http://www.wsre.org - In the nineteenth century, Fort Gaines, Fort Morgan and Fort Powell played a pivotal role in America's coastal defense. The forts, situated along Alabama's Gulf Coast, gained fame in perhaps one of the most important naval battles of the Civil War — the Battle of Mobile Bay. Today, Fort Powell no longer exists, but the other forts are very well preserved for visitors to enjoy and explore. Visit with a black smith who demonstrates his trade and what life was like at the forts. Strategically positioned on opposing land masses at the mouth of the Mobile Bay, travel by ferry makes it easy to take in both forts in one day.