a battery or two of heavy artilery was opened on them but they was not slow in replying
Friday, March 31, 1865
There was "considerable cannonading" during the day. Then in the evening William Fleming reported
Thursday, March 30, 1865
William Fleming reported the Union artillery was more silent than usual today. The Union was also busy bringing more artillery guns to the battle. He noted some deserters from the Confederate side were coming over to the Union lines.
Wednesday, March 29, 1865
This morning the Union artillery opened up on the fort early and continued firing at intervals through the day. The Rebels also kept a steady firing of artillery.
A shell exploded in the Union camp and killed four men and wounded 6 as they were busy dividing some meat.
This evening the Confederates charged a working party that was digging rifle pits but they were driven back, leaving some dead on the ground between the skirmish lines.
A shell exploded in the Union camp and killed four men and wounded 6 as they were busy dividing some meat.
This evening the Confederates charged a working party that was digging rifle pits but they were driven back, leaving some dead on the ground between the skirmish lines.
Tuesday, March 28, 1865
According to William Fleming,
comensed cannonading at sun rise and kept it up during the day also a brisk firing on the skirmish line several of our boys getting killed and woundedThat night, William Fleming's company, along with three other companies from the 77th Illinois were ordered out in front of the skirmish line. Their orders were to advance their rifle pits. William Fleming noted their progress of the night:
we kept up a pretty hot fire of musketry while others was ingaged in digging rifle pits we advanced them within four hundred yds of there forts and within two hundred yds of there rifle pitsWilliam Fleming closed his diary entry for the day with this:
while writing the shells are bursting all around me
Monday, March 27, 1865
The whole Union Army moved forward today, and with little resistance, drove the Confederates back into their fort. The Union forces stopped about a half-mile from the fort and formed a line of battle. The 77th Illinois took a position in a deep hollow.
The line to their right extended all the way to the bay on the north side of the fort. Likewise, the line to their left extended all the way to the bay on the south side of the fort. Union ironclads were in the bay, and so by nightfall, Spanish Fort was completely surrounded.
The Union forces began constructing defensive works and brought their siege guns up into better positions. They began shelling the fort, and also kept a heavy skirmish line in the front. Several troops on both sides were killed or wounded.
At night the Union troops advanced their skirmish lines and dug rifle pits.
As Private William Wiley remembered:
The line to their right extended all the way to the bay on the north side of the fort. Likewise, the line to their left extended all the way to the bay on the south side of the fort. Union ironclads were in the bay, and so by nightfall, Spanish Fort was completely surrounded.
The Union forces began constructing defensive works and brought their siege guns up into better positions. They began shelling the fort, and also kept a heavy skirmish line in the front. Several troops on both sides were killed or wounded.
At night the Union troops advanced their skirmish lines and dug rifle pits.
As Private William Wiley remembered:
The rebels continued to shell us pretty heavy . We had to dig out places in the hillside and build bomb proofs out of logs by splitting logs and putting the halves over head and throwing dirt over them to sleep in and go into when the rebels shelled us too hard.
Sunday, March 26, 1865
The men of the 77th moved our very early this morning. General Smith marched off on a road leading to the right, while General Bertram went to the left. The 1st and 3rd Divisions of the 13th Army Corps (including the 77th Illinois and William Fleming) marched up the center.
As they were drawing closer to Spanish Fort, every precaution was taken to guard against attacks. They marched for about 10 miles and went into camp within 2.5 miles of the Confederate stronghold.
William Fleming described the evening activities:
As they were drawing closer to Spanish Fort, every precaution was taken to guard against attacks. They marched for about 10 miles and went into camp within 2.5 miles of the Confederate stronghold.
William Fleming described the evening activities:
we was imployed the most of the night in fortifying and the rest of the night laid in line of battlePrivate William Wiley of the 77th Illinois also had a narration of the night:
We formed our lines around the rebel's works a mile or two back from the forts and threw up some breastworks by cutting logs and piling them up and throwing dirt over them. We worked until 10 pm and then our band got up on top of our works and serenaded the rebels.
Saturday, March 25, 1865
At about 3 o'clock this morning General A. J. Smith started forward with his troops. About an hour later the 77th Illinois and the rest of the army marched.
The timber was dense and dark, and the marching was slow and tedious. They went into camp about 11 o'clock in the evening.
The timber was dense and dark, and the marching was slow and tedious. They went into camp about 11 o'clock in the evening.
Friday, March 24, 1865
The 77th did not move today and stayed in camp. According to William Fleming it was still an eventful day:
the first Div and all the train came up the Gerrilas watched there chances and charged upon our train at a ungarded point and captured seven or eight of our boys and shot a few mules
Thursday, March 23, 1865
This morning the march resumed. Two companies were in charge of one team, in case they became stuck and needed to be pulled out. However, they soone came to dry rolling country and the roads became much better. They marched about 10 miles and went into camp in mid-afternoon.
General A. J. Smith and his forces came up the bay on transports and now were in the front position of the 16th Army Corps. They had been skirmishing with the Southern soldiers in the front during the day.
General A. J. Smith and his forces came up the bay on transports and now were in the front position of the 16th Army Corps. They had been skirmishing with the Southern soldiers in the front during the day.
