Later, Colonel Seawell L. Fremont was assigned to Fort Fisher with the 1st North Carolina Volunteer Artillery and Engineers. New Inlet, the entrance to the Cape Fear River, was the focus of much of his attention. Under Fremont’s guidance, several new artillery batteries were built on what became known as Federal Point at Fort Fisher.

In July 1862, Colonel William Lamb was assigned command of Fort Fisher. He immediately recognized the importance of the fort and set to work constructing the remainder of the fort. “I determined at once to build a work of such magnitude that it could withstand the heaviest fire of any guns in the American Navy,” – William Lamb. Lamb’s design incorporated huge earthen walls that would ultimately stretch from Sheperd’s Battery, near the Cape Fear River, to the Atlantic Ocean. A sea facing wall would be built and stretch south to Battery Lamb – a forty-three foot tall earthen work near New Inlet. For the next 2 1/2 years, the fort commanded the inlet to the Cape Fear River and was so formidable that no major Federal attacks occurred. That would change in December 1864.

The United States government, and military command, recognized the importance of Wilmington’s port. Throughout the war, the U.S. Navy was able to close all of the major ports of the Confederacy – with the exception of Wilmington. Blockade runners were able to enter the port and bring valuable supplies to the Confederate forces. While the U.S. Navy was able to sink many of the blockade runners, they were unable to close the port due to Fort Fisher’s commanding presence. US Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant also knew the importance of the port and assigned Major General Benjamin F. Butler to command an amphibious assault against the fort in December 1864. Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter, a Grant confidant, was assigned to command the naval forces tasked with transporting Butler’s infantry. The plan, as devised by Butler, was to shock the Confederate fort with the explosion of the USS Louisiana near the works. Laden with 200 tons of powder, it was hoped that the explosion would destroy a portion of the sea wall and allow the infantry to storm into the fort’s interior. While well conceived, the plan would ultimately fail when the ship was exploded, too far from the wall, on December 23. The explosion did not damage the fort and the preceding bombardment caused only small amounts of casualties. Butler, still convinced that a land attack might succeed, landed a division north of the fort on Christmas morning. Butler soon lost his nerve and called the attack off, ending the First Battle of Fort Fisher.

Undeterred, Grant ordered a second assault to capture Fort Fisher. Planned for mid-January 1865, it would include the entire North Atlantic Blockading Squadron – 52 ships – again commanded by Porter. US Major General Alfred H. Terry was in command of the ground forces – a provisional corps of 9,000 troops divided among six infantry brigades and siege artillery. An additional naval landing party of marines, commanded by Captain Kidder R. Breese, would be used as a landing party to secure the beach for Terry’s infantry.

Fort Fisher, still under the command of Colonel Lamb, would be reinforced and would reach of strength of 1,900 soldiers. CSA Major General Robert F. Hoke’s division of 6,400 troops were located further north of the peninsula, bringing the entire Rebel force to a combined strength of slightly more than 8,300 troops.

On January 13, Terry would land his provisional corps on the beach north of Fort Fisher – between Hoke’s division and the garrison at Fort Fisher which was now commanded by Whiting himself. Concerned about opening the route to Wilmington, Hoke made no attempt to prevent the landing of Terry’s forces. On the morning of January 15, Porter’s gargantuan naval flotilla opened a devastating bombardment of Fort Fisher and by noon had silenced the majority of the sea facing batteries. Hoke, hearing the distant shelling, detached 1,000 soldiers from his command to reinforce Whiting. However, with Terry’s much larger command blocking much of the way, only 400 men would ever reach the fort.

Lieutenant Commander Kidder’s landing force attacked the section of the fort where the land and sea sides connected – known as the Northeast Bastion. While this assault would be repulsed, it would pull critical troops away from the point which Brigadier General Adelbert Ames’ division attacked on the land side of the fort. While Kidder’s attack was in progress, Ames ordered his first brigade to attack the fort. It was 2:00 p.m. The first brigade was able to storm through the abatis and reach the first traverse. Wanting to keep the momentum going, Ames ordered his second brigade against the works near the river side gate at the western edge of the fort. With his first brigade stalled near the fourth traverse, Ames ordered his third brigade into action. By this time, the Confederate defenders at Battery Buchanan, located at the south edge of the fort, near New Inlet, turned their heavy guns on the north wall. Additionally, Whiting led a counterattack against the Federals and was severely wounded after receiving several demands for his surrender.

Porter’s attack squadron was also busy, taking out numerous gun placements as the Federal infantry continued to swarm along both walls of the fort. Ordering all of his troops to counterattack again, Colonel Lamb was severely wounded and taken, along with Whiting, towards Battery Buchanan. Department commander, General Braxton Bragg, never realized how untenable the situation at Fort Fisher had become. Tiring of repeated calls for reinforcements from Whiting, Bragg ordered Brigadier General Alfred H. Colquitt to the fort to relieve Whiting. He arrived at Battery Buchanan as Whiting and Lamb were being evacuated. The situation Colquitt found himself in proved untenable and General Terry knew this to be true. With his forces inside the fort, and the artillery on both faces haven fallen silent, he determined to capture the rest of the fort that evening. Ames, in command of the forces in the fort, sent a portion of his command in a flanking movement to the rear of the Confederate position. Colquitt would leave the fort before the surrender in a rowboat. Left behind, the soldiers in the fort, now commanded by Major James Reilly, would be forced to surrender. Around 10 p.m., General Terry would ride to Battery Buchanan and receive the official surrender from General Whiting.

