Mobile Bay Area

Last Update: 15/SEPTEMBER/2006

Fort Santa María de Ochuse
(1559 - 1561), Mobile Bay
A fortified settlement (Santa María Filipina) built by 1500 Spanish colonists under Tristán de Luna. They thought they were in Pensacola Bay. All historic geographic references point to Mobile Bay. Exact location undetermined. Also spelled Achuse.

Fort Serof
(1559 - 1561), Fort Morgan
Built by the Spanish colonists under Tristán de Luna. Ruins (?) located near Fort Morgan.

Dauphin Island Forts
(1699 - 1815), Dauphin Island
The island was the site of several early colonial forts (names unknown at this time). The first, Fort Dauphin (1699 - 1719), was built by the French, the British took control from the French (1763 - 1780), and the Spanish took control from the British (1780 - 1813). The Spanish may have briefly captured a French fort in 1762. The Spanish sandwork Volante Battery was here in 1780, using guns from a Spanish ship of that name that had run aground. The Spanish built a wooden fort/blockhouse here in 1783, and it was captured by the Americans in 1813. The British returned in 1815 after the Battle of New Orleans to establish a base of operations against Mobile and American-held Fort Bowyer on Mobile Point.

¤ COAST DEFENSES of MOBILE BAY

¤ Fort Gaines (State Historic Site)
(1821 - 1926/1946), Dauphin Island ¤National Archives MAP¤
Previously called Fort Tombigbee (2). Fort Gaines was not completed in 1861 when the Confederates took over control. They finished construction in 1862. Endicott batteries here are Battery Stanton (1901 - 1928) inside the old fort, and Battery Terrett (1901 - 1923). There was an unnamed battery (two M1888 8-inch BL guns on modified 15-inch Rodman carriages) (1898 - 1899) but it was covered over by Battery Stanton. Two WWI rangefinder stations are also located on the fort. The fort was sold to the city of Mobile in 1926 and was used by the AL National Guard for training until 1946. The property is currently used by the Coast Guard. The museum is inside Battery Stanton. Admission fee. Hurricane Elena damaged the fort in 1985. Hurricane Ivan caused heavy damage in 2004. See also Coastal Fortifications on the Gulf of Mexico (website courtesy of Andy Bennett).

¤ Fort Morgan (State Historic Site)
(1818 - 1928, 1941 - 1946), Fort Morgan ¤National Archives MAP¤
Friends of Fort Morgan
Previously named Fort Alabama until 1833. Built over the site of American 17-gun Fort Bowyer (1813 - 1816), which was briefly captured by the British in February 1815 after their defeat at New Orleans. The Confederates took control of the unoccupied pentagon-shaped fort in 1861. East of the fort at the end of a rail spur the Confederates built Eastern Battery and Fort Bragg. The Battle of Mobile Bay took place offshore in August 1864. The Union recaptured the fort shortly afterwards. Union seige batteries on Mobile Point included Batteries Scott (four guns), Canby (two guns), Sisk, Farragut (four guns), Morton (four guns), Craven (four guns), Lincoln (six guns), Arnold (four guns), Bailey (10 guns), and several other unnamed batteries. This is the third largest fort (in area) in the U.S. Two exterior batteries (37 guns) were planned in the 1870's, but were never built. Only a small two-gun emplacement (Battery No. 1) (1876) was finished northwest of the fort on the old counterscarp battery. The magazine of this battery still exists, adjacent to the 1890's mine casemate behind Batteries Schenck and Thomas. A cast-iron tower lighthouse was built in 1872, replacing the original brick tower. It was removed in 1967, but restored in 1994 and relocated 500 yards northeast of its original location.

Endicott batteries here are Battery Dearborn (1901 - 1928, scrapped 1942), Battery Duportail (1899 - 1928, scrapped 1942) inside the old fort, Test Battery (1916 - 1918) mostly buried, Battery Bowyer (1898 - 1918), Battery Thomas (1899 - 1918), and Battery Schenck (1900 - 1923) two gun emplacements, third emplacement built 1904. The Peace Magazine was built in 1902. It was damaged by Hurricane Frederick in 1979. Admission fee. Hurricane Ivan caused heavy damage to the fort in 2004. See also Coastal Fortifications on the Gulf of Mexico (website courtesy of Andy Bennett).

TEMPORARY HARBOR DEFENSES of MOBILE BAY
A two-gun 155mm battery (1942 - 1944) on Panama mounts was located on top of the parapet of Fort Morgan, one mount now remains partially covered. Two additional 155mm guns arrived in 1944, emplaced in field positions. A fire-control tower is still located nearby. Several of the Endicott batteries were used to support searchlight towers in 1942. A Harbor Defense Command Post (HDCP) was established in the casemates of Fort Morgan.

