Today in History:

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

Page 244 KY.,S.W.VA.,TENN., N. & C.GA.,MISS.,ALA., & W.FLA.


No. 51. Report of Lieutenant Colonel George Bradley, Seventh Minnesota Infantry, of operations March 27-April 9.


HDQRS. SEVENTH REGIMENT MINNESOTA INFANTRY,
In the Field, April 12, 1865.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my regiment in the operations at Spanish Fort:

On the morning of the 27th of March the regiment was formed in order of battle on the left of the brigade, which was on the extreme left of the Sixteenth Army Corps, and advanced toward the works of the enemy. Company C, Captain Thomas, was advanced and ordered to deploy as skirmishers in front of the regiment. During the afternoon this company was relieved by Company K, Captain Carter, in consequence of having expended their ammunition. The skirmishing during this day was heavy, and our skirmishers drove the enemy back a considerable distance and established our advanced line about 200 yards from the enemy's main line of works. The ground over which the skirmishers advanced was very much broken and covered with fallen trees, rendering the advance quite difficult. Our casualties this day were as follows: First Lieutenant H. F. Folsom, Company C, struck in the fleshy part of the thigh by a fragment of a shell, making a severe bruise, but not sufficient to put him off duty; Private Andrew Agren, Company C, wounded in right leg, suffered amputation above knee joint; Corpl. John Diller, contused wound in thigh, slight, has since returned to duty; Sergt. Omar H. Case, Company E, flesh wound in left shoulder, slight; Private Charles H. Fadden, Company I, shot through the body, injuring the spine, since died. On the evening of the 27th the regiment went into camp in the rear of the Thirty-fifth Iowa, the brigade then being in column of regiments. From this time till the 30th we occupied this camp, furnishing heavy picket details and fatigue parties to push forward lines of entrenchments, erect forts, and do the various work incidental to siege operations. On March 30 we moved with our brigade to the left, occupying a space left vacant by the removal of General Veatch's division, of the Thirteenth Corps. We remained here until the 4th of April, working incessantly night and day. On the night of the 3rd our pickets, in connecting with those of the other regiments in the brigade, under the direction of Major Burt, of my regiment, advanced the front line of our works from 150 to 200 yards. On the 4th of April we returned to our first place in the line and reoccupied it. On the 6th we commenced entrenchments in an advanced position, with a view to its occupation. The work, however, could be prosecuted only in the night, the ground being open and within short rifle-range from the fort, and the works were scarcely completed when the enemy evacuated and our forces took possession of Spanish Fort and the works adjacent, which occurred on the night of the 8th instant. On the 9th we moved with our command toward Blakely, going into camp about two miles from the works of the enemy, which were captured that day by a portion of our army. Throughout the entire siege the conduct of officers and men was all


Page 244 KY.,S.W.VA.,TENN., N. & C.GA.,MISS.,ALA., & W.FLA.