The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Mobile's Mardi Gras During the War

From the Museum of Mobile website.

In 1861, the first Mardi Gras group, the Bouef Gras Society, disbanded because so many of its young men were off fighting for the new Confederacy.

Evidently, the observance continued throughout the war years until the 1865 one was called off because of the Union victory at the Battle of Mobile Bay in August 1864, which gave Union forces entry into the bay.  It was decided that the time could better e put to use preparing the defense of Mobile which was still in Confederate hands.

The Mardi Gras celebration renewed itself in 1866, partly in defiance of Union troops occupying Mobile.

It's a War Thing.  --Old Secesh

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