The Battles For Fort Fisher

“Saturday, December 24, 1864, was one of those perfect winter days that are occasionally experienced in the latitude of the Cape Fear. The gale, which had backed around from northeast to southwest, had subsided the day before and was followed by a dead calm. The air was balmy for winter, and the sun shone with almost indian summer warmth. The deep blue sea was calm as a lake, and broke lazily on the bar and beach.”

This is how Colonel William Lamb described sunrise on the day of the first Union attack on Fort Fisher. He went on to describe what he called - a grander sight than had ever been witnessed on their coast - as he painted the scene of the Union fleet arriving with the sun. Frigates in the lead, followed by ironclads. 50+ men-of-war all heading for the Confederate stronghold.

At 9am the sailors were beat to quarters and the Confederate defenders stood silently by their guns. The Minnesota, Colorado, and Wabash continued forward. Each a floating fortress, mounting more guns than all the fort’s batteries. The first two, combined, carrying more shot and shell than all the fort’s magazines contained.

Fort Fisher was seriously out-gunned and under stocked. With only 44 heavy guns and less than 3,600 shot and shell, exclusive of grape and shrapnel. The Armstrong gun had only 12 rounds of fixed ammunition and no other projectile could be use in its delicate grooves. Therefore, the order was given that each gun, which bore on a vessel, could be fired no more frequently than every 30 minutes, unless a bar crossing was attempted.

The ships slowly moved into position with the wooden ships stopping before coming within range of the fort’s guns. Ironsides and three monitors slowly forged ahead, coming inside a mile from the northeast salient. The other ships taking positions to left and right creating a line longer than a mile.

The first of what would prove to be the two largest land-sea battles in human history, at that time, began as the Ironsides ran out her starboard guns and fired an 11” shell. Colonel Lamb described what followed as “the most terrific bombardment from the fleet which war had ever witnessed”.

Possibly due to the reduced visibility caused by all the cannon smoke hanging in place in the dead calm air, the first day resulted in relatively little damage. Half of the quarters were burned, three gun carriages disabled, a light artillery caisson exploded, large quantities of earthworks torn and ploughed up, with some revetments broken and splintered. 23 men were wounded. 1 mortally, 3 seriously, and 19 slightly. However, not a single bomb proof or magazine was damaged. At 5:30pm the fleet withdrew.

At 10am on Christmas morning the fleet returned. This time with an additional monitor and a large force of marines which were landed about a mile north of the fort. The fighting continued well into the early morning hours of December 26th, at which time a heavy wind and rain storm finally brought the first battle to an end.

During the 2 days of fighting the Confederates proved to be very efficient and accurate. Several attempts to sound the shoals were quickly stopped with just a few shots and the marine assault was repulsed with few casualties. The fort had expended only 1,200 rounds over the 2 day period while just 2 of the Union frigates had fired over 3,500. In total, Fort Fisher’s casualties for the 2 days were 3 killed and 61 wounded. Union casualties are unknown but likely light due to the infrequent firing from the fort. However, some new graves were found outside the fort’s north face.

The attack, as reported by Confederate Colonel William Lamb, was a failure. Yet the Confederate defense, too, was something of a failure. While the defenders of the fort acquitted themselves gloriously, General Bragg, with 3,500 men at nearby Wilmington, made no move to strike at the troops that General Butler had landed for the attack, but allowed them to get off unmolested.

There were no more attempts to take the fort in 1864. However, with a new, more effective commander, the Union would return the following month.

“On the morning of January 13, 1865, the most formidable armada the world had ever known sailed over the horizon. 60 men-of-war under Admiral Porter and transports carrying 8,500 troups under General Terry” (who replaced General Butler).

These were the words of Colonel William Lamb as he described the beginning of the second of the two greatest land-sea battles to that time in history. To defend against this force, Colonel Lamb had 44 guns and inadequate ammunition. Once again, General Braxton Bragg would keep his 3,500 man army safely in Wilmington.

The “boy cannoneer” Augustus Buell paints a vivid scene from his position in the rigging of a nearby anchored Union transport.

“Imagine a cold, bright day in the middle of January. A low and sandy coastline with a dull surf combing up the beach. A tremendous fort of the most elaborate construction with ramparts in some places 30 feet high. Huge bastions every little way. Deep-throated embrasures from which frowned the muzzels of seven, eight and ten inch Armstrong and Brooke rifled cannon and Columbaids. And the doomed flag of the gallant Confederacy floating defiantly from its tall staff.

Look, then, seaward, and see 60 steam men-of-war formed in a great arc of a circle. All steaming slowly to their anchors and rolling great volumes of smoke from their funnels. Inside of this outer arc five or six of those low, black, sullen monitors in line abreast. Slowly and streadily creeping toward the fort. No visible sign of life about them except now and then you could see an officer’s head come up over the breastwork or barbet on top of the turret”

Augustus Buell provides a beautiful description of the entire battle in Henry Steele Commager’s, The Blue And The Grey, from which the Civil War descriptions provided here are extracted. However it is far to lengthy for these pages. Therefore, I’ll simply finish with this brief summary and suggest that you learn more about this historic battle yourself.

The bombardment began on the 13th and continued without pause through the 14th. On the 15th an assaulting column attacked the fort, along the north face, from the river shore, and overwhelmed its defenders. Musket fire could be heard within the fort until 9pm. Around 11pm on January 15, 1865, the fort surrendered, thus helping to seal the fate of the Confederacy.

Address:

Distance:

Time:

Description:

1125 38th Blvd NE, Cairo, GA 39828

Out: 113 - Back: 104 - Total: 217

Out: 2:46 - Back: 2:02 _ Total: 4:48

Leader: Day/Time: Meetup:

Doug Bakke

Friday 09:00

Rally Central Parking Lot

This ride was submitted and will be led by rally attendee, Doug Bakke. He and his wife Tami will be leading those who wish to join on a mixed surface (paved and unpaved) route from Camp Weed to Mr Chick for lunch. Following lunch they will be taking a paved route back to Camp Weed to reduce travel time.