Union and Confederate reenactors packed the shores of Mobile Bay this weekend as thousands gathered to mark the 150th anniversary of one of the Civil War’s most famous naval engagements. The commemoration split its focus between two historic strongholds — Fort Morgan on the Baldwin County side of the bay and Fort Gaines across the water on Dauphin Island — recreating the siege that helped seal the Union’s control of the Gulf Coast in August 1864.
Saturday’s action opened with artillery volleys traded across the lines as tall-masted reenactment vessels eased toward shore, drawing crowds who lined up along the beach to watch cannon crews load and fire. Confederate gunners at Fort Gaines, including participants who had traveled from as far away as Tennessee, worked historic-style artillery pieces while spectators snapped photos and shared updates throughout the day.
Organizers built in regular breaks for the volunteer soldiers, sounding a bugle call every 15 minutes so the costumed participants — many wearing heavy wool uniforms in the August heat — could take on water. By early afternoon, the mock siege had settled into a rhythm of exchanged fire punctuated by short lulls, with Confederate lines holding back before advancing later in the day.
As the sun went down Saturday, the pace intensified. A push across the field by Confederate reenactors was met by advancing Union troops, and volleys of ground charges sent up small grass fires near Fort Morgan that volunteer firefighters quickly doused. Organizers paused the fighting overnight, promising a “grand bombardment” the following evening.
That bombardment came Sunday night, with cannons booming from both the siege line and support vessels anchored offshore as darkness fell over the fort. Confederate colors caught the evening breeze while crowds gathered for the finale, trading good-natured jabs with reenactors from both sides between rounds of cannon fire.
The weekend event, tied to the broader 150th anniversary commemoration of the August 1864 battle, drew living-history enthusiasts and history-minded families from across the region to two of the Gulf Coast’s best-preserved Civil War-era forts. For many in Baldwin and Mobile counties, the reenactment offered a rare chance to see the century-and-a-half-old fight for control of Mobile Bay brought back to life just a few miles from where it actually happened.