Today in History:

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

Page 202 KY.,S.W.VA.,TENN., N. & C.GA.,MISS.,ALA., & W.FLA.

several hundred stand of small-arms, a number of battle-flags, and a considerable amount of commissary and quartermaster's stores. The troops that my division confronted were veteran soldiers of the Confederate army, who had been in all the principal battles of the West. I invite attention to the fact that the ground in my front had been extensively mined with torpedoes. Some fatal casualties occurred to my command in consequence of them. Explosions took place and injuries were inflicted after the assault was completed. It required great care in withdrawing the prisoners from the fort to avoid loss of life on account of these torpedoes. I sent out a detail of prisoners last night, with a Confederate officer, who knew the whereabouts of the torpedoes, to take them up. The detail was also at work to-day, and some seventy have been taken up or exploded. In regard to this system of warfare I cannot omit here to observe that it seems inhuman on this account, that after a battle is over it may be out of the enemy's power to prevent the disaster which they are calculated to produce, as in this instance, non-combatants searching for the wounded and the dead were liable to destruction. And it sounded hideous indeed last night, hour after the battle had ceased, to hear these explosions and to feel that those were being torn to pieces who were searching for the dead and wounded. I inclose herewith a list of the casualties, with the names of all the killed and wounded of my division.* The aggregate is 33 enlisted men killed, 14 commissioned officers and 188 enlisted men wounded; total, 235. Several of the wounded have since died. The enemy's loss in my immediate front in killed and wounded must have been nearly half as large. It is enough now to say that the two brigades engaged in this brilliant and memorable assault evinced not only most exemplary valor, but cool and splendid soldiership in every respect. It will hereafter be a grateful duty to commemorate as fully as words can express the noble gallantry of those who have lost their lives as well as those among the living whose daring and services were conspicuous. The Second Connecticut Battery of Light Artillery, Captain Hotchkiss commanding, and the Fifteenth Massachusetts Battery of Light Artillery, Lieutenant A. Rowse commanding, rendered very efficient service up to the time they were ordered to cease firing. The officers on my staff have performed most laborious service during the operations before Blakely, and displayed gallantry and coolness equal to every demand upon them. Much also is due to the medical officers of the division, on duty at the hospital, for their humane and painstaking efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the wounded.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. C. ANDREWS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Captain JOHN F. LACEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Starke's Landing, Ala., April 12, 1865.

MAJOR: In compliance with instructions received from headquarters Thirteenth Army Corps, I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command since leaving Pensacola:

In compliance with orders received from Major General F. Steele, commanding U. S. forces operating from Pensacola Bay, I marched at

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*Embodied in table, p.111.

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Page 202 KY.,S.W.VA.,TENN., N. & C.GA.,MISS.,ALA., & W.FLA.