(May 2010) Enlarge Historic Blakely Alabama State Park Entrance

This is the sign at the entrance to Blakely Battlefield and the historic ghost town of Blakely Alabama, but this is also a recreation area and nature area. There is no museum on-site for the battle but there is a nature center as well as areas for camping and boating.

Blakely is located on Alabama Route #225 a little north of mile marker 4 in Baldwin County, Alabama.

According to information in the self-guided auto-tour, three Union soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor for their performance in the attack on CSA Redoubt #4 at Fort Blakely.

Lt. Thomas L.H. Payne Quartermaster, 37th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regt. for gallantry.

1st Sgt Joseph Sticels Co. "A" 83rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regt. for capturing a CSA battleflag.

Lt. Col. Victor Vifquain 97th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regt. for capturing a CSA battle flag.

On the May 30, 2010 visit I did not see any memorials nor monuments to these men or regiments other than mention in the self-guided tour.

(May 2010) Enlarge The Civil War Preservation Trust in concert with other groups saved 67 acres that were added to this state park. The trenches have been left just as they were so there is a great feeling of discovery as a person walks in the battlefield.

(May 2010) Enlarge 15th Massachusetts's Battery

Views from behind and to the northern side of the 15th Massachusetts' Battery taken on May 29, 2010

From information in a park self-guided tour sheet, this was constructed on April 6, 1865 of gabions, logs, and earth by work parties, this position held three 12-pounder Napoleons that pounded Confederate Redoubt #4 at 500 yards. At daybreak on April 7, 1865 the guns in this position were silenced by superior shell fire of the Confederate artillery. More work and some rebuilding was necessary before the guns here were again able to provide effective fire

This site is at the tail-end of the park tour road next to the CWPT sign. Other than a pole with the number "12", which corresponds to the self-guided tour number, there are no interpretive signs, nor monuments

(May 2010) Enlarge 15th Massachusetts's Battery

(May 2010) Enlarge Union 3rd Parallel of 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, XIII Army Corps

According to the park's self-guided tour this trench adjacent to the 15th Massachusetts's Battery Redoubt was developed by Moore's Brigade of Andrew's Division consisting of the following regiments:

83rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry
114th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
20th Iowa Volunteer Infantry
34th Iowa Volunteer Infantry
37th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

This position is 500 yards in front of the Confederate line of resistance which would place it in range of Confederate rifles

There is a note on the brochure for Tour Stop # 10 which states " NOTE: The 2nd and 3rd parallels or trenches, were 250 and 400 yards respectively to the east. They are now non-existent like most Civil War trenches in the nation, fallen to 100 years of plowing." The photo is actually not exactly at the #10 stop, rather it is on the other side of the 15th Mass. Battery, which is a continuation of the same trench reference in Tour Stop #10

(May 2010) Enlarge CSA Lines at Blakely

Some of the CSA Redoubt #4 and the area around it is left to nature. On May 30, 2010 more photos were taken but the overgrowth was such that the photos appear to be just views of nature, rather than a Confederate defensive position

According to the information in the self-guided tour, the following losses were taken in the siege of Blakely and assault on Redoubt #4

Confederate (estimated) 100 Killed, 300 Wounded, 3050 captured

Union (reported) 116 Killed, 655 Wounded. 4 Missing

Once the CSA line had broken at Redoubt #4 there was really no place for the entire army to go because the Southern soldiers were in a defensive position with their backs alongside a river resulting in the large number of Confederates captured

(May 2010) Enlarge Confederate Redoubt #4

This is the position where an over-whelming number of Union troops overran CSA defenders. In the vanguard of the Federal assault was the 83rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Holding fire as their CSA comrades fell back against the massive onslaught, by the time CSA gunners could redirect their artillery, they could not de-elevate fast enough, and rifle fire alone was not sufficient to stop the blue tide, so Union troops took Redoubt #4 and broke the Confederate line of defense

Immediately behind CSA Redoubt #4 is a deep ravine and for some distance in front is another ravine. Southern riflemen were post in rifle pits to the front of the battery