Hello from Spanish Fort, AL & Mobile Bay!

Run Stats:
Day: 44
Miles Completed: 169.6
Miles to San Diego: 1930.4
Avg Pace: 3.9 miles/day
Marathons Completed: 6.5
Shoes: Skora Tempo

Bible Verse of the Day: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Gal 6:9

Run Update: Today I am virtually cruising along Interstate 10 heading west and will pass by the town of Spanish Fort, AL this afternoon. The weather in Spanish Fort is sunny and breezy with highs in the mid 50's. Ahead of me I can see Mobile Bay, site of one of the great naval battles of the Civil War. My mileage was down a little this week but I'm still hanging close to a pace to achieve 1500 miles this year. I changed shoes this week to a second pair of Skora's - still the most comfortable running shoes I think I've ever had.

Spanish Fort: Per wikipedia, Spanish Fort is located above the east shore of the Blakeley River where it enters Mobile Bay. The 2010 census had the population at 6,798 people. The city of Spanish Fort is rich in history dating as far back as 1712. It was originally the site of a trading post established by French-occupied Mobile. During the Revolutionary War after the Spanish took Mobile and surrounding areas in the Battle of Fort Charlotte, a presidio (or military fort) was built on the site of the old trading post. Following the War of 1812, this "Spanish Fort" officially became property of the United States. During the Civil War, Spanish Fort was heavily fortified as an eastern defense to the city of Mobile.

The Battle of Mobile Bay: On August 5, 1864, the Union fleet commanded by Rear Admiral David Farragut attacked a smaller Confederate fleet led by Admiral Frank Buchanan and three forts that guarded the entrance to Mobile Bay. The battle was marked by Farragut's seemingly rash but successful run through a minefield that had just claimed one of his ironclad monitors, enabling his fleet to get beyond the range of the shore-based guns. The Union victory, together with the capture of Atlanta, was extensively covered by Union newspapers and was a significant boost for Abraham Lincoln's bid for re-election three months after the battle.

Rear Admiral Farragut is recognized for two significant acts of heroism during this battle. Here's the first: As his ship passed one of the Confederate forts (Fort Morgan), Farragut was reported to be lashed (or tied) to the mast of his ship evoking the image of absolute resolve that if his ship were to be sunk in battle, he would go down with her. The truth is that, he was actually lashed to the rigging of the mainmast of his ship but it was a precautionary move rather than an act of defiance. Apparently after the battle had started and smoke from the guns had clouded the air, Farragut climbed the ship's rigging to get a better view of the action. A supporting sailor was ordered to climb up and secure him so he wouldn't fall. His second act was mentioned above where he ordered his fleet to run the Confederate minefield. At one point in the battle, progress of the Union fleet was stalled because of the presence of mines (known as torpedoes back then) in the water. Farragut was reported to have stated the now famous quote: "Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!" This battle and both the use of mines as a battle tactic and Farragut's leadership of the Union fleet are still taught in Naval history courses today.

I hoped you enjoyed reading about some of the history from this area of the country. It's been fun for me to see what I can find to share. Credit for the information presented certainly goes to wikipedia which has been a main source. Two quick admin notes: the travelpod site where this blog is being hosted does not have the capability to list all of the smaller cities and towns that correspond to an old guy jogging pace across the country. As a result, I am choosing to pick the closest town that is available. This might mean that the location and blog titles will not match or that I end up doing multiple posts from what appears to be the same location. Also, the host site does not provide the capability for me to directly respond to a comment that it posted - the best I can do is add a comment back myself. I hope this is not too confusing. Please know that I really appreciate the support and the encouraging comments I have received on this so far.

Have a Blessed week!

Cheers, Pat