Fort Fisher
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Fort Fisher was a stronghold of the Confederate States of America. It protected the vital trading routes of Wilmington's port, at North Carolina, since 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865.
The massive Fort Fisher was located right over one of the two of Cape Fear River's outlets to the Atlantic Ocean. Due to its particular toughness, it was known as the Southern Gibraltar. Its role at passing over the Union blockade was so effective that -- mostly -- enemy ships couldn't get near to shore.
Eventually, Fort Fisher lasted enough for becoming the last port bastion of the CSA. The Union captured the fortress after the biggest amphibious operation of US-armies until the Second World War.
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[edit] Wilmington
See the main article Wilmington, North Carolina, in the Civil War.
As nowadays, the city of Wilmington was located 30 miles upstream from the mouth of the Cape Fear River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
During the war, Wilmington was one of the most important points of entry for supplies for the entire Confederate States. Its port traded cotton and tobacco in exchange for foreign goods, like munitions, clothing and foodstuffs. This nourished both the southern states in general and General Robert E. Lee's forces at Virginia.
In its entirety, the trade was based on the coming and going of steamer ships of British smugglers. These vessels were called blockade runners because they had to avoid the Union's imposed maritime barricade.
Mostly, the blockade runners stemmed indirectly from British colonies -- like Bermuda, Bahamas or Nova Scotia. Often, they were forced to fly the CSA's insignia explicitly because Abraham Lincoln had imposed the death penalty on British "pirates" captured in the region.
After the fall of Norfolk, Virginia in May, 1862, the importance of Wilmington was further increased. It became the main Confederate port on the Atlantic Ocean. Considering the Atlantic seashore, Wilmington's defenses were so sturdy that they were only surpassed by Charleston's, in South Carolina. Wilmington resisted for a long time, mainly due to Fort Fisher's presence.
For the Confederates, the eastern battlefront in early 1865 was agonizing. After a tough double naval attack by Union forces, Fort Fisher was finally seized, and the city of Wilmington was soon captured as well. It is widely considered that this event ultimately sealed the CSA's destiny.
[edit] Down Cape Fear's channel
Below Wilmington, along the Cape Fear River's last 20 miles, a handful of heavy Confederate forts and batteries oversaw the daily flow of ships attentively. Also, the channel had been purposely jammed with loads of wreckage and aquatic mines, which were called torpedoes." Characteristically, the Confederate officers conducted each ship individually, cautiously through this barrier.
Particularly at Cape Fear's outlet to the Atlantic, the area was enclosed by a half dozen Confederate positions. At this level, the river flowed to the sea through two relatively shallow inlets, which were partitioned by Smith Island. The existence of two inlets resulted in a crucial advantage: guided by the Confederates, the blockade runners were capable of avoiding the Union ships. They simply had to change course unexpectedly, alternatively between the two inlets.
[edit] Fort Fisher
Near the beginning of the war, the CSA occupied the Federal Point peninsula which was located at an advantaged location upon Cape Fear's New Inlet.
[edit] Early structures
The first artillery batteries were placed on the spring of 1861, at a mile of distance from the New Inlet. Maj. Charles Pattison Bolles supervised the works. The regional command was conformed by Gen. Theophilus H. Holmes -- as chief of Southern CSA-Coastal Defenses -- and Maj. W. H. C. Whiting who was Pattison Bolles' brother-in-law also -- as chief Inspector of North Carolina's defenses --.
Later, when Pattison was transferred to Oak Island, Capt. William Lord DeRosset took his place. DeRosset brought Wilmington's Light Infantry to the primitive artillery position and, also, he named the place as Bolles Battery -- after his predecessor --. Next, Bolles Battery had a succession of interim commanders. Additionally, a training site -- which was called Camp Wyatt -- was built at a mile to the north.
On the summer of 1861, the new commander was Colonel Seawell L. Fremont. He was from the 1st NC Volunteer Artillery and Engineers. He added the following batteries, down the isthmus:
- Meade Battery
- Zeke's Island Battery -- which was short lived --
- Anderson Battery
- Gatlin Battery
Around September, the placement was definitively christened as Forth Fisher, after Col. Charles F. Fisher who was from the 6th NC Infantry and fell at the Battle of First Manassas.
Down the peninsula, the civilian population was scarce, consisting just of some small familiar farms. The region was surrounded by pine woods. Typically by climbing the tall pine trees with large ladders, petty Confederate captains spotted the nearest blockade runners and -- then -- they departed toward their encounter for guiding toward Wilmington.
