LOCATION:
Fort Gaines can be found in a strategic
spot on Dauphin Island, part of the Dauphin Island Park, maintained by
the Dauphin Island Park and Beach Board, funded by the Alabama Department
of Conservation. Fort Gaines is just south of Mobile, and has a glorious
view of Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Parts of the Fort are open
to the pubic via a paid tour.
Exit at I-10 at 193 South to Dauphin
Island. Turn left at large water tower on island.
Address:
51 Bienville Boulevard, Dauphin
Island, Alabama 36528 * Snail Mail: P.O. Box 97 Dauphin Island, AL 36528
Phone: 251-861-6992 * E-Mail: fortgaines@dauphinisland.org
* Web-Site: http://www.dauphinisland.org/fort.htm
DESCRIPTION / HISTORY:
Because of the need for a southern
coastal defense, brought to light by the war of 1812, Congress decided
that the United States needed a fort or two along the southern coast,
to be part of comprehensive system of national defense. One logical location
was Dauphin Island, which had been in the past a sought after strategic
site by various military forces; France, who first established a small
colony there as well, Spain, and Great Britain, who had used it as a platform
to attack the city of Mobile during 1812 War. With the best intentions,
in 1821, the wheels were started to construct a fort which was supposed
to be finished in 1858.
However, the government didn't hire
the most experienced people to build this fort, who turned out to be not
the brightest bulbs in the pack. Engineers on this project built the fort
so close to Mobile Bay, that the water entered the structure at high tide.
OOPS! The contractors needed another course in money management, as they
over spent their budget, leaving a shambled mess of a fort, in need of
more money to pay for more massive construction.
The Army doggedly tried to renew money
allotments to build this fort, and finally in 1845, Congress gave another
$20,000, but other problems popped up like a fight over land rights. Finally,
the Army was given a clear deed to Dauphin Island site in 1853. The chief
engineer assigned to this task was a skilled, bright, military-savy man,
Joseph G. Totten. Joseph took one look at the original plans, which by
this time were outdated and not very good in the first place, and decided
to begin a new.
Totten started over and designed a
completely new fort, a city within itself, which featured the most up
to date military architecture. The 22.5 ft. walls, which were 4.5 ft.
thick at the top, were built of brick and sand construction, which gave
them the ability to absorb any artillery fire. Totten hired brick craftsmen
who really knew their craft, as today the rock solid gorge bastions are
showcases of intricate masonry, all without keystones. The northwest bastion
is preserved in its original condition.
To seriously hamper enemy ships from
attacking the fort from western Mobile Bay at the fort's vulnerable land
side, he built a dry moat, crossed by a drawbridge, which extends outward
about 35 feet from the fort's wall base. Fort had plenty of firepower
for the time installed. Each of the five walls sported 10 guns mounted
at their top, while each bastion held four flank howitzers. There were
cannon ports places in the side walls, and the entire roof of each bastion
had catch basins for rain water, which was strained through a bed of shells
and sand, winding up in large storage cisterns beneath the fort's floor
and in the yard, providing a water supply in times of siege.
All of the bastions are connected
to the main courtyard via large tunnels, making everything accessible
to personnel. About 500 feet from the entrance, an assortment of buildings
were built to provide services and shelter for troops stationed there.
In 1858, this well designed, well
built fort, nearing completion, was named after a War of 1812 / Indian
Wars military hero and skilled leader, General Edmund Pendleton Gaines,
who had passed away in 1849. By 1861, most of the work on Fort Gaines
was done. The rest of the finishing touches were finished by Confederate
States of America.
Fort Gaines became an important military
asset to the Confederacy during the Civil War. It was the center of operations
for Confederate blockade-running efforts, which led to the important Battle
of Mobile Bay in August 2-23, 1864. Union commanders Adm. David G. Farragut
and Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger came with 14 wooden ships and 4 monitors,
and in coordination with Union land army forces near Mobile took on the
awesome task of shutting down these blockade-running efforts, which they
did.
The guns on the fort walls along
with the ship mines in Mobile Bay caused damage and death to the Union
fleet. Adm. David G. Farragut gave the order to ignore the risks, now
a famous quote: “Damn the torpedoes! Full steam ahead!”
Once the ships got by the gun power
of Fort Gaines, the Union fleet defeated the modest Confederate fleet,
and Fort Gaines surrendered soon after, avoiding a bloody hand to hand
encounter. Combined casualties only totaled 1,822 - a small number compared
to other battles.
Despite being sold to the City of
Mobile in 1926, becoming the property of Alabama, Fort Gaines has a long
history of military service, and modifications were done to make it up
to date.
In 1898, for the Spanish American
War, 3 six inch disappearing naval guns and 3 rapid fire 3 inch naval
guns were added to the eastern walls, eliminating the need for the corner
bastions.
During World War 1, a coastal artillery
unit garrison were on duty, manning the disappearing guns, becoming an
anti-aircraft gunnery school, even after the War ended.
During World War 2, Fort Gaines was
used as a camp site for both the Alabama National Guard and as a base
of the U.S. Coast Guard who went after prowling enemy submarines, looking
for merchant vessels in the Gulf of Mexico.
Even today, the Coast Guard still
has a base here, and uses it when they take part in crash rescue boat
incidents.
MANIFESTATIONS:
This historically active military
fort saw a lot of action throughout the years, and was the military base
where many were stationed. It goes to reason men died here during their
tour of duty, either by accident or in battle. Or perhaps they died attacking
the Fort itself. Either the entities which now observe the living don't
know they are dead or continue serving because they weren't ready to move
on to the other side, feeling perhaps they still had duties to perform.
Ghosts have been described as what is left of people with dysfunctional
personalities, fixated and not able to go forward.
For sure, we know that in the Battle
of Mobile Bay, there was a total of 1,822 combined Union -Confederate
deaths from the sea and land battles.
* Phantom foot steps have been heard
all other the areas of the Historical Fort Gaines. Cold spots have probably
been felt as well.
* Apparitions of soldiers described
as spooky figures have been observed by the living; tourists and Park
employees as well, all over the Fort.
* People who leave the Fort are sometimes
followed by an apparition, checking up on them, which disappears after
the living leave the front gates.
PSYCHIC RESEARCH:
1) Ghoststudies.com work as Paranormal
Investigators who, as a side job, look for extremely haunted places
for MTV's FEAR. Fort Gaines has been put on the list. Investigating
for MTV, gives the team the advantage of going to areas not normally
opened to the public, and spend time there. Check out the pictures taken,
some of which show shadowy figures. http://www.paranormal.com/ghoststudies/Fort%20Gaines.htm
2) Sapi, which is a paranormal
research group based in Mobile, Alabama, holds its annual Ghost Hunt
at Fort Gaines. This year it will be on March 11, 2006 through March
12, 2006, 5 p.m. to 8:30 a.m., to give novice ghost hunters the thrill
of hunting ghosts using real equipment, and be educated through lectures
on basic ghost hunting techniques. http://sapiparanormal.com/sapi_006.htm
Still Haunted?
Yes indeed!
Many entities call the Fort Gaines
home, and go about their business at hand, keeping an eye on the living
civilians and an eye out for the enemy which probably ended their lives.
Sources include: dauphinisland.org/fort.htm * sapiparanormal.com
theshadowlands.net * cr.nps.gov * paranormal.com/ghoststudies
