Fort Morgan (1)

 (1819-1946) - Construction began in 1819 and continued until 1834 on this Third System Masonry fort designed by Simon Bernard. Named after Revolutionary War hero Daniel Morgan in 1833. Abandoned after World War I and reactivated during World War II, it was returned to the State of Alabama after the end of World War II.

History
Established to defend the narrow entrance to Mobile Bay, Alabama along with Fort Gaines (1). Fort Morgan was constructed of brick as a regular pentagon with bastions at each of the five corners and a large ten-sided citadel in the center. The three-tiered citadel housed the troops and was the largest of any Third System fort. The seacoast batteries were mounted on the two primary and two secondary fronts of the fort. Other land batteries were placed to protect against assault from the landward side. The entrance to the fort was a tunnel under the gorge protected at both ends by large doors.

For several months in 1837, the fort housed over 3000 Indians who were being relocated from the Montgomery area to the Indian Territory now known as Oklahoma. William T. Sherman was stationed at Fort Morgan in 1841-42 as a 1st Lt.

U.S. Civil War (1861-1865)
At the beginning of the U.S. Civil War in 1861, the Alabama State Militia seized both Fort Gaines (1) and Fort Morgan from Federal troops. Fort Morgan remained in Confederate hands until 23 Aug 1864 when it was surrendered after the Battle of Mobile Bay to a Union fleet commanded by Adm. David Farragut. The Confederate defenders managed to sink the Federal monitor Tecumseh in the battle and the fort sustained more than 3000 cannonball impacts on 22 Aug before surrendering on 23 Aug. The Battle of Mobile Bay was the occasion for Adm. Farragut's famous order, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!", referring to torpedoes strung across the channel into Mobile Bay.

After the U.S. Civil War the garrison was withdrawn and the fort was placed in caretaker status 31 Dec 1867.

Endicott Period (1890-1910)
In March of 1898, the fort was reactivated and garrisoned by Battery I, 1st U.S. Artillery in anticipation of the Spanish American War and as a result of the explosion that sunk the Battleship Maine in Havana Harbor 15 Feb 1898. Construction began on the first Endicott Period battery, Battery Bowyer in 1898. A total of six Endicott Period batteries were built between 1898 and 1901. Only Battery Duportail was built inside the Fort Morgan walls. The Spanish American War was quickly over but the strengthening of coastal defenses continued.



World War I (1917-1918)
During World War I Fort Morgan was used as a training base. After World War I Fort Morgan was again deactivated and placed in caretaker status 1 Apr 1923. Subsequently abandoned 15 Oct 1931.

World War II (1941-1945)
At the onset of World War II the fort was reactivated and manned in April 1942 by Battery F, 50th U.S. Coast Artillery Corps. In 1946, after the close of the War, the fort property was returned to the State of Alabama and became Fort Morgan State Park.

Current Status


Fort Morgan State Park operated by the Alabama Historical Commission.
 * U.S. Civil War Armament on display (from the CDSG Representative Site Report):
 * one 32-pounder Columbiad on a seacoast carriage
 * two 24-pounder flank howitzers on carriages
 * one 100-pounder Parrott on a concrete pedestal
 * one 7” Brooke rifle on a concrete pedestal
 * one fieldpiece in the ordnance casemate
 * two 20-pounder Parrott rifles temporarily mounted on concrete blocks
 * No Endicott Period weapons on display
 * World War II armament on display
 * 1918M1 155mm gun on a Model 1918 carriage.

See Also:
 * Civil War Defenses of Mobile
 * Spanish Fort (1)
 * Fort Blakely
 * Fort Huger (1)
 * Fort Tracy
 * Fort Gaines
 * Fort Powell

Sources:
 * , page 171-175
 * , page 10-12

Links: 
 * North American Forts - Mobile Bay
 * Wikipedia - Fort Morgan
 * NPS - Fort Morgan
 * Fort Morgan Tour
 * Andy Bennett - Coastal Fortifications on the Gulf of Mexico