Over time, Fort Fisher was further overhauled with more powerful artillery which had been provided from Charleston and -- then -- the fastness could maintain plenty of distance from the Union blockade. So, Union ships couldn't bomb ashore anymore. As reported, inside the fortification, the daily military duty became yet monotonous.
As commander of Fort Fisher, Fremont was replaced by Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Anderson, on September 1861. Anderson was also designated as Commander of Cape Fear District, NC's 3rd Military District.
The next commander of Fort Fisher was Brig. Gen. Samuel G. French. Despite the shaping working around, the fortification's patchy outline consisted still only of series of heavy batteries which were between a few walling soil elevations.
[edit] Col. William Lamb: The revamping
On July 1862, Col. William Lamb assumed as new commander. Soon after arriving, he expressed some displeasure at Fort Fisher's ongoing crude state. Additionally, as it was previously described, after the fall of Norfolk, Wilmington's trading activity had to be secured at any cost.
The first built thing was the line of soil-mounts which formed the Land Face and this extended along, from Shepherd Battery straight to the sea. The Sea Face was constructed later, as a continuation of the previous mount line and it was extended down, until a particular spot which would constitute Mound Battery. At the intersection of both faces, the Northeast Bastion was erected and it had 30 feet of height.
Mound Battery was the most important structure of Fort Fisher and it was built during spring of 1863. It demanded a workforce of many hundreds and the usage of a small locomotive which discharged the soil over the pile -- even from peak heights --. Due to its stature, a lighting beacon was installed at its pinnacle, for signaling to blockade runners.
By being built mostly of soil -- instead of bricks --, Fort Fisher's structure was particularly efficient at absorbing salvos of heavy ordinance . This aspect of its design emulated the Tower of Malakoff which had been constructed at Sevastopol, Russia, during the War of Crimea.
Over time, more than a thousand individuals including confederate soldiers and slaves, had been toiling at the location. The efforts had drawn more than 500 black workers -- which were either slaved or free -- from nearby plantations. Some native Americans also had been brought to assist with work on the fortifications.
Finally with its intimidating mass and ongoing efforts at improvement, Fort Fisher became the largest Confederate fort. On November 1863, President Jefferson Davis himself visited the facilities.
On 1864, the complete regiment of the 36th North Carolina quartered inside Fort Fisher. On October of that same year, Buchanan Battery was built.
 Sea Face |
 Around Northern Bastion |
 Western Land Face |
 Eastern Land Face |
[edit] Protecting Cape Fear's inlet
As a rule, the menacing Union's battleships couldn't sidestep Fort Fisher's massive presence and they were forced to remain afar from shoreline because -- otherwise -- they were effectively shot by its coastal artillery. Fort Fisher's effectiveness in protecting Wilmington's route of commerce drew praise from the entire CSA.
[edit] Land defense
The Land Defense extended along a 1/3 of a mile, over 15 mounts. It held 25 guns which were at 32 feet of height. The mounds shared an underground network which was proof to bombing. Downward, the refuge was also used as arsenal. Prior to the walls, a stake fence was extended along and it had 9 feet of height.
[edit] Sea defense
The Sea Defense extended along a mile. It consisted of:
- 22 guns which were high at 12 feet
- 2 large batteries which were at the extremes and where at 45 -- Mound Battery -- and 30 feet -- Northeast Bastion --
Over two smaller mounts, two ancillary pieces were built. Respectively, they held a telegraphic office and a bombing-resilient hospital.
[edit] Buchanan Battery
It was a small fortification which was located at the furthest tip of the peninsula, right over Cape Fear's New Inlet.
[edit] Weapons
- Heavy Seacoast
- Siege Weapons
- Two 8 inch Mortars
-
- Along Land face
-
- Field Artillery
- Napoleon-M1857, 12-Pounder
- 3 inch Parrott Rifle
-
- Along the entrance -- which was nearby to Shepherd Battery --
-
[edit] The final battles
By 1864, Wilmington was thriving with commerce. On August of this year, Mobile, Alabama, felt. It was the other important Confederate port which was still in service. Then, the planing for seizing Wilmington drew quite of attention from the Union command.
By September 1864, a spate of sources -- such as the Confederate intelligence and some Union newspapers -- conjectured an imminent Union attack over either Charleston or Wilmington.
Though, the number of defensive forces, which were then stationed around Fort Fisher, was scarce. Only, 2,400 men were at the fortification and -- hitherto -- they had insufficient training for defending any land attack.
