The Indianapolis journal., 1897-04-16
CAPTURE OF FORT BLAKELY.
Graphic Description of "a Memorable
Struggle i'm Mobile Bay

Lieut.. c. w. Smith. in Marion Chronicle.
Ihirty-two years ago to-day (April % a
battle was fought which i'm the earlier
stages of the war would have attracted "A
great deal of attention but occurring. as il
did. the same day that the Confederate
army under General Lee surrendered il
attracted comparatively little attention al
though the losses were severe. and for the
time the engagement lasted were fully
equal To those sustained at the bloody an
gle At Spottsylvania. ] allude 10 the charge
and capture of Fort Blakeiy. Ala. oppO-
site and across the bay from the city Of
Mobile. The fort really three forts
about one-haif mile apart ridge of
land and connected by very heavy breast
works fully supplied with artillery and
filled with infantry. In front of the in
trenchmentS was deep and wide dltcn
Outside of the ditch was a line of brush
high. Still in front of the brush ran a
small creek. The ground between the lines
or the two armies was covered with heavy
timber. which had been cut down by the
rebels 10 give fun sweep to their artillery
Scattered through this fallen timber were
hundreds OF torpedoes from six To one hun
dred pounds. These were connected with
wires. that n charging column passing
over them was almost certain TO trample
on the wires. which were connected with
the shells by very sensitive primer. Many
of these torpedocS were exploded during
the charge. and good many men We're
killed or horI .bly mangled. IN front of
our division (Washburn's) the captive rebel
officers were made 20 dig up the torpedoes
that same night, and they unearthed 10 in
vested Sunday. April . 1865. and after a
week of fighting and building breastworkS
the charge ordered for Sunday. April
2. Soon after noon our troops began filing
into our trenches until they stood about
four lines deep. The men were fully aware
that they were 10 charge the works and
they were also aware rhat il would be a
desperate and bloody job. but at the signal
every man jumped over our breastworks
and started on run for the enemys line.
A perfect tornado of shot, she'll grape
canister and rifle balls filed the air. Hun
dreds were struck down, dead or wounded; !;
rades. fallen timber. over torpedoes.
| over every obstruction until they reached
| the pile of brush. This was torn down in
| a short time. and down into the ditch and
| up the embankment went those gallant fell
| lows until they reached the top OF the
| parapet. Then our boys opened about the
| heaviest musketry fire ! ever heard during
| the war. The Johnnies soon displayed the
| white flag and threw down their guns and
| surrendered. Ii had taken Just twenty min
| utes 10 capture the works. but in that
soldiers were killed or wounded. We cap
| tured over forty pieces OF artillery and
about 1850 prisoners and large amount
| of stores and supplies of ali kinds. An
| incident happened AT this battle which has.
| perhaps. no parallel during the war. About
| thirty regiments participated i'm the charge
| and il was considered such a desperate un-
dertaking that only one coior-bearer in all
that army went into the cnarge with his
flag unfurled and Haunting in the breeze
| That man Color Sergeant ELI Altman.
| of the Sixty-ninth Indiana Infantry. The
other color-bearcrs charged with their