
took citizen Of the offended town into their
confidence, thus insuring detection. 1t Is
gravely suggested in Louisville that the
Indiana court may acauit them on the ground
OF temporary insanity.
Thomas johnson, for MANY years resident
of Louisville, and In the ticket department OF
the Louisville and Nashville railroad, and
later provision superintendent OF the Wagner
Palace Car company, of Chicago, WHARF he
died, had been brought 70 his old home st
New Albany by his friends, and buried IN
what IS known as the North cemetery. He was
q man OF magnificent physique, which, per-
haps, caused the resurrecnonists 70 violate
their usual rule, which Is 70 obtain the corpses
only of paupers and friendless people. Ed
ward Pearce, a policeman in New Albany, was
less prominent than Mr.. johnson, but very
popular. 1t is a very curious fact that dur
ing his last illness Consumption he often ex-
pressed horror of grave robbers, and re-
quested that extra precautions should be
taken.
They were buried near together on Sun
day afternoon, and the next day Dr. Black
burn took careful observation OF the Gene
terry. He asked William Dubbs. lad living
near by, to point out the graves, and with
what seems incredible folly, gave him a hint
Of their Intentions and a small bride, promis-
ing more if they succeeded. The lad promptly
informed the authorities, and that night
guard OF FIVE men was set, including two
brothers OF johnson and devoted friend OF