Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/695

Rh machinery and mechanics removed from Norfolk at its evacuation, Commander Page, having been promoted to captain, established the ordnance and construction depot at Charlotte, N. C., which he managed with such efficiency that the works became indispensable to the Southern Confederacy. In this important duty he was engaged for about two years, except the period of his assignment to the command of the naval forces at Savannah, and with Commodore Tattnall on the gunboat Savannah at the naval battle of Port Royal. March 1, 1864, he was commissioned brigadier-general in the provisional army and assigned to the command of the outer defenses of Mobile bay. He established his headquarters at Fort Morgan, where, on August 8th, he was summoned to surrender by Farragut's flag lieutenant and General Granger's chief of staff. Although he had but about 400 effective men and twenty-six serviceable guns to oppose 10,000 troops and over 200 guns of the attacking forces, he gallantly replied that he would defend the post to the last extremity. During the succeeding two weeks the enemy was busy advancing his lines on the land side, meantime keeping up a desultory fire day and night, and on the morning of August 22d a furious bombardment began. The heavy guns on Mobile point were trained at a distance of only 250 yards, and the enemy's navy took station at convenient points, the ironclads at close range, and an incessant fire followed. During twelve hours 3,000 shells were thrown into the fort. But General Page and his heroic men kept up the fight with all their power; the citadel of the fort took fire at 9 o'clock at night; the walls of the fort were repeatedly breached, and the best guns disabled. Serving the guns that were left and spiking those dismounted, fighting the fire which was threatening the magazine, and throwing into the cisterns all powder not immediately needed, the garrison fought all night in a storm of shot and shell, until, with no means of defense, they were compelled to capitulate on the following morning, August 23d, with all the honors of war. The defense of Fort Morgan under the command of General Page is one of the most celebrated instances of heroism in the history of the war. After the capitulation, General Page was held as a prisoner of war until September, 1865. Since that date he has resided at Norfolk, where he now enjoys the esteem and honor due his long and distinguished public