Wednesday, March 22, 1865
Today the men of the 77th could hear heavy cannonading ahead of them, far up the bay. They finally succeeded in getting the train up and moving at 3 o'clock, and moved on to the north. They only marched about a mile-and-a-half, and then went into camp at about 10 o'clock on the East Branch of the Fish River.
Tuesday, March 21, 1865
The soldiers started early this morning in a hard driving rain. It had rained all night and the ground was now very soft. They moved through puddles that were two inches deep, and then 2 feet deep.
The mules became bogged down and were unable to pull the wagons which were sinking to the axle. The column moved only about a mile-and-a-half and they went into camp around noon.
In the afternoon they pulled the wagons out with ropes, wading in water that was knee deep. Covered with mud and full of fun, the boys pulled the wagons through the swamps, doing the work of a team of mules. William Fleming described it like this:
The mules became bogged down and were unable to pull the wagons which were sinking to the axle. The column moved only about a mile-and-a-half and they went into camp around noon.
In the afternoon they pulled the wagons out with ropes, wading in water that was knee deep. Covered with mud and full of fun, the boys pulled the wagons through the swamps, doing the work of a team of mules. William Fleming described it like this:
...it was rather a bitter pill to pull them a mile by uncle sams hirelings yet the boys would have there sport over it there be a bout fifty get holt of a wagon and they would give a yell and away they would go...
Monday, March 20, 1865
William Fleming's diary entry explained today's activity:
Tonight a storm descended upon them and it began to rain heavily.
we did not move camp we was ingaged in getting the suply train up and each man had to draw and carry 4 days rations in order to lighten the train
Tonight a storm descended upon them and it began to rain heavily.
Sunday. March 19, 1865
William Fleming described today's activity this way:
They made magnificent camp fires with the pine knots that abounded everywhere, and as a result of burning that kind of fuel their faces were covered with soot, smoke and grime.
As we passed through the continuous pine forests they came upon "turpentine orchards." Cup-shaped notches had been chopped in the trunks of the larger trees and these had filled with resin. One night someone set fire to one resin-filled tree cup and the flames extended to others trees, and soon the fire spread to the entire forest. They left these in their rear as they marched to a camp further on, far away from the forest fire.
We started again this morning moved up about 2 miles. We stopped and stacked arms and carried rails ¾ of a mile. We tore down 3 log houses to biuld bridges while others were using axes. By this means we made some two miles of solid bridge and got our teams and artilery over the worst slough. We started again and went about six miles and went into camp.In many places "corduroy" roads were made. A "corduroy" road was made by putting down many logs side by side and as close together as possible.
They made magnificent camp fires with the pine knots that abounded everywhere, and as a result of burning that kind of fuel their faces were covered with soot, smoke and grime.
As we passed through the continuous pine forests they came upon "turpentine orchards." Cup-shaped notches had been chopped in the trunks of the larger trees and these had filled with resin. One night someone set fire to one resin-filled tree cup and the flames extended to others trees, and soon the fire spread to the entire forest. They left these in their rear as they marched to a camp further on, far away from the forest fire.
Saturday, March 18, 1865
They started marching very early this morning, but encountered very bad roads and winding sloughs. Because of that, progress was slow. Despite the construction of corduroy roads of felled trees, soldiers were occasionally required to become "mules" to transport the supply wagons and artillery pieces.
They made 12 miles again today and then went into camp. A detail of men worked through a good portion of the night making bridges.
They made 12 miles again today and then went into camp. A detail of men worked through a good portion of the night making bridges.
Friday, March 17, 1865
The 77th Illinois received their orders. They were now part of the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Division of the 13th Army Corps. Today they would start their march in the early morning and cover about 12 miles before going into camp. They left all unnecessary baggage behind and the officers were ordered to take "dog-tents," instead of the larger tents they had been used to on the beach at Fort Morgan.
Their objective was to move north along the southern and eastern shores of Mobile Bay and capture Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley. ''
The roads were sandy and swampy. The country was covered with a dense growth of pines and underbrush. Corduroy roads were built so the wagons and artillery could move over the swampy areas.
Marching in the deep sand was difficult, especially when marching with a knapsack, gun, accouterments and more. As Samuel Kirkman of the 77th said,
Their objective was to move north along the southern and eastern shores of Mobile Bay and capture Spanish Fort and Fort Blakeley. ''
The roads were sandy and swampy. The country was covered with a dense growth of pines and underbrush. Corduroy roads were built so the wagons and artillery could move over the swampy areas.
Marching in the deep sand was difficult, especially when marching with a knapsack, gun, accouterments and more. As Samuel Kirkman of the 77th said,
At last the day's march ended and we went into camp, and I experienced inexpressible relief when I had stacked my gun and taken off my knapsack and accouterments. I ate heartily of the toasted bacon, "sow-belly," the boys called it, and "hardtack," a name they had bestowed on our army hard crackers ; and, in addition, drank freely of strong coffee, and felt much refreshed. My feet were sore and tender, and filling my canteen with cold water I poured this on my feet freely, rubbed and bathed them the best I could and then rolled up in my blanket and slept.
Wednesday, March 15, 1865
The war was quickly turning in the Union's favor. The Union command put together their plan for the capture of Mobile, Alabama and had put all of the troops in place. Orders were issued and the assault would soon begin.
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