In 1940, the United Daughters of the Confederacy installed a monument to mark the remains of the fortification. The second parcel, purchased for expansion purposes in 1936, is slightly larger than the original and contains a remnant of a Confederate fortification. Today Mobile National Cemetery is composed of two parts: the original three-acre site and a second parcel diagonally southeast. The regiment’s survivors of the Battle of Port Blakely erected the Vermont marble monument in 1892. Northeast of the lodge is a monument dedicated to the fallen Union soldiers of the 76th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Originally the rostrum featured a pagoda roof, supported by wrought-iron columns and richly decorated with wrought-iron fretwork. An iron railing stands along the perimeter. The cemetery’s rostrum, located at the center of the property, is octagonal in design and constructed of brick. It is one of the few remaining Meigs’ lodges found at the Civil War-era national cemeteries. The lodge’s design follows the standard plan by U.S. The 1 ½-story brick lodge is designed in the Second Empire style, notable by its mansard roof and dormer windows. Around 1880, a brick superintendent’s lodge replaced an earlier wooden lodge. In 1868, the construction of a brick wall replaced an older wooden picket fence along the cemetery’s perimeter. The cemetery remained open for burials through the Vietnam War period.ġ893 Site Plan of Mobile National Cemetery.Ĭourtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration The remains of War of 1812 veterans, originally buried in nearby cemeteries, were also transferred to the national cemetery. Eventually, Mobile National Cemetery became the final resting place for 841 Civil War dead. The initial interments were fallen Union soldiers from surrounding military sites and forts. The city later donated a three-acre portion of the cemetery, which was established as Mobile National Cemetery. Upon entering the city, the Union Army needed a burial space for fallen soldiers, and began interments in the city-owned Magnolia Cemetery. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia in April 1865. While the Union held the bay, the city remained in Confederate hands until three days after General Robert E. Full speed ahead!” The vessels plowed forward through the mines, pummeled Fort Morgan, and took control of Mobile Bay. The admiral gave his now-famous command, “Damn the torpedoes. Adding to the danger, the lead vessel-the ironclad Tecumseh-hit a torpedo and sank, bringing the fleet to a precarious halt in front of the guns of Fort Morgan. As the smoke of the battle grew thick, the admiral climbed to the top of the ship’s mast and lashed himself to it in order to command a better view. Two Confederate forts, a fleet of vessels, and underwater mines called “torpedoes” protected the mouth of the bay and the city of Mobile.įarragut’s attack on the fleet and forts commenced on the morning of August 5. To stop this trade and deliver a crushing blow to the Confederacy, a Union naval fleet under the command of Admiral Farragut converged on Mobile Bay in August 1864. By summer 1864, Mobile stood as the last Confederate stronghold on the Gulf of Mexico. Inbound blockade runners brought goods needed by the Confederate Army. Outgoing vessels carried bales of southern cotton, destined for markets in Europe in exchange for hard currency. Although Union naval forces attempted to blockade the shipping traffic in and out of Mobile, blockade runners managed to slip in and out of the harbor. Cutting off the Confederacy’s sea access limited supply lines and prevented trade with European countries. In addition to Civil War interments, burials include veterans from the War of 1812 and later conflicts through the Vietnam era.ĭuring the early days of the Civil War, the Union adopted a strategy of controlling southern seaports through occupation or blockade. The cemetery has one of the few remaining superintendent’s lodges built according to a standard plan developed by U.S. Mobile Bay was the site of one of the most decisive Union naval victories as Admiral David Farragut and his fleet fought for control of the waterway in August 1864. Established at the end of the Civil War in 1865, Mobile National Cemetery is the final resting place for 841 Union soldiers and sailors who died in Mobile and the surrounding area.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |