MOBILE BAY, BATTLE OF. A battle of the Civil War in America, fought August 5, 1864, be tween a Federal fleet under Renr-Admiral Far ragut and the Confederate rain Tennessee aided by three auxiliary gunboats and the guns of Fort Morgan. When Farragut was ordered to the Gulf of Mexico in January, 1864, lie wished to attack Mobile, and effectually put an end to blockade running, out not until late in July was lie as sured of the support of a land force and of iron clads, without which the attack was likely to prove a failure. The city, thirty miles above the Gulf, was protected by Fort 'Morgan and Fort Claines, respectively on the eastern and western sides of the entrance to the bay. The channel was closed by piles and torpedoes except for a narrow space under the guns of Fo•t Morgan. At 7 o'clock on the morning, of August 5th the four monitors, Tecumseh, Manhattan, Winnebago. and Chickasaw, began to fire upon the fort as they steamed past. They were followed by the. wog sloops Brooklyn, Hartford ship) , Richmond, Lackawanna, Monongahela, tissq,“. and Dm fan, to each of which was lashed a gunboat, to prevent it from drifting if disabled. ‘Then the Brooktyn was almost abreast of the torpedt es she stopped and began to back. The captain of the Tecumseh disobeyed orders, steer ing to the west of the open channel, and his ves sel was blown up. As the Brooklyn turned across the channel. to prevent fouling, Admiral Farra gut ordered the course directly across the tor pedoes. Though the torpedoes were felt to strike
the bottom of the vessels, none exploded. Little damage was done by the guns of the fort and the Federal gunboats were released. Soon they sank the Nelms, drove the Gaines aground, and the I/oryon under the guns of the fort, and the fleet prepared to anchor. The ram 7'canesscr coming out from the shelter of the fort attacked the entire Federal fleet. Though hit many times, and rammed by the Hart ford. the , Mononaahela. and the Lackawanna, her armor suffered little damage, but her smoke stack was shot away, her steering gear dis abled, and her commander had his leg broken by a splinter. Iler port shutters were so jammed that it was impossible to use her guns success fully and at 10 o'clock she surrendered. General Granger had invested Fort Gaines. August 3d, and on August 7th that fort surrendered. Fort Morgan was immediately invested and surren dered on August 2:3d. No attiMpt Was Made to take the city at this time on account of the shoal water. but the port was effectually closed. The Confederate losses amounted to 1'2 killed, '20 wounded. and 2s0 taken prisoners. The Federals lost 52 killed, 170 wounded. To this should he added from the crew of the 7'cconisc1r, 93 drown. d and 4 captured. Consult : Loyal] Farragut, Life of Thrill 7;lasllote Farrayul 't New York. 1892.) and nilian. Admiral Formant, in "The Great Commanders Series" (New York,