Fort Morgan

Today we visited "Fort Morgan", a coastal artillery fort at the entrance to Mobile Bay. The fort was constructed in 1834 to guard the entrance to the bay. Today, seven flags are flown at the fort representing the seven groups who have controlled this area: France, Great Britain, Spain, United States, the Alabama Militia, the Confederacy, and the State of Alabama.

The brick and concrete works of the fort are still standing today and you are able to walk on and around most of the batteries, magazines, and gun emplacements.

















The picture below at left is where 6" guns were mounted, the picture below at right is where 10" guns were mounted.

















The guns were placed so that any ships approaching the Bay could be brought under heavy artillery fire and they also could fire on ships as they entered the opening to the Bay.

The primary battle in which this fort was engaged was in 1864 when the fort was controlled by Confederate forces and was attacked by the US Navy Fleet. A mine field (called torpedoes during the Civil War) was in the entrance to the Bay and this was the battle when US Admiral Farragut is supposed to have issued the order, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" and led the US fleet past Fort Morgan and through the mine field losing only one ship. Using 6" mortars, the US Navy Fleet inflicted heavy damage on the fort. The US Navy Fleet also sank the Confederate ship CSS Tennessee, which was the major ship of the Confederate Forces at that time . . . and the US Navy won the battle and took control of the fort.

The fort was also manned for Coastal Defense during World War I and World War II. This was a very interesting and historical visit.


Fort Morgan lies at the Western tip of a peninsula separating Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Along that strip of land are a number of residential developments, private residences, resorts, and rental units. They all set on what looks like a giant sand dune with sand blowing across the roadways . . . but everyone has great access to the beach.









Most of the houses along the beach are setting on top of stilts or pilings to be above any tidal surge, but these are very strange looking structures to those of us from Kansas.











But all in all, this is a very pretty area with very white sand that is as fine as sugar. As I was walking around Fort Morgan, I couldn't help but think that this was a great place for military men to be stationed. When they had some time off, they didn't have to go far to lay on the beach. Tough duty!

A great day! The visit to "Fort Morgan" was a day well spent.