The fall of Fort Fisher was a terrible blow to the dying Confederacy. With no other Atlantic ports available for the blockade runners, it became a matter of time for the Rebel armies as supplies quickly began to dwindle. Little more than three months later, CSA General Robert E. Lee would surrender the Army of Northern Virginia to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House.

Today, Fort Fisher State Historic Site stands near the original land wall of the fort. Much of the land wall fortifications have been rebuilt to look much as they did in 1865. The trail leading from the visitors center winds through the position of the west river gate. Shepard’s Battery has a large cannon on its precipice. Battery Buchanan still sits over New Inlet – albeit with no cannon. If you find yourself in the vicinity of Wilmington, North Carolina, I would encourage you to make the drive to Kure Beach to visit this wonderful historic site.

To view my photo essay from my visit to Fort Fisher State Historic Site, click on the following link.

Mike’s Photo Essay on Fort Fisher State Historic Site

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During December 1864, US Major General Benjamin Butler was ordered to capture the fort. He would cooperate with Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter, making an amphibious assault against the fort. For nearly three weeks, starting on December 7, Porter’s naval squadron and Butler’s artillery bombarded Fort Fisher. Butler waited for an opportunity for an infantry attack on the fort, but called off the entire expedition on December 27, 1864. Commanding General, Ulysses S. Grant, had ordered Butler to besiege the fort if he could not capture it. Butler would be removed from command for disobeying Grant’s orders.(i)

Grant would not be deterred. Knowing the strategic importance of Wilmington, he quickly assembled a Provisional Corps to lead a second attack against Fort Fisher. To command the infantry corps Grant turned to 37 year old Brigadier General Alfred H. Terry. Terry, a seasoned fighter by this time, had seen active service in the east since the First Battle of Bull Run. Having served as a division commander in the X Corps, Army of the James, Terry was a logical choice for command of the expeditionary corps which included six brigades in three divisions. Once again, Porter’s North Atlantic Blockading Squadron would cooperate in the attack. With over 50 ships, four of which were Monitor class, Porter’s squadron was quite impressive.(ii)

Terry and Porter’s well conceived plans called for Brigadier General Charles Paine’s division of United States Colored Troops (USCT) to keep Hoke’s Confederate division locked up on the peninsula, near Wilmington. Brigadier General Adelbert Ames’ large infantry division, composed of three brigades, would attack the fort from the north while a division sized landing force of 2,000, spearheaded by Marines, would attack the ocean side of the fort.(iii)

Terry’s infantry corps landed on January 13, between Hoke’s Division at Wilmington and Fort Fisher to the south. His landing would be unopposed as Hoke was fearful of opening a route to Wilmington if he attacked Terry. On January 14, Terry pushed Ames’ Division south towards the fort. He quickly determined that an infantry assault could be successfully made.

At noon on January 15, Rear Admiral Porter opened with heavy naval artillery against the sea face of Fort Fisher. Lieutenant Commander Kidder Breese landed his marines and sailors and quickly pushed them towards the junction of the sea face and land face of the fort. While the marines were originally tasked with providing covering fire for the attacking sailors, their attack against the fort lacked for coordination when the sailors and marines rushed forward pellmell. CSA Major General William H.C. Whiting led his troops in defense of the fort with the marines and sailors suffering heavy losses.(iv)

The Federal assault on the sea face of the fort did provide a valuable diversion for Ames’ infantry division as they prepared to drive forward to the river gate. At 2:00 p.m. Ames sent his first brigade forward, commanded by Newton M. Curtis. The skirmishers quickly tore through the abatis to provide clear lanes for the infantry to pass through. Curtis’ soldiers poured through the openings as they pushed to the first traverse and outer walls – taking heavy casualties the entire way. With his first brigade engaging the Rebels, Ames went forward with his second brigade commanded by Colonel Galusha Pennypacker. This second brigade fought its way forward through the river gate where Ames, constantly under fire, ordered his men to fortify a position in the interior of the fort.

Meanwhile, the heavy Confederate artillery of the Buchanan Battery turned their guns to the north to contest the Federal activity along the northern wall of the fort. General Whiting, observing that Ames’ lead units were stalling, led a counterattack that forced Ames to send in his final brigade under the command of Colonel Louis Bell. Bell, would be killed by a Confederate sharpshooter as he led his men towards the fort. Whiting, while leading his men, would also be seriously wounded.(v)

Porter could see the Federal advance slowing. Not wanting to lose the momentum of the assault, his gunboats poured a heavy barrage into the fort. The fire was accurate and pushed the defenders back, away from the sea wall. With his fort being overtaken by the enemy, garrison commander Lamb began organizing his command, including wounded and sick soldiers, for one desperate counterattack. Unfortunately, before he was able to issue orders for the attack, Lamb would be seriously wounded.

