Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 03.djvu/20

10 to each gun; therefore I made them hold their fire during the whole siege. The garrisons of these batteries were 300 men of the Twenty-second Louisiana, under the command of Colonel Patton, of Virginia. Early in the action the enemy opened some Parrott batteries on these forts, and for more than ten days they silently received the fire which they might not reply to. After Blakely fell, these two little outposts remained close to the centre of the army of the enemy (50,000 men), who were continually opening new guns upon them and increasing their fire; still they replied not. On their right lay the great Federal fleet; ten miles to their rear was their nearest support—in Mobile—and a waste of marshes and water lay between. At last came to them the long looked for order: "Open all your guns upon the enemy, keep up an active fire, and hold your position until you receive orders to retire." And so they did, until late on Tuesday night I sent Major Cummins, of my staff, to inform them the evacuation of Mobile was complete, their whole duty was performed, and they might retire. The first steamer I sent for them grounded, and I had (about 2 A. M.) to dispatch another. Every man was brought safely off, with his small arms and ammunition—they dismantled their batteries before they abandoned them—and it was nine o'clock Wednesday morning before they left the wharf of Mobile for Demopolis.

These garrisons fired the last cannon in the last great battle of the war for the freedom of the Southern States. I believe the enemy's loss during all these operations was not less than 7,000 killed and wounded. Two of his ironclads were sunk on Apalachie bar by torpedoes; four other armed vessels and five transports were sunk during and after the siege—making, with the Tecumseh, twelve hostile vessels destroyed in Mobile bay by the torpedoes.

Our own little fleet did all they could to aid the defence, but there was little opportunity for them. On the morning of the evacuation, the two floating batteries were sunk in the river by their own crews. The other vessels were moved up the Tombigbee river to Demopolis, in convoy of the fleet of transports.

I reflect with satisfaction that it was my privilege to command Confederate troops in our last great battle, and that those troops behaved to the last with so much courage and dignity.

With highest respect, I remain truly yours, Major-General late Confederate Army.

Prisoner of War on Parole.

During the siege of Spanish Fort the expenditure of small-arm ammunition was very great. The garrison at first fired 36,000 rounds per day; the young reserves spent it freely. The old Texans and veterans from North Carolina and Alabama, who replaced the