Stop 8 The Eighth Iowa Line:

Beginning on March 28, Canby brought heavy guns up from Stark’s Landing over several days and, with support from the Federal monitors Chickasaw and Winnebago, battered the Confederate defenses at Spanish Fort, Forts Huger and Tracey, and river gunboats. The fiercest artillery duels came on April 2, 4, and 8. Gibson’s command at first held its own, but by April 8 Canby had mounted 53 siege guns, including 16 mortars, and 37 field guns. That evening Gibson’s batteries and skirmishers opened fire to draw the Federals out, but the answering bombardment overwhelmed the Confederate guns and even shattered bomb proofs built of logs and dirt. At 6:10 p.m. on April 8, two companies of Colonel William Bell’s 8th Iowa from Colonel James Geddes’ Brigade advanced through a swamp around the far right of the Union works and against the Confederate extreme left. After being checked under heavy fire from Ector’s Brigade, Bell’s skirmishers were reinforced, pushed the defenders back, and took the hill. Bell then sent forward the rest of the 8th Iowa, and after nightfall led them on when the hill proved too exposed in the moonlight. Exploiting a weakness in the line, the regiment fought through fierce resistance from Texans and North Carolinians, overran the Confederate left for 300 yards, and by 8:00 p.m., with support from the rest of Geddes’ Brigade, entered the main works and entrenched inside the fort. Confederate counterattacks failed, and when Gibson learned his position had been turned, he spiked his guns and ordered a retreat along an 18-inch treadway. His command crossed the river and moved through a marsh toward Fort Huger, while a rear guard under Colonel Fl. L. Campbell protected the withdrawal. Most of the garrison escaped to Fort Blakeley and then took boats to Mobile on the morning of April 9, while Canby occupied Spanish Fort about midnight.

Daphne, Alabama · United States