be from the length of the line and the obstructed character of the ground. With a gallantry to which there were no exceptions the troops pressed forward under a heavy fire of artillery and musketry, passing over exploding torpedoes, net-works, and abatis, and assaulted and carried the enemy's works in about twenty minutes, each division carrying the works in its front. The immediate results of this victory were - flags, all the armament, material, and supplies, and 3,700 prisoners, of whom 3 were generals and 197 commissioned officers of lower grades. The development of our lines at Blakely was four miles; at Spanish Fort three miles and a half; the intervening distance three miles, and from the depot at Starke's Landing to the left at Spanish Fort, four miles. The inner line of communication was about seventeen and the outer line twenty-two miles in length. The country embraced in these lines was broken and rolling, intersected by streams and ravines with abrupt banks, and obstructed by large tracts of impracticable marsh.

During the siege operations more than 2,500 yards of parallel and 1,500 of sap were opened, twenty-six batteries for heavy guns were constructed, traverses and shot-proof shelters provided for the troops, wharves and bridges were built, roads opened, and the supplies, guns, and siege material transported from four to twenty miles. In these labors the troops were so constantly employed night and day that the regular reliefs could not always be observed, and in more than one instance the officers and non-commissioned officers kept watch while the guards of the trenches slept. The zeal and alacrity, readiness of expedient and device with which all difficulties were encountered and overcome, and the cheerful spirit with which they were borne are not less worthy of commendation than the gallantry uniformly exhibited in combat. In this credit the troops whose duties did not bring them into actual collision with the enemy are equally entitled to share.

Batteries Huger and Tracy still held out, and until they were reduced Blakely River could not be opened for the navy and for the army transports. In anticipation of this contingency Spurling's cavalry had already been sent up the river to collect boats to pass troops over to the island to cut off communication between the forts and Mobile. Lucas with his cavalry had also been sent to Claiborne with a battery of rifled guns to block the navigation of the Alabama River and cut off the retreat from Mobile by that route. On his march to Claiborne he struck and dispersed the Fifteenth Confederate Cavalry, capturing 2 flags, 2 officers, and 72 enlisted men.

On the 10th additional batteries for heavy guns bearing on Huger and Tracy were established on the east shore of Bay Minette, and a boat expedition for a night attack on Tracy was organized, but at 10 o'clock of that night both works were abandoned by their garrisons and their magazines blown up. Before daylight of the 11th the preconcerted signal indicating the commencement of the evacuation of Mobile was given from the marsh in front of that city. Arrangements were at once made to bring up to Blakely the supplies for the force to be sent to Montgomery and for the occupation of Mobile. On the afternoon and night of the 11th Granger, with the First and Third Divisions of the corps, marched to Starke's Landing, where he embarked, and on the morning of the 12th, under convoy of the navy, crossed to the west side of the bay, landed at Catfish Point, five miles below