: From a mailing list.
:

: 1865 April 9- Nine African American regiments of Gen. John
: Hawkins's division help to smash the Confederate defenses at
: Fort Blakely, Alabama. Capture of the fort will lead to the fall
: of Mobile. The 68th
: U.S. Colored Troops will have the highest number of casualties
: in the engagement.

: What are the details of this event?

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"The roads from this point to the headquarters of the army were kept in repair by the brigade, and various other duties were performed incidental to such a command. No troops during this war have labored more severely or arduously, but those to whom most credit is due are the Ninety-sixth and Ninety-seventh U.S. Colored Engineer Regiments. Night and day without complaint those regiments worked, and it is difficult to comprehend how they endured through it. The regiments manifest very great care and ability in their organization and discipline. The officers of both, with two exceptions, now out of service, labored assiduously. Of none of them can I do other than
speak in the highest terms." J. BAILEY, Brigadier-General, Commanding Brigade. HEADQUARTERS ENGINEER BRIGADE, ARMY AND DIVISION OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, Mobile, Ala., April 28, 1865.