[2] Additional forts were concurrently constructed to defend against Union advances up the Tombigbee River and to protect nearby salt works.

[5] A fort would be built at Choctaw Bluff to prevent any advancement up the Alabama River, which provided access to the Selma Naval Ordnance Works and Montgomery.

[7] In the fall of 1862, Governor John Gill Shorter ordered the construction of forts at Choctaw, Oven and Carney bluffs.

The location was chosen in a bend so as to expose a boat to artillery fire while approaching, passing, and leaving sight of the fort.

[2] In 1868, he described the fort's design as: Two gulleys, running at nearly right angles to the river, facilitated the mounting of two guns five feet above high-water mark.

All other guns were placed in gun-chambers sunk into the natural ground, and lying in different vertical and horizontal planes, thus forming terraces en échelon.

From these galleries a short branch led to the service-magazines established for every gun; the main magazine was built in one of the many gulleys within the enceinte of the place.

[6] Forts Stonewall and Sidney Johnston were built by enslaved African-Americans who were impressed into service by the state of Alabama.

Slaves were impressed from the central Alabama counties of Marengo, Greene, Tuscaloosa, Perry, Sumter, Dallas, Clarke, Choctaw, and Lowndes and worked under Confederate government supervision.

[6] The slaves that constructed forts Stonewall and Sidney Johnston had physicians who ensured they were able to complete their work and there were private citizens who applied to fill these positions.

[15] The Confederate military suspended operations at the forts due to a variety of factors, including the Union Army's advance from Jackson, Mississippi, the construction of stronger fortifications at the upper reaches of Mobile Bay that would slow any Union advancement, and the fact that the forts' sites were considered unhealthy in hot weather.

[5] Stanford's Company, Mississippi Light Artillery, was transferred to Fort Stonewall after the Battle of Nashville and was stationed there until surrendering under Lieutenant General Richard Taylor, at Citronelle, at the end of the American Civil War.

Boat works were constructed on the Tombigbee River after the capture of New Orleans due to the thought Mobile would need additional defenses for a possible attack.

On April 14, 1865, Fort Stonewall's magazines were exploded by order of its commanding officer, Colonel William R. Miles.

The following day, Miles ordered the magazine at Fort Sidney Johnston (which he also commanded), to be exploded prior to withdrawing his forces to Demopolis.

A historical marker indicates the rifle, serial number S-96, was constructed at the Selma Naval Ordnance Works and includes the initials of Commander Catesby ap Roger Jones.