History of Company E of the Sixth Minnesota Regiment of Volunteer Infantry

by A. J. Hill; Charles J. Stees

Mahle was detached to serve on brigade provost guard by order issued on the 10th; Knopf and Stengelin rejoined on the 13th; and Scheibel was detached to serve in the Division Pioneer Company, by order issued on the 17th.

While at Dauphin Island the system of company cooking was abandoned, and that of distributing to each man his proportion of the rations, for disposal at will, adopted instead. Company cooks, consequently, were no longer required.

Broke camp on the 19th, and embarked at Fort Gaines on a gunboat (tin clad). Lay all night in Navy Cove near Fort Morgan. Next day the fleet crossed to Fish River and ascended it several miles to Dalney's Mill Landing, on the west side, where the force disembarked and went into camp, the Second Brigade being about a mile from the river on the south side of a small but rapid creek. While at this place breastworks were commenced to the west, but soon discontinued. Lieutenant Holl and wagoner Henricks rejoined on the 21st, the former having been relieved by the return of the regimental quartermaster.

On the 25th the forward march of the troops began, and eight miles were made. The next day the Second Brigade was in front and the Sixth Minnesota was detailed for skirmishing, Company E being employed to cover the left flank of the brigade while marching. The enemy's skirmishers hovered in front the whole time and an incessant fusillade was kept up. By noon the creek on which Cyrus Sibley's house and mills were was reached and crossed, and at about a mile beyond the company was halted, and remained, with some other companies, on picket there the whole night. The enemy's pickets and ours were often in view of each other and exchanged many shots. Next morning, the 27th, the rest of the regiment moved up and camped there; and breastworks were thrown up and a battery stationed on the right flank. On the 28th the regiment fell back; to the south side of the creek, where the camp of the Second Division was entrenched, immediately opposite Sibley's house.

Here there was very little to do or see, but time enough to listen to the almost continuous cannonading at the Spanish Fort, which however soon ceased to be an object of remark except when, occasionally, the rush of the enormous shells from the rebel gunboats drew every one's attention. A reconnoissance on the Blakely road, to a point three miles out, was made on the 2nd of April by the brigade. Near the place of return two torpedoes were exploded by the feet of the horses at the head of the column. On the same day Klinghammer, who had been arrested on Dauphin Island, for very insubordinate conduct, and subsequently tried by court-martial, found guilty, and sentenced to one year's hard labor at a military prison, was turned over to the provost marshal, and the company saw him no more.

On the 3rd the division broke camp and moved, by the way of Origen Sibley's mills, to the front, near Blakely, on the Tensas River, about twelve miles from Mobile, taking position on the left of the Thirteenth Corps, which had appeared before the enemy's defenses there a few days previously.

About a mile and a half to the eastward of the rebel works immediately defending the town are some private graves among the pine trees, apparently the commencement of a cemetery, but without fencing or other general improvements. The tomb of one of General Marion's men, Godbold, is there; and, immediately to the north of it a couple of rods, a local family, the Wilkinsons, have a little plot of land, about fifteen paces square, surrounded by a low brick wall.

Here, shortly before sunset on the 3rd of April, the brigade encamped, the Sixth Minnesota being a couple of hundred paces distant from the brick graveyard, to the east and southeast of it. The troops were told to pitch no tents, light no fires, but lie on their arms, keep as quiet as possible, and await further orders. It was rumored that the enemy's works were to be stormed that night, but we were not disturbed. The musicians, however, were called out and held subject to the surgeon's orders. Next day, the 4th, tents were pitched and the usual camp arrangements recommenced, except that all calls were discontinued lest the sound of the bugles and drums should reach the enemy's ears and guide them in shelling our camp.

While here a large detail was furnished every day by the regiment for duty in the trenches and on the skirmish line. Before sunrise each morning the soldiers filed off through the gloomy ravines to their posts in the trenches and pits of the advance, some half a mile away, there to lie and exchange shots with the enemy, and subject to their shells, till relieved. Fortunately during the week spent in this camp not a man of the company was injured, and it is understood that but two casualties (slight wounds) occurred in the regiment the whole time the siege of Blakely lasted. On two or three occasions shells reached the brigade camp, one of which cut off a thick pine near to Godbold's grave, but did not injure either living or dead. These shots were provoked by men climbing the tall pine trees to get sight of the enemy's works. The bombardment of the Spanish Fort on the evening of the 8th was very plainly heard. It lasted from 5:30 o'clock to 7, and the reports averaged about thirty a minute, by count.

In the afternoon of the next day tents were struck and the regiment left camp, knapsacks packed, at 4 o'clock, and moved silently through the woods to the line of trenches used by the reserve of the picket guard, and there, knapsacks being unslung and with other impediments piled together, the men were stationed to await orders. Immediately to the right of the Sixth was a battery and beyond that another regiment, also posted in reserve; and on the left there was nothing. From this position to the enemy's redoubts it was about half a mile in a direct course westward, and from the advanced skirmish line to the same works some 400 yards. About 5:15 p.m. the various batteries of the Union forces opened fire upon the enemy's lines, but their guns did not reply for about ten minutes, when the cannonading became brisk on both sides, lasting until 25 minutes to 6; the battery near the regiment sharing in it. Now it ceased suddenly on our side, and in its place were heard the ringing cheers of the soldiers as they rose, in full view of the reserves, from their trenches in the front and rushed towards the Confederate fortifications. By 6 o'clock the noise of the cannon had ceased and a white flag was visible, which told of the enemy's surrender; and shortly the Stars and Stripes superseded it. Thus, on the evening of the 9th of April, 1865, took place the battle of Blakely, which, like that of New Orleans in 1815, was fought after the necessity for it had passed away.