The Blakeley Garrison Flag is on display at the Baldwin County Central Annex located at 22251 Palmer Street in Robertsdale. Viewing hours are from 8:00 - 4:30 each weekday. Information is available at the main entrance office. The state of Illinois returned the Ft Blakely Garrison flag to the State of Alabama. This First National Pattern flag is 9ft X14ft, and has been beautifully preserved and is on display in Robertsdale, AL. The Blakeley Flag Story On the afternoon of 9 April 1865, Federal Troops under the command of General ERS Canby and General F. Steele made a full scale assault on a portion of the Mobile defenses known as Fort Blakeley. The intent was to break through the formidable defenses and force the City of Mobile to surrender. In the area of Redoubt 4, Union troops from Ohio and Illinois over-ran Confederate defenses and pressed toward the Blakeley Landing. Somewhere around 6:00 p.m., with the landing under Federal control, Captain Henry Miller of the 8th Illinois Infantry, lowered the large Confederate flag in front of the old Blakeley Courthouse. The story goes that Miller turned the flag over to a sergeant with instructions to deliver it back to Major Daniel Sayer “with his compliments”. This cavalier action was meant to signify that Miller’s troops had captured the landing and the rear areas of supply and command posts. Captain Miller was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his capture of the Flag. Major Sayer for whatever reason kept the Flag in his possession as a trophy of War. Ultimately the Flag was turned over to Governor Small of Illinois by Sayer’s son in 1925. The Battle of Blakeley tragically took place at the same instant that General Robert E. Lee was surrendering the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse. In essence the War Between The States was drawing to a close and one is left to contemplate the tragedy of those killed and wounded during this last large scale battle .
Posted on: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:22:56 +0000
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