Today in History:

160 Series I Volume XLIX-I Serial 103 - Mobile Bay Campaign Part I

Page 160 KY., S. W. VA., TENN., N. & C. GA., MISS., ALA., & W. FLA.

a battery in front of General Hawkins' command. One man of the Forty-sixth Illinois Infantry wounded. Twenty-third Wisconsin, 1 killed and 4 wounded. Two wounded in Ninety-ninth Illinois Infantry. Saturday, April 8, no casualties. Considerable skirmishing along our entire front. Sunday, April 9, skirmishing during the entire day. At 5.30 a charge was made along the entire line, the charge being a complete success. The Second Brigade of this division was engaged, and was among the first in the enemy's lines. They captured a large quantity of ordnance and ordnance stores. Monday, April 10, received orders at 12.30 a.m. to withdraw forces from the enemy's works, and prepare to move at daylight. Marched at 8 a.m., and marched two and a half miles and camped. Remained in camp all day. Tuesday, April 11, remained in camp all day until 6 p.m.; marched to Starke's Landing, a distance of thirteen miles. Wednesday, April 12, embarked on transports for Mobile. Made a landing five miles below the city at 10 a.m. Moved into the city at once. Found the city evacuated, the enemy having left the night before.

JAMES C. VEATCH,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Captain F. W. EMERY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 12. Report of Brigadier General James R. Slack, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade, of operations March 17-April 12.


HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, FIRST DIV., 13TH ARMY CORPS,
Spring Hill, Ala., April 29, 1865.

SIR: In obedience to orders from headquarters First Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, I have the honor to report the part taken by the First Brigade, First Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, in the battles at Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, Ala., which resulted in the fall of Mobile on the 12th instant, embracing a journal for each day's proceedings from the time we left Dauphin Island, on Friday, the 17th of March:

My command consisted of four regiments, the Forty-seventh Indiana Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John A. McLaughlin; the Twenty-first Iowa Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel S. G. Van Anda; the Twenty-ninth Wisconsin Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel B. Hancock, and the Ninety-ninth Illinois Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel A. C. Matthews. The aggregate effective force of these four regiments was 71 officers and 1,646 men.

Embarked on transports at Dauphin Island on the afternoon of March 17, and landed at Navy Cove, from which point we marched out three miles and went into camp. On the 18th we remained in camp. On the 19th struck camp and took up our line of march at 6 a.m., and traveled twelve miles over a very heavy sand road; went into camp at 3.30 p.m. On the 20th left camp at 6 a.m.; traveled eight miles, when we encountered the rear of the Third Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, stuck in the mud; went into camp and at once began the construction of corduroy roads and bridges. Continued in camp on the 21st, with nearly all my effective force on duty repairing roads, making new roads, and building bridges. Rained very hard during all forenoon.


Page 160 KY., S. W. VA., TENN., N. & C. GA., MISS., ALA., & W. FLA.