Fort Condé
(1711 - 1819), Mobile
This was the capital of the French colony of Louisiana until 1722. It was originally called Fort Louis de la Mobile (or simply Fort Louis) until 1717 or 1720 when it was largely rebuilt and renamed Fort Condé de la Mobile. Sometimes the brick fort was referred to simply as Fort la Mobile. It was later used by the British (1763 - 1780) and called Fort Charlotte, the Spanish (1762, 1780 - 1813) renamed it Fort Carlotta, and then the Americans (1813), who also called it Fort Charlotte, and later Fort Mobile. The fort was demolished in 1819, with the debris used for marsh fill. The present structure is a partial reconstruction (1976) on the original site and is now used as the Mobile Visitor Info Center. Interstate 10 runs underneath the fort.

Mobile CSA Arsenal and Ordnance Depot
(1860's), Mobile
A CSA Arsenal and/or Ordnance Depot was located in the city. Undetermined location.

Civil War Defenses of Mobile
(1862 - 1865), Mobile ¤National Archives MAP¤
Confederate fortifications included:
Battery Buchanan, Mound (Water) Battery, and Battery Missouri were located at the south-end of town on the shoreline of the Mobile River. On sandbars at the mouth of the Mobile River were Battery Gladden (12 guns), Battery Tilghman (1863), Camel Battery, Battery McIntosh (12 guns), and two Floating Batteries. In addition there was also one Floating Battery upriver north of town. A lighthouse was later built over the ruins of Battery Gladden.

The city was surrounded by three rings of earthworks to the west; an outer line of minor works in 1862, an inner line of 16 numbered square redoubts in 1863, and an intermediate line of 13 lettered major redoubts and eight numbered minor redans in 1864. Of the third line, the three largest works were named Fort Mouton (Fort B), Fort J.E.B. Stuart (Fort K) and Fort Sidney Johnston (Fort N) (13 guns) (remains unearthed in 2003 at former Monroe Park near Choctaw Point). The outer line also included several redoubts and batteries on the north-side of Three Mile Creek covering the northern approaches to the city via the Mobile and Ohio Railroad and Telegraph Road.

Fort Powell (six-gun earthwork, no remains) was located on a sandbar at Grant's Pass near Heron Island. The Confederates destroyed it before evacuating in August 1864. Also nearby were Battery Craven, Canal Battery and Fort Alexandria.

A Third System work, Tower at Pass aux Herons, was planned for Grant's Pass, but was never built.

Camp Clark
(1898), near Mobile
A Spanish-American War muster camp for state troops. Also spelled Clarke.

Camp Joseph F. Johnston
(1898), near Mobile
A Spanish-American War muster camp for state troops. Camp Spring Hill was an auxiliary camp nearby. Mobile was a secondary Port of Embarkation after Tampa, FL in 1898.

Old Spanish Fort
(1780 - unknown, 1864 - 1865), Spanish Fort
Built by the Spanish after retaking the area from the British. Attacked by the British in 1781. Rebuilt in 1799. A series of CSA works were later built here in 1864 (see below).

Civil War Defenses of Spanish Fort
(1864 - 1865), Spanish Fort
In the Blakeley River channel were Fort (Battery) Tracey, and Fort Huger (11 guns), an open work with four bastions and a bombproof, blown up by the CSA as they retreated. Fort Huger was located about 1000 yards from Fort Tracey.
Around town were Fort (Battery) McDermott (aka Redoubt #2), Redoubt Blair (aka Redoubt #3), Redoubt #4, Redoubt #5, Fort Alexis, Red Fort, and Old Spanish Fort (aka Redoubt #1). The Confederates abandoned them in the face of the Union advance, before the battle at Fort Blakeley.

Fort Blakeley (State Park)
(1864 - 1865), near Spanish Fort
A major Confederate work, with 35 guns mounted in nine numbered lunettes, and with over five miles of breastworks. Located at the old town of Blakeley. Between 6000 and 9000 black Union troops fought here in April 1865, making this battle the third largest fought with black troops during the Civil War. Admission fee.

Fort St. Phillips
(unknown dates), Mobile County
An unknown and undated post located on the Mobile River at Twenty-One Mile Bluff.

Fort Louis de la Louisiane
(1702 - 1711), Le Mayne
The first French capital of Louisiana after moving the temporary settlement from Fort Maurepas, MS. Located on the Mobile River at Twenty-Seven Mile Bluff near Axis. The site regularly flooded, so the settlement was moved downriver to Mobile. (see Fort Condé listing above)

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