Today, April 9th, marks the 150th anniversary of the capitulation of Fort Blakeley and the end of the Mobile Campaign. At least one of the soldiers present was a woman, Jennie Hodgers, alias "Albert Cashier," of the 95th Illinois Infantry, which was commanded by Colonel Leander Blanden.Hodgers, an Irish immigrant, had seen action with the 95th from the beginning and was involved in the unit's last engagements of the war.
Upon the fall of Spanish Fort, the 95th marched approximately five miles to Fort Blakeley, which had been besieged by Major General Frederick Steele who had arrived with his Federals from Pensacola. Hodgers and her male comrades were held in reserve there.
The following map by the Civil War Trust shows the position of the 95th Illinois in Moore's brigade (Carr's division, A.J. Smith's corps) and that the land has been preserved. (Click on the pictures to enlarge them.)
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| An image from Harper's Weekly of the storming of Fort Blakely |
Blakely fell on April 9th, within hours of Lee's surrender at Appomattox. As a result, Mobile, the South's last major port, was evacuated and fell to the Federals on April 12th, three days before Lincoln was assassinated.
Today, Fort Blakeley State Park is a nice place for visitors to enjoy nature and observe some of the best-preserved earthworks I have seen. There are accommodations for modern camping, and rangers hold events revolving around various topics throughout the year. Check out their website [HERE].
The following are some pictures Mark took from our previous visits.
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| Markers for early settlers who died of yellow fever They are creepy and I can't help but think of the Blair Witch! |
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| Earthworks at Fort Blakeley |
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| Reproduction of abatis |
Until next formation...rest.
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