HISTORY

September 15, 1814
Battle of Fort Bowyer/Mobile Bay

The British plan for their offensive in the American south in 1814 called for the capture of Mobile. Mobile had been taken by the Americans from the Spanish in April of 1813 and Ft. Bower, a sand and wooden stockade was erected to defend Mobile Bay.

However, the fort was abandoned shortly after construction, making Mobile a tempting target. Form that location, the British could train and supply Creek forces against the US as well as launch an overland attack to cut off New Orleans from the north. Sensing the danger, Gen. Jackson ordered the fort reoccupied in August 1814. The garrison consisted of only a single company of the 2nd Regiment under the command of Maj. William Lawrence. The British still saw the fort as a walk over and planned an attack for September.

On the morning of the 12th, Capt. William Henry Percy landed Lt. Col. Edward Nichols with a party of 120 Royal Marines, 100 local Spanish militia and around 100 Native American allies, together with a 5½-inch howitzer, near the fort. These troops unsuccessfully attacked the fort on the 14th. On the morning of the 15th, Percy sailed into the bay with HMS Hermes (22 guns), HMS Sophie (18 guns), HMS Carron (20 guns), and one other 18 gun ship.

The Americans opened up first on the British fleet as they sailed within small arms range of the fort. In fact, the British sailed so close that the HMS Hermes ran aground and could not be dislodged. This ship had to be abandoned as the fort's gunners gave the ship no mercy. Eventually a round hit the magazine and the HMS Hermes was destroyed in the resulting explosion. After a total of two hours of ineffective gunfire, the American garrison did not lower its flag and the remaining British ships were forced to withdraw.

This event had a profound impact on the Battle of New Orleans. Without Mobile as a base, the British were unable to either arm the Creeks or send an overland force to cut off New Orleans from the north. Now any attack on New Orleans would now have to be from the south and unsupported. This was a major victory for a tiny American garrison far from any support.