The National tribune., 1906-08-30
SPANISH FORT.
1t Fen on saturday, Aprll o, 1855.

Editor National Tribune: The dis
pute between the two wings of the
army of Gen. Candy as to who took
Spanish Fort and the date 1t was taken
will never be settled SO long as each
wing thinks "it did it ALL" and as to
date, whether a day begins at midnight
or at reveille. If you will refer to my
plan of Mobile Bay in a recent National
Tribune, you will perceive that Spanish
Fort was built upon round hill of con-
siderable height and extensive dimen-
sions. so that the right hand could not
have known (by sighD what the left
might be doing. An account by A. NJ
Gurnsey. Co. E, 124th Ill, in an old
National Tribune (of a date with Vests
loss of a bet on Blaine's nomination al
Chicago on reverse of slip 1 have) tells
how they marched northwest guided
by a rebel deserter to the road (fron
Blakely, passing east of Spanish Hi!
and to the south some distance from the
bay shore), then faced north til
stopped by Gen. Smith. and were or
dered to the southwest" This brought
them to the rear of the main works OF
the fort, which was built to oppose any
force following up the eastern shore
under cover of our fleet. Our army hav-
ing reached that position, the fort was
rendered useless, and the sooner it was
evacuated the better for them. He says:
ION the afternoon of April s, by order
of Gen. Smith''-Gen. Candy was chief
in command-"all the guns on the lire
opened fire upon the rebel works. After
bombarding 10: four hours the Sth Iowa
marched in column along the bay when
the tide was out, inside the rebel works,
formed line of battle and threw out
skirmishers, advanced up the hill; and
the 124th III. marched in the same way
that the Sth Iowa did and was the sec
ond regiment inside the fort, Comrade
Burrows, 95th ILL.,. Notwithstanding, who
says it was in the early twilight. 1t was
after 8 p. m. when the Sth Iowa went
in, and the bombardment ceased. There
were no works there and no rebels in
sight" This makes the position an out
work, rather.
Now, soon after taking that southwest
course on Gen. Smiths orders and be-
fore the bombardment of four hours,
placing it before 4 p. M, April s, they
struck the reserve pickets' and had 4
foot race for the rebel works. when
the last rebel went over the works our
skirmish line was not over 100 yards
behind, and then, great guns! didn't
they open fire upon u.s."
This shows that that part of the
works were then evacuated when they
went inside and found nobody. This
had seen all that night till 3 a. M, when
the last boat passed loaded to the
guards on the way to Mobile. The fort
was evacuated at its weakest point first,
and those apun the south side opposite
Gen. Canby's headquarters held our as
saulting columns till the last moment,
then skedaddled for that last boat. Now
If Saturday, April s, continued until
reveille next morning, the fort was TAX
en- possession of on April 8; but If Sun
day. April g. commenced at midnight
Notwithstanding that the assault COM
menced on Saturday afternoon and con-
tinued on Canby's side till 3 a. m. fol-
lowing, the fort was taken possession OF
by assault and driving the rebels out at
3 a. M, Sunday morning, April 0, 1865,
to the watch of the naval
picket boats officer, witnessing that as
sault and the passing of the rebel boats
to and fro.-JOseph A. Stuart, Meta
comets Launch, Palo Alto, Cal.