Daily Event for March 29, 2015

It was one of the last battles of the American Civil War and soon the Union Army would would succeed in defeating the Confederacy. A continuation of the Battle of Mobile Bay, the Battle of Spanish Fort (Alabama) began on Mar. 27, 1865. In reality there were six forts located in the area, although two of them were only batteries rather than forts. Nevertheless the area had to be taken. As part of the overall battle Union forces used navy monitors on the Blakeley River to fire on the rebel positions. During the battle on Mar. 28 the monitor USS Milwaukee hit a torpedo (mine) and sank to her deck, but her turret remained above water. The next day, March 29, 1865, USS Osage a single turret monitor built only two years before, also struck a torpedo (mine) and sank. Five men were killed and the ship went too deep to be used any further in the battle and therefore was abandoned. The loss of these two monitors did not slow the Union onslaught and they finally defeated the defenders of Spanish Fort on Apr. 8 of that year. Both ships were raised and disposed of, Milwaukee was raised in 1868 and taken to St. Louis, Missouri. She was taken apart and reconstructed as a bridge across the Mississippi River named after James B. Eads, the builder of both ships. Osage did not have such a glorious end, she was sold at auction in New Orleans, Louisiana on Nov. 22, 1867 and scrapped.
© 2015 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com



Roll of Honor
In memory of those who lost their lives in
USS Osage
"As long as we embrace them in our memory, their spirit will always be with us"

Name
Rate
DeWall, Lewis
Master at Arms
Everhart, John
Ordinary Seaman
Heydenger, Nicholas
Ordinary Seaman
Paigher, William
Seaman
Taylor, Charles
Ordinary Seaman


To submit a photo, biographical information or correction please email the webmaster.


Drawing of USS Osage by F. Muller.