Due to complications in other battlefronts -- particularly at the overwhelmed Richmond's --, the defense was slowly augmented only by local veteran forces from North Carolina. Meanwhile, some special measures were also taken around Fort Fisher. For example, Cape Fear River was further filed with more junk and a breastwork was built at the northern vicinity of the fortification -- for containing any disembarking --.
Due to personal problems -- even alcoholic --, Whiting was temporarily removed from the command, due to General Lee's direct pressure. Then, Jefferson Davis designed Gen. Braxton Bragg instead, as new commander down the region.
Though, on November 1864, Bragg was surprisingly ordered to join the Georgian battlefront, against William T. Sherman. For this, Bragg fetched 2,000 valuable troops which were forming the already feeble Wilmington's defensive lines.
When Ulysses S. Grant was informed about this specific maneuver, he began brewing the definitive plan of invasion.
[edit] First attempt
Still by December 15, 1864, Jefferson Davies mused that Wilmington hadn't been still attacked -- before -- because it would have demanded "the withdrawal of too large a -- Union -- force from operations against points which they deem more important to us." Otherwise, "fleets and armies" -- of the Union -- would have been already "at the mouth of the Cape Fear."
On the first days of December 1864, US-Major General Benjamin Butler was distracted together with the Expeditionary Corps of the Army of the James, for leading a definitive amphibious mission for capturing Fort Fisher. He was joined by Admiral David Porter who commanded the Union naval forces already down the region.
After being informed about the bringing of a large Union army which was earmarked toward Wilmington, General Lee conveyed Major General Robert Hoke's Division to Fort Fisher. Also, Hoke took total command of all Confederate forces around.
The Union attack started on December 24, by means of Admiral Porter's maritime bombardment. It resulted so effective that the firepower of Fort Fisher was temporary hushed, some of its garrisons exploded and blazing spotlights emerged. This appeased the way for the disembarking of the Union infantry. Though, it was intercepted by the timely arrival of Hoke's troops. The Union attack was thus effectively thwarted and, on December 27, Benjamin Butler ordered the definitive withdrawal of his 1,000 soldiers who were still down the beach. It was a Confederate victory.
- Total of Confederate forces: 3,800
- Killed: 8
- Wounded: 104
- Captured/missing: 307
- Total of Union forces: 6,500
- Killed: 22
- Wounded: 74
- Captured/missing: 1
[edit] Second Attempt
By direct order of Grant, Butler was replaced by US-Major General Alfred Terry and, thus, the operation was dubbed Terry's expedition. Admiral Porter was again in charge of the naval attack. They waited until January 12, 1865, for attempting again.
The first attacking phase of strong bombardment -- from 56 US-ships -- lengthened through two and a half days. It targeted both of Fort Fisher's fronts, Land and Sea. On January 15 at 3:00 p.m., the disembarking took place. It comprised 9,000 US-soldiers who landed at the Land Face. While US-ships shot specifically over uppermost batteries, the Union-army reached the fortification and filtered mainly back, through Shepherd Battery. Subsequently, the Confederate soldiers found themselves battling behind walls and, progressively, they were forced to retreat moreover until finishing definitively outside the totally occupied Fort Fisher.
Altogether, the land battle lasted six hours. At nighttime, CSA-General William Whiting -- who had been also injured during the battle -- surrendered as Commander of the District of Cape Fear. He was then captured and he stayed jailed for life. The Confederates who had been captured were brought to prisons at New York. It resulted being the largest amphibious operation until the Second World War.
- Total of Confederate forces:
- Killed/Wounded: 500
- Captured/missing: 1,400
- Total of Union forces: 11,893
- Killed: 188
- Wounded: 811
- Captured/missing: 47
 Second Union Attack |
 Capture of Fort Fisher by Kurz and Allison, 1890. |
 The "Pulpit" after capture, Fort Fisher, North Carolina, January 1865. |
[edit] Aftermaths
After the fall of Fort Fisher, the trading route toward Wilmington was definitively cut. Few days later, on February 22, the Union occupied Wilmington definitively. These events were critical, near the end of a war which finished merely after three months.
[edit] Nowadays
Contemporarily, due to natural sea attrition, just few of the original sand mounts have survived. Nevertheless, a part of the original Front-Side fence has been reconstructed.
Also, the site has been declared National Historic Landmark and it's a State Recreation Area which features the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, Museum and a thoroughgoing visitor center. Undersea archaeology is also practiced around the site.
[edit] References
- Main Sources
[edit] See also
- First Battle of Fort Fisher
- Second Battle of Fort Fisher
- Wilmington, North Carolina, in the Civil War
