Taking Fort Morgan in Mobile Bay

Nearly three weeks after the Battle of Mobile Bay, Lieutenant Edward N. Kellogg of the U.S. Navy stood outside Fort Morgan as part of the contingent of Federal officers chosen to accept the surrender of Fort Morgan. It proved an impressive ceremony.

"At 2 o’clock that afternoon most of the naval and army officers landed at the fort to witness the raising of the old flag over the stronghold that has kept us so long at bay,” he wrote. “The Rebel troops, 560 in number, were marched out and stacked arms, and equal number of our own marched down in front of the line, the band playing “Hail Columbia,” the “Star-Spangled Banner,” and “Yankee Doodle” among other patriotic airs till they were abreast when they halted and faced the graybacks at a distance of ten feet. The American colors were now run up on the flagstaff and the Rebel flag hauled down. The band again struck up, the whole fleet fired a salute, the vessels in succession according to rank and a battery of two field pieces on shore contributing to the grand chorus. In the meantime, “Old Page,” who had turned his back as the band passed, came between the lines of soldiers where the officers were mostly assembled and surrendered his flag, fort, garrison, and everything thereunto belonging unconditionally.”

Lieutenant Kellogg’s letter describing the surrender of Fort Morgan first saw publication in the September 10, 1864, edition of the Waukegan Weekly Gazette.

 

The smoke-stained ruins of Fort Morgan show the impact of Federal shelling in this image taken shortly after the fort's surrender in August 1864. After touring the fort, Lieutenant Kellogg described the fort's interior was "one mass of rubbish." The fleet threw more than 3,000 shells into the fort on August 22nd and the resulting fire threatened to ignite the powder magazine. Confederates rolled the powder drums into a cistern to prevent their detonation but without powder were essentially rendered defenseless. 


U.S. Steam sloop Oneida, Mobile Bay, Alabama

August 24, 1864

          Victory once more perches upon the banner of freedom and the Mobile blockade is now classed among the things that were. Day before yesterday the fleet and shore batteries opened the bombardment and kept it up all through the day. The monitors and double-enders only of the fleet firing during the day. At dark, the citadel inside the fort was seen to be on fire and the firing was kept up with greater spirit than during the day. Our fire was so hot the Rebel garrison could not fire a gun during part of the bombardment but kept safely sheltered in their casemates. The sharpshooters on shore were so near the fort that it was certain death for a Rebel to show his head above the parapet. Our fire completely enfiladed the fort as the inside and outside fleet and shore batteries played on all parts simultaneously, every part being exposed to a murderous fire.

Brigadier General Richard L. Page
"Ramrod Page"

          Yesterday morning at daylight a white flag was hoisted on the parapet of Fort Morgan and the firing ceased. A small boat with a flag of truce was soon seen putting out for the flagship but General Gordon Granger who was on a small steamer in the bay, interrupted it and brought it alongside his own vessel. The officer of the boat was the bearer of a dispatch from “Ramrod Page,” as he was familiarly nicknamed in our army previous to his turning traitor, proposing terms of surrender.

          At 2 o’clock that afternoon most of the naval and army officers landed at the fort to witness the raising of the old flag over the stronghold that has kept us so long at bay. The Rebel troops, 560 in number, were marched out and stacked arms, and equal number of our own marched down in front of the line, the band playing “Hail Columbia,” the “Star-Spangled Banner,” and “Yankee Doodle” among other patriotic airs till they were abreast when they halted and faced the graybacks at a distance of ten feet. The American colors were now run up on the flagstaff and the Rebel flag hauled down. The band again struck up, the whole fleet fired a salute, the vessels in succession according to rank and a battery of two field pieces on shore contributing to the grand chorus. In the meantime, “Old Page,” who had turned his back as the band passed, came between the lines of soldiers where the officers were mostly assembled and surrendered his flag, fort, garrison, and everything thereunto belonging unconditionally.

General Gordon Granger

          We now entered the fort and found that the 11- and 15-inch shells had effectually done their work. Fifteen guns were dismounted or entirely disabled. The citadel was completely destroyed by being set afire by our shells and the whole inside of the fort was one mass of rubbish that was knocked down from the walls. The garrison with enough provisions might have held out for months without any loss of life if they had been disposed but it would have been useless for them to have suffered the annoyance of broken sleep, imprisonment in the casemates, and perhaps sickness among many other evils with no hope of reinforcements or supplies. If Page could have fired his guns they would probably have held out much longer. There were four months of provisions in the fort and the garrison had been put on reduced rations the day we entered.

The Rebel guns were of English and Rebel make principally: the 7-inch Brooks’ rifle being one of the best guns in the world. It was one of these guns that wounded our captain, exploded our boiler, and disabled our after 11-inch gun. I was pleased to see the gun with one trunnion knocked off and otherwise disabled. [Please see my previous post “Bones in the Brackets: A Graphic Account of the Battle of Mobile Bay” for further details on the Oneida’s fight on August 5, 1864.]

          The capture of Fort Morgan places us in possession of the whole bat as far up as Long River Bar about five miles from the city. Some hard fighting will yet have to be done before the city surrenders but that work will devolve upon the monitors and small gunboats, the large ships not being able to get up so far. Thus far, the port is sealed against blockade running and the large fleet now here will be released from blockade duty. The city of Mobile can be easily reached by the guns of our fleet as some of our vessels have already been within three miles of the city.

          Our ship will leave soon either for Pensacola or New Orleans for necessary repairs before proceeding north. Dead bodies are floating by the ship every day, drifting back and forth with the tide. (To read Lieutenant Kellogg's account of the Battle of Mobile Bay, click here to read "Bones in the Brackets: A Graphic Account of the Battle of Mobile Bay.") 

Source:

Letter from Lieutenant Edward Nealley Kellogg, U.S.S. Oneida, Waukegan Weekly Gazette (Illinois), September 10, 1864, pg. 3

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