On the morning of the 17th of December, 1864, the 16th Corps, under Gen. A. J. Smith, was ordered in pursuit of Gen. Hood’s fleeing army. The pursuing army followed to Clifton, by way of Pulaski, and arrived at Clifton on the 2d of January. Here they embarked on board transports en route for Eastport, Miss., where they arrived on the 7th of January, 1865, and went into camp, remaining in camp and performing usual routine duty until February 9th, when they embarked on transports for New Orleans, where they landed on February 21st. They remained in New Orleans in camp until March 22d, when they took steamer and were carried, by way of Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf, to Dauphin Island, at the foot of Mobile Bay, where they camped, arriving on the 24th. A few days afterwards another move was made to Spanish Fort, near Mobile, via Fish river and a land march. The Fort was invested and captured on April 8th. On the 3d of April the division, in which was the 21st regiment, began operations against Fort Blakely, taking part in the many skirmishes in the approach and siege of that important Confederate stronghold, and in its final capture on April 9th. In the charge on the fortifications on the 9th, the 21st had two color bearers killed and was the first regiment to plant its flag on the ramparts. In the charge the loss of the regiment was heavy, about equal to that of the whole brigade.
We had at Blakely the rumor of Lee’s surrender, during the afternoon of the charge and capture of the fort. The bugle sounded the charge at 6 o’clock p. m. and in seven and one-half minutes the fort surrendered. This was the last battle of the war. The Federal loss was two thousand killed and wounded. We captured thirty-two cannon and four thousand prisoners. Thus the 21st Missouri was engaged in the last battle of the war as well as in one of the first.
On April 13th the 21st Regiment marched with the 16th Corps to Montgomery, Alabama, arriving on the 27th and going into camp two miles northeast of the city. Here they remained in camp until June 1st, when they were taken, with the brigade, to Providence Landing, on the Alabama River, reaching there June 4th, and embarked on a steamer the same day for Mobile. On the arrival of the regiment at Mobile they went into camp in the suburbs. Here they remained, doing outpost and other guard duty until March, when they were ordered to Fort Morgan for duty, and on April 19th, 1866, were mustered out.
This was the last day of the organization known as the 21st Missouri Infantry Volunteers. After their long and arduous labors in defence of their country came the soldiers’ reward—an honorable discharge from the service and then the going home to family and loved ones. But there was many a long drawn sigh, for who among the survivors of this heroic band failed to recall some gallant comrade, who, full of pride and patriotic ambition, left the Missouri home never to return. On this battle field and that one their bodies lay buried; a soldier’s grave, unmarked and unidentified; a family of expectant loved ones, in fond old Missouri, waiting and watching in vain. But this was war, the cruel war now over.
Camp was broken on the 19th of April, 1866, and with their discharges the men took their departure for their Missouri homes.
SOME STATISTICAL FACTS.
In service from July 15th, 1861, to April 19th, 1866. For the whole period of service, total enrollment:
Field Officers 21 Line Officers 78 Privates and Non-Commissioned Officers, 1580 —— Grand total 1679 Losses during the war from all causes 834 —— Survivors on April 19th, 1866 845