Today in History:

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

Page 232 KY.,S.W.VA.,TENN., N. & C.GA.,MISS.,ALA., & W.FLA.

Company K, Eighth Iowa Veteran Volunteers, who captured a flag from the hands of the color-bearer, in the charge on Spanish Fort, April 8, 1865. I have had the names of the above men written in ink on the flag captured by them. The other three were found in Spanish Fort after it had been taken, and no special credit attaches to the capture.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. J. SMITH,

Major-General.


HDQRS. ARMY AND DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI,
April 12, 1865.

Major General A. J. SMITH,

Commanding Sixteenth Army Corps:

SIR: I have the honor, by direction of the major-general commanding, to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this date and of eight rebel flags, captured by officers and men of your command in the charges on Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely. The persons named in your communication will be recommended to the War Department for medals of honor.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.


No. 42. Report of Surg. William H. Thome, U. S. Army, Medical Director.


HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
OFFICE MEDICAL DIRECTOR,

Montgomery, Ala., April 30, 1865.

SIR: In compliance with circular No. 25, Surgeon-General's Office, 1865, I have the honor to forward the following report of medical operations of this command in the campaign against Mobile, Ala.:

This command was organized into a corps at New Orleans, on or about the 21st of February, 1865. It comprises forty regiments, divided into three divisions, mainly western troops, with one regiment from New York and one from New Jersey. Nearly all have been in active service for two years or more. Their morale was excellent and the sanitary condition good. Each regiment was furnished with a pannier, or a portable medicine chest, which were kept filled by timely requisitions on the division supply contained in one Perot medical wagon and several six-mule teams for each division. The ambulance corps was organized according to law, and a division field hospital at the rate of one tent to a regiment. We left New Orleans on transports about the 12th of March, and after a short stay on Dauphin Island sailed across Mobile Bay and up Fish River to Dannelly's Landing, where we debarked. Thence three days' short marches through the pines brought us to be vicinity of Spanish Fort on the 27th of March, against which we immediately commenced siege operations (and one division of this command against the defenses at Blakely). Spanish Fort was taken by storm on the 8th, and Blakely in the same manner on the 9th of April, up to which period our men were constantly subjected to fatigue duty in the


Page 232 KY.,S.W.VA.,TENN., N. & C.GA.,MISS.,ALA., & W.FLA.