Today in History:

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

Page 208 KY.,S.W.VA.,TENN.,N. & C.GA.,MISS.,ALA., & W.FLA.

Transportation for the removal of the prisoners was obtained on the 14th instant, and they were on that date embarked at Starke's Landing and forwarded to Ship Island, Miss., in charge of Captain Howard Vandagrift, provost-marshal of this command, with instructions to turn his prisoners over to the commanding officer at that post, taking a receipt for their delivery. I append below an inventory of the ordnance and quartermaster's stores found in the forts on the morning of their capture: 32 pieces siege and field artillery, 6,000 rounds artillery ammunition, 100,000 rounds ammunition for small-arms, 36,000 pounds corn, 13 serviceable mules, 7 bales sand-bags, 5 army wagons, and 3 wall-tents.

Respectfully submitted.

HENRY BERTRAM,

Colonel, Commanding.

Major F. W. EMERY,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Thirteenth Army Corps.


No. 29. Report of Lieutenant Colonel John Bruce, Nineteenth Iowa Infantry, of operations March 27-April 8.


HDQRS. NINETEENTH REGIMENT IOWA INFTY. VOLS.,
Spanish Fort, Ala., April 14, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my regiment in the attack upon and reduction of Spanish Fort and its defenses:

On the 27th of March, about noon, I was ordered forward; crossed the creek, deployed in line of battle, advanced Companies A and D in skirmish line through the thick brush, holding my line well out on my left to the bay. After ascending the hill and in view of the fort, the enemy opened on my line with artillery, wounding a number of my men. Here we hastily threw up a line of works, and in the meantime Foust's battery came up, opened on the enemy vigorously, and in a short time he ceased to return the fire. I again advanced, under orders, to get a position as near as possible to the enemy's works. The enemy, observing the movement, opened upon me with musketry from his rifle-pits and from the front. He also opened with his artillery. In the advance I had a number of men killed and wounded. Under cover of the fallen timber I protected my line as well as I could, while the artillery in my rear was playing with a good effect on the rebel works. Darkness came on, and I was ordered to throw up a line of defenses where I then was, which I did. After this the operations assumed the nature of a siege. We advanced our lines under cover of the night by parallels, drove the enemy out of his pits, and occupied them. ON the night of the 8th of April the enemy abandoned his works, and we took possession of them. Annexed to this report find a list of the killed and wounded of my regiment.* My casualties were but few after the advance of the first day.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN BRUCE,

Lieutenant Colonel Nineteenth Iowa Infantry Vols., Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant A. J. ROCKWELL,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, First Brigadier, Second Div., 13th Army Corps.

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*Nominal list (omitted) shows 5 men killed and 16 wounded.

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Page 208 KY.,S.W.VA.,TENN.,N. & C.GA.,MISS.,ALA., & W.FLA.