The Western Fort Surrendered

A Siege against Fort Gaines, a part of the Battle of Mobile Bay, came to an end on August 8^th 1864 after six days.

Union Major General Gordon Granger landed a force on Dauphin Island on August 3^rd 1864.  The 3,300 men moved against Fort Gaines located on the western side of Mobile Bay.  The Fort was of pentagonal design and was built in the mid 1800’s.  It was held by about 820 Confederate soldiers under the command of Colonel Charles A Anderson.  Anderson’s commander Confederate Brigadier General Richard Lucian Page gave him orders not to surrender the Fort.

On August 5^th 1864 Admiral David G Farragut’s Union Navy fleet of 18 ships, ran past Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan; the other fort defending the Bay, defeating the Confederate ships in Mobile Bay.  Seeing this Anderson decided he couldn’t hold the Fort if attacked by both Granger’s force and the Union Navy.  He surrendered the Fort August 8^th 1864.

Closing The Bay

A part of the Battle for Mobile Bay, Fort Morgan fell on August 23^rd 1864 to Union forces.

The Confederate navy in Mobile Bay was defeated by Union Admiral David Glasgow Farragut on August 5^th 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 9^th 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 23^rd 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.