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 (May
2013) Enlarge Siege of
Spanish Fort, Alabama
This photograph was taken in the afternoon
on May 26, 2013. The historical marker is at the entrance to a subdivision
on Spanish Main Dr.
Maj. Gen. Canby led to within a half a mile of Spanish Fort, Alabama held
by 1800 men under Confederate Gen. Randall Gibson the fort was unfinished
and vulnerable on the left where the ground was flat.
At 3:30 AM Gibson threw out a strong skirmish line to gain time to improve
his defenses. Surprised, union pickets retreated. Later that day Canby's
Union forces advanced under fire and threw back the Confederates. Canby
surrounded the fort after dark. Gibson launched several sorties against
the forces of Union Major General E.R.S. Canby. He attacked the union line
in front of Fort McDermott taking 23 prisoners but could not overcome and
the Union superior strength.
Canby advanced his lines until on April 8, 1865, his 53 siege and 37 field
guns began the final massive bombardment. Late on the eighth, with the
federals only 30 yards from the Fort on his left, Gibson fired all of his
46 guns to test their capabilities. The union gunners quickly responded
suppressing the defenders lighter guns. Under cover of their hellish
cannonade, US Col. James Geddes of the eight Iowa broke through on
Gibson's left and moved to flank the entire northern defenses. Gibson
counterattacked, but under cover of night, spiked his guns and withdrew
along a narrow tread way to Fort Huger.
Taken from brochure for the Campaigns for Mobile 1864-85
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