The
Confederate navy in Mobile Bay was defeated by Union Admiral David Glasgow
Farragut on August 5th 1864.
Fort Gaines which protected the western side of the Bay surrendered to a
land force under the commanded of Union Major General Gordon Granger. The Union command then turn their attention
to Confederate held Fort Morgan. The
Fort was under Confederate Brigadier General Richard Lucian Page, who had about
600 men in his command.
Granger’s
soldiers began moving siege artillery into range of the Fort on August 9th
1864. Farragut had his ships guns turned
toward the Fort. For the next two weeks
the Union guns fired on the Fort, keeping up consistent bombardment.
Page was
forced on August 23rd 1864 to unconditionally surrender the
Fort. Refusing the turn over his sword
to the Union, Page broke it over his knee.
He had his cannon spiked before surrendering and turning the Fort over. The fall of this Fort shut down Mobile Bay as
a port for the Confederates.
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