On this episode of The Civil War Regiments Podcast, I'm joined by Brian DesRochers of Fort Blakeley State Park. We discuss the many preservation projects and living history events taking place at Fort Blakeley, as well as a conversation on the actual battle, the soldiers involved and keeping its memory alive.

Show Notes:

Fort Blakeley State Park https://www.blakeleypark.com/ Living History Day, April 6, 2024 https://www.blakeleypark.com/Things-to-Do/Events/AgentType/View/PropertyID/193160th Anniversary Battle Reenactment, April 4-6, 2025 (Reenactor Registration opens April 9, 2024, more details for reenactors and the public to come soon). Fort Blakeley Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/BlakeleyStatePark/ Friends of Fort Blakeley https://www.blakeleypark.com/Portals/blakeley/fobapplication.pdf

Regiments Mentioned:73rd USCT https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UUS0073RI00C

86th USCT https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UUS0086RI00C

1st Alabama Reserves https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=CAL0001RIR

2nd Alabama Reserves https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=CAL0002RIR

First Missouri Brigade https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Missouri_Brigade

76th Illinois Infantry https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UIL0076RI

44th Alabama Infantry https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=CAL0044RI

9th Alabama Infantry https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=CAL0009RI

16th Alabama Infantry https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=CAL0016RI

Books:"The Assault on Fort Blakeley," by Mike Bunn https://www.amazon.com/Assault-Fort-Blakeley-Thunder-Lightning/dp/1467148636

"History of the Campaign of Mobile," by C.C. Andrews https://www.amazon.com/History-Campaign-Mobile-Scholars-Choice/dp/1296344193

"In Deadly Earnest: The History of the First Missouri Brigade," by Phil Gottschalk https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Earnest-History-Missouri-Brigade/dp/0963113615

"Forgotten Valor: The First Missouri Cavalry," by James Farley https://www.amazon.com/-/he/James-W-Farley/dp/B002DHNIYI

Other information:Franklin Battlefield https://boft.org/Antietam Battlefield https://nps.gov/anti/index.htm Dr. Luney Ragsdale memorial https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55924848/luney-p-ragsdaleMissouri Monument Fort Blakeley https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=87292Alabama Monument Fort Blakeley https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=87295Liberty Rifles 1st Minnesota event https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_-308Lz25E&t=1s Liberty Rifles 15th Alabama event https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bAh2KKZ3P8