Fort Blakeley

Fort Blakeley (1864-1865) - A Confederate earthworks and log fortification established in 1864 in Baldwin County, Alabama. Named for the nearby deserted town of Blakeley which was named for Josiah Blageley. Fort Blakeley was attacked and captured by Union forces in 1865 in the last major battle of the U.S. Civil War. Widely known as Fort Blakely. Fort Blakeley Redoubt #4 Interior Fort Blakeley Union Gun Battery Facing Redoubt #7 Fort Blakeley Redoubt #4, Note the Center Angle and the two Batteries on the Flanks U.S. Civil War Blakeley River Landing Locale A Confederate earthwork and log fortification established in 1864 as a fallback position for troops at Spanish Fort (1). The fort was a sprawling complex of nine redoubts connected by four miles of earthworks and rifle pits. These fortifications were built in a semi-circle backed by the Blakely River and protected on the flanks by the river and swampy areas. Confederate armament consisted of 35 artillery pieces plus a number of siege mortars. Battle of Fort Blakeley Union forces under Major General Frederick Steele (Cullum 1196) captured Spanish Fort on 8 Apr 1965 and reinforced other Union forces already at Fort Blakeley. The Confederate garrison at Fort Blakeley numbered about 2,700 troops including troops who fell back from the captured Spanish Fort (1). The Confederates were commanded by General St. John Liddell.The final Union assault was made on 9 Apr 1865 and was concentrated on the Confederate Redoubt #4. The Union forces prevailed and the last major battle of the U.S. Civil War ended with the capture of some 3,050 Confederate troops. This battle was fought on the same day that General Lee (Cullum 542) surrendered to General Grant (Cullum 1187) at Appomattox. Fort Blakeley Pan and Campaign Map Current Status Part of Blakeley State Park, Baldwin County, Alabama. This park has preserved the battlefield in a natural state with the remains of gun batteries, redoubts, zigzag trenches and rifle pits as one would expect them to be. Location: Blakeley State Park, Baldwin County, Alabama. Maps & Images Lat: 30.7489404 Long: -87.9122382 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....' See Also: Civil War Defenses of Mobile Spanish Fort Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 2 Links: North American Forts - Fort Blakeley Visited: 28 Dec 2011