Disorganization was rampant on both sides. The Confederates, having lost both senior commanders, were struggling to keep from being devoured. The Federal lines had become disorganized after hours of battle, with Ames desperately trying to regain control of his troops. Attempting to decisively capture the defenders, Terry sent in his final brigade under C0lonel Joseph C. Abbott. Command on the Confederate side had devolved to Major James Reilly. Department commander, General Braxton Bragg, sent Major General Alfred Colquitt to relieve Whiting but he would not arrive until 9:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Terry determined to push his troops forward and maintain momentum. Ordering Ames to initiate a flanking movement, Colquitt and his staff were barely able to escape before being overrun. With much of the northern wall captured, the seaward batteries silent and a Federal division entrenched in the fort’s interior, Major Reilly waved a white flag and walked into Ames’ line announcing the fort would surrender. Near 10:00 p.m., Terry would receive Whiting’s official surrender near Battery Buchanan.

With the fall of Fort Fisher the Confederacy lost nearly all access to the outside world as their last port at Wilmington, North Carolina was now isolated. Unable to supply its armies with military supplies, the fate of the Confederate States of America was largely doomed with the loss of Fort Fisher. Within a month, Wilmington would fall to US Major General John M. Schofield.

The cost of the Second Battle of Fort Fisher was high. U.S. forces suffered over 1,300 casualties – most during the initial charge against the walls. Confederate losses were nearly 600 killed and wounded and the remainder of the garrison captured (1,300+). (vi) Galusha Pennypacker and Newton Curtis would both receive promotion to brigadier general of volunteers for their actions at Fort Fisher. Additionally they would both receive the Medal of Honor along with 49 other soldiers and sailors who fought on January 15. Pennypacker, at 20 years old, would become the youngest general officer in U.S. history. Sadly, the carnage was not complete. On January 16, the day after the surrender of the fort, 200 U.S. and Confederate soldiers were killed or wounded when the fort’s ammunition magazine exploded. Originally thought to be an act of sabotage by the captured Confederate soldiers, it was later determined to be caused by Federal soldiers who had carried torches into the magazine.(vii)

(i) Foote, Shelby, The Civil War Narrative: Volume 3 Red River to Appomattox Court House, Published by Random House in 1974, Pgs. 738-740.
(ii) Kennedy, Frances H. (editor), The Civil War Battlefield Guide, 2nd Edition, published by Houghton Mifflin Company in 1998, Pg. 402.
(iii) Chaitin, Peter M. (editor), The Coastal War: Chesapeake to the Rio Grande, published Time-Life Books in 1984, Pg. 160.
(iv) Gragg, Rod, Confederate Goliath: The Battle of Fort Fisher, published by LSU Press in 1994, Pgs. 158-167.
(v) Ibid, Pg. 192.
(vi) Ibid, Pgs. 226-228.
(vii) Fonvielle, Jr., Chris E., Last Rays of Departing Hope: The Wilmington Campaign, published by Savas Publishing Co. in 1997, Pgs. 303-306.

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When Patrick Weaver, from Mobius Films, Inc., recently contacted me about a new documentary they had just released, Confederate Goliath, I offered to give it a look.  While I am well read, and have studied the Civil War through the print medium for many years, I do not necessarily feel qualified to review a documentary such as this.  So I gave it some thought.  What makes a Civil War documentary really good?  I came up with the following criteria for judging the quality of the film.

1. Unique and interesting subject
2. Quality cinematography and special effects
3. Respected historians that are knowledgeable on the subject
4. Good flow and pace

Confederate Goliath hit the mark on each of these items.  Based on Rod Gragg’s award winning book, “Confederate Goliath: The Battle of Fort Fisher,” the subject is very interesting and unique.  The film reflects Gragg’s excellent research.  Confederate Goliath includes commentary from respected historians backed up by amazing re-enacting.  This combination makes it very enjoyable to watch.  The special effects make you feel like you are there when General Alfred Terry’s infantry storms Fort Fisher and Colonel William Lamb surrenders.  Playing on my Blue Ray disc player, the sound was extremely impressive, enhancing the overall effect of the film.  The commentary, from Gragg, James I. Robertson, Jr. and Dr. Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr. is second to none.  They are enjoying to listen to and are definitely subject matter experts.  If you are a documentary junkie like me, I would definitely recommend you pick up this DVD.

Details About Confederate Goliath
Aired on public broadcast stations throughout the country, Confederate Goliath brings this dramatic battle to life through archival photographs, stunning 35mm cinematography and interviews with leading Civil War historians.

Running Time: Approximately 50 minutes

Featuring:
Dr. Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr., historian
Rod Gragg, author of Confederate Goliath
James I. Robertson, Jr., historian