Blakeley in Baldwin County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
The Siege of Fort Blakeley
Brig. Gen. Christopher C. Andrews
The Union Army laid siege to Fort Blakeley for over a week prior to the battle on April 9, 1865. Federal troops arrived in front of the Confederate position on April 1. During the ensuing eight days, they steadily advanced closer to the Confederate line by constructing a series of earthworks. Beginning about 1,000 yards out from the fort, Union forces ultimately constructed three distinct "parallels," or lines of trenches and artillery positions, during the siege. In front of each were hastily-built rifle pits where advanced skirmishers were placed. Camps were located to the rear.
Federal troops advanced their lines during the siege under constant deadly fire from Confederate infantry and artillery, and, on occasion, gunboats stationed in the Tensaw River. Since much of the construction took place under cover of darkness, Confederates launched several nighttime "sorties," or isolated attacks, along sections of the lines in their front to slow down the besiegers progress. The Federal assault on the fort was launched from the third, or final, parallel of earthworks, which by April 9 in some places lay less than 300 yards away from Confederate lines.
Major General Edward S. Canby was in overall command of the approximately 45,000 Union infantry troops involved in the Campaign for Mobile. A Kentucky native and veteran of the Second Seminole War and the Mexican War, Canby served in the trans-Mississippi theater of the Civil War prior to leading operations against Mobile.
Major General Frederick Steele commanded some 13,000 troops involved in the Campaign for Mobile. Steele's column made its way here from Pensacola, fighting several skirmishes with Confederate forces in northern Florida and cutting the railroad at Pollard before approaching Blakeley from the north.
Brigadier General Christopher C. Andrews commanded troops in the Second Division of the 13th U.S. Army Corps stationed in this sector of the Federal lines during the siege of Fort Blakeley. A newspaper editor and Minnesota senator prior to the war, Andrews published History of the Campaign in Mobile in 1867.
Captions - Top left map: Troops positioned along this section of the Federal lines, which attacked Redoubts 3 and 4, included the brigades of Col. Frederick Moore and Col. William T. Spicely.
Bottom left: Veteran troops such as these men of the 76th Illinois Infantry Regiment laid siege to Fort Blakeley and fought and won the battle here in 1865. Organized in Kankakee, Illinois in 1862, the regiment fought in the Vicksburg Campaign and numerous other actions in the western theater of the Civil War.
Center top: Map showing position of Union and Confederate lines at Fort Blakeley.
Center bottom: This sketch of Union soldiers digging trenches near Petersburg, Virginia, by artist Alfred Waud, illustrates the type of work performed here by Federal troops during the siege.
Erected 2017 by Historic Blakeley State Park & Gulf Coast Resource Conservation & Development Council.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is April 9, 1865.
Location. 30° 44.943′ N, 87° 54.556′ W. Marker is in Blakeley, Alabama, in Baldwin County. Marker is on Battlefield Road, on the left when traveling east. Located in Historic Blakeley State Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Battlefield Road, Spanish Fort AL 36527, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The United States Colored Troops (USCT) at the Battle of Fort Blakeley (here, next to this marker); The Battle of Fort Blakeley (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fort Blakeley (Blakely*) (about 600 feet away); The Battle of Fort Blakely (approx. 0.2 miles away); Alabama (approx. 0.6 miles away); Battle of Blakeley (approx. 0.6 miles away); Redoubt Six (approx. 0.6 miles away); Union Artillery Batteries (approx. ¾ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Blakeley.
Also see . . . Battle of Fort Blakeley - The War Ends and the Battle Begins. (Submitted on April 9, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 9, 2019. It was originally submitted on April 9, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 503 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 9, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.