The Fall of Mobile

In his second book, Paul Brueske, a life long student of the Civil War and founder of the Mobile Area Civil War Round Table, draws on his extensive research into the war on the Gulf Coast with a look at the Battle of Mobile Bay and the siege of Spanish Fort, which he rightly terms an “understudied battle.” (p. xii).

Mobile had been under close Union blockade since Rear-Adm. David G. Farragut had won the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, denying the use of the port to the Confederacy. Brueske argues strongly that at the time, Confederate forces available to defend the city proper were much reduced, as troops had been drained off to other theatres, it most likely would have easily been captured at that time. Following his capture of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, Ulysses S, Grant wanted to send troops to Mobile but, Brueske argues that his efforts were thwarted by Gen. Henry Halleck, the U.S. Army’s chief-of-staff, who maintained that “possession of the trans-Mississippi region was more significant.” (p. xxiii). Thus, it was not until 1865 that Federal troops under Maj. Gen. Edward Canby were finally sent to capture Mobile.

In discussing the fighting for Spanish Fort, keystone of Mobile’s defenses, Brueske rates highly the skills of its commander, Brig. Gen. Randall Gipson, who was commended by Confederate Maj. Gen. Dabney Maury for putting up “one of the most spirited defenses of the conflict.” In contrast, Brueske argues that Canby was slow during the final battle to end the siege, in part due to a lack of experience in leading a large army.

Mobile fell on April 12, 1864, but by then. Brueske observes the city was no longer essential to the final Union victory. He points out that after the war Grant commented that the final campaign unnecessarily cost lives on both sides, during what has been termed “one of the most spirited defenses of the war.” (p. 11)

The book has 14 chapters and an epilogue, plus 14 appendices covering orders of battle for both sides, information on ordnance, casualty, and prisoners-of-war, a chronology, and more. Well illustrated and with detailed maps by Hal Jespersen, this is an examination of a largely overlooked campaign, which will be of value to scholars and armchair historians alike.

Digging All Night and Fighting All Day is a highly detailed, meticulously researched look at a very neglected campaign in the Civil War.

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Note: "Digging All Night and Fighting All Day" is also available in e-editions.

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