Today in History:

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

Page 263 THE MOBILE CAMPAIGN.

The extreme left of our line was the point of attack. The skirmishers, Companies B and D, met them with a galling fire at short range, but they continued to advance until the whispered orders of the officers could be distinctly heard in our pits. There we held them at bay, and eventually drove them back with an acknowledged loss of 6 killed and some 30 wounded. The affair lasted forty-five minutes. Captain Pulis, the officer in charge, reports that when the enemy retreated he had only four rounds of ammunition to a man left, his command having expended an average of sixty rounds, and fixed bayonets to rebel the expected charge. Our entire loss was three men wounded. After repelling the charge the line of works was completed. We were relieved from duty on the skirmish line at 6 p.m. of the 8th instant by the Thirty-fourth New Jersey. In obedience to instructions received yesterday afternoon, 9th instant, at 5 p.m., we were in line and relieved the Thirty-fourth New Jersey on a part of its line. We had only just time enough to assume our position when a general advance was ordered. The battalion mounted the works with a yell, and rapidly as the nature of the ground would permit advanced to the enemy's position. Regular lines could not be maintained, as far the greater portion of the ground over which we charged was utterly impassable, but there was no skulking in this battalion. Every officer and man reached the rebel works, most of them entering the fort before the guns to our right and left had been silenced. Where all did their whole duty it would be unjust to particularly mention any. I regret to report First Lieutenant Thomas Malloy, of Company A, killed. He was a brave officer, a noble, generous man. Lieutenant Benjamin F. Atwater, of Company C, severely wounded. Among the enlisted men the loss is as follows: Killed, 1; mortally wounded, since died, 1; wounded, 10.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN MURPHY,

Captain, Commanding Battalion.

Captain R. E. JACKSON,

Acting Assistant, Adjutant-General.


Numbers 67. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Zalmon S. Main, Fifty-second Indiana Infantry, of operations April 3-9.

HDQRS. 52nd REGIMENT INDIANA VET. VOL. INFANTRY.

Fort Blakely, Ala., April 10, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to make the following of the part taken by the Fifty-second Regiment Indiana Veteran Volunteer Infantry from the 3rd instant up to the taking of this fort last evening:

For some days previous to the 3rd instant my regiment occupied a position on the left of the Thirty-fourth New Jersey Regiment Volunteer Infantry as a reserve in the rear of Spanish Fort, doing picket duty and making gabions for the troops of our corps who were advancing on that fort. On the morning of the 3rd instant I was ordered to strike tents and follow the Thirty-fourth New Jersey Volunteers Infantry for this place, where we arrived late that afternoon and pitched tents. During that night I was ordered by the colonel commanding the Third Brigade to move the Fifty-second Indiana in support of the pickets of the Third Brigade, where the most of the regiment remained on duty until the evening of the 5th instant, advancing and connecting the rifle-pits and strengthening the works occupied by the reserve pickets,


Page 263 THE MOBILE CAMPAIGN.