Union siege lines closed on Fort Morgan while the monitors intensified their bombardment after the other bay defenses fell. Fire in the citadel threatened to reach the magazine, so General Richard Page flooded his ammunition storage to prevent an explosion. That safety measure also deprived the fort of the powder needed to keep fighting, while its remaining guns were spiked. The white flag raised at 06:00 on 23 August shows how damage control could preserve a garrison yet end a fort's combat function.
Notable Point · 3:47:16-3:48:03
Fire forces Fort Morgan to flood its magazine
Fire inside Fort Morgan forced its commander to flood the magazine, prevent an explosion, and sacrifice the fort's ability to keep fighting.