Mobile campaign (1865) facts for kids
The Mobile campaign was a series of important battles during the American Civil War in the spring of 1865. The goal was for the Union Army to capture the city of Mobile, Alabama from the Confederate Army. Key battles happened at Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley.
Why Was Mobile Important?
In 1860, Mobile was the fourth-largest city in the South. It was also home to several companies that built ships. Until 1862, when the Union Army captured New Orleans, Mobile was the second-biggest port city in the South.
Mobile was a very important center for the cotton trade, which was vital to the South's economy. It was also the main entry point to the inside of Alabama. Its location at the top of Mobile Bay made it a key spot. If the Union Army took Mobile, they could move forward without anything stopping them.
Before the Main Attack
The Mobile Campaign involved many battles as the Union Army tried to take Mobile, Alabama. From March 26 to April 9, 1865, about 6,000 Confederate soldiers held off 45,000 Union soldiers. The Union troops attacked from Fort Blakeley and Spanish Fort. Union leaders knew that capturing Mobile would be a big step toward ending the Civil War.
Union Major General Gordon Granger first wanted to capture Mobile right after Fort Morgan fell. He planned to bring his troops up the bay, land them at Dog River, and then march into Mobile. Even though Mobile had strong dirt defenses, it didn't have many soldiers defending it.
After the Battle of Mobile Bay, Confederate General Maury worried about an attack. He asked for more soldiers, and General Lidell was sent to help him. In late 1864, Union Major General Henry W. Halleck asked General Grant to send more troops to General Canby. These troops would help Canby capture Mobile.
General Halleck wanted to use Mobile as a base to attack other cities later, like Selma and Montgomery. This was because Mobile was a main source of supplies, such as ammunition and food, for Alabama. General Canby was careful about attacking Mobile because the Confederates had built strong defenses. The Union forces could not attack from the north because of a marsh. Also, many large ships could not get within 12 miles of Mobile due to the land.
General Richard S. Taylor, whose father was President Zachary Taylor, led the small group of soldiers defending Mobile. In December 1864, General Granger tried to attack Mobile's western defenses. However, on December 26, Granger and his men had to turn back. They ran out of supplies and could not break through the strong Confederate defenses. This attack encouraged Alabama Governor Thomas H. Watt to ask for more men to fight and defend Mobile.
General Taylor ordered General Gibson's and Holtzclaw's brigades, along with General French's Division, to defend Mobile. However, these groups had lost many soldiers in earlier battles.
On January 28, Lieutenant John T. Walker tried to attack a Union ship called the Octorara in Mobile Bay. He used a special weapon, but it did not work. This caused the Union forces to attack his ship. After this, the Union stopped Confederate ships from getting supplies through Mobile Bay. But the Confederates still worried that the Union would attack the city of Mobile itself.
The Main Attack
The Union Army surrounded Mobile from March 25 to April 12, 1865. The city surrendered on April 12.
