When most people think of the American Civil War, large-scale land battles such as Gettysburg, Antietam, and Chancellorsville often come to mind; however, a great deal of the war was fought at sea and along the coast. In fact, the Union war strategy sought to blockade coastal cities along the eastern seaboard and Gulf of Mexico at the outset of the war. One of the most important and defiant southern cities was that of Wilmington, North Carolina. The defense of Wilmington and the Cape Fear region fell largely upon Fort Fisher, which remained in Confederate hands until nearly the end of the war, earning it the nickname the “Southern Gibraltar.”
History
When the American Civil War began after the attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861, a Union blockade of major southern ports was one of the first acts of President Abraham Lincoln. In fact, he issued a “Proclamation of Blockade Against Southern Ports” on April 19, 1861, with the goal of preventing supplies and cargo reaching the Confederate states or its army.
The plan of surrounding and choking out the southern states was largely endorsed by Union General Winfield Scott, who pushed for coastal blockades and assaults along the Mississippi River to cut the Confederacy in two and destroy its commerce. This strategy, which did not call for a more direct attack upon the Confederate capital of Richmond, was made fun of in J. B. Elliot’s political cartoon, “Scott’s Great Snake.” Elliot depicted Scott’s strategy with an anaconda wrapping around the southern states, which gave the strategy the nickname the “Anaconda Plan.”
In November 1861, the Union captured Port Royal, South Carolina, which provided a crucial open-ocean port in the south. By early 1862, every major Confederate port was blockaded in some form, to include the cities of Wilmington, Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, and New Orleans. Of course, the Union blockade was far from perfect and southern mariners and traders found a way to sneak out exports (such as cotton) and bring in food and military supplies on occasion. While some ships of the Confederate Navy participated in blockade running, most were privately-owned ships.
Fort Fisher, a Confederate fortification located about 20 miles south of Wilmington along a peninsula between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, was crucial in protecting blockade runners and supply lines into Wilmington and in turn, the south. It was named after Colonel Charles F. Fisher of the 6th North Carolina Infantry, who was killed in the first Battle of Manassas. Although initially a small series of artillery batteries, Fort Fisher was built up throughout 1862 and 1863, largely at the hands of hundreds of slaves. It was mostly built of soil mounds and earthworks (to best absorb artillery rounds) and became the largest fort in the Confederacy.
Fort Fisher was first tested in combat in late 1864, when Union forces under command of Major General Benjamin Butler and Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter carried out an amphibious assault against the fort. On December 24, 1864, the Union attack commenced with a heavy naval bombardment, followed by the landing of infantry to assault the fort. After three days, Confederate troops successfully repulsed the Union landing force and General Butler recalled his troops. Butler did not re-commence a siege of the fort, which led to his removal from command by General Ulysses S. Grant.
A second attack upon Fort Fisher was not carried out until January 12, 1865, by Union forces under command of Major General Alfred Terry. The attack began with another heavy bombardment, carried out by 56 Union ships under Admiral Porter’s command. On January 13th, the bombardment focused on the main fortifications while 8,000 Union troops successfully landed north of Fort Fisher. By January 15th, approximately 10,000 Union soldiers, sailors, and marines were landed and prepared to assault the northern works of Fort Fisher.
At 3PM on January 15th, the Union land assault commenced north of the fort, while a second landing force attacked the northeast corner. 3,700 Union soldiers under command of General Adelbert Ames focused their attack on Shepherd’s Battery, faced by only 250 Confederate defenders and a 12-pound Napoleon gun.
Fierce fighting continued all across the earthworks and especially at the “Bloody Gate,” near the river-side of the fort. Confederate forces were eventually overwhelmed and Union troops breached Fort Fisher at Shepherd’s Battery. During the assault, Confederate General William Whiting and Colonel William Lamb were both wounded. The defenders were forced into an orderly retreat and continued to fight while they could.
After nearly six hours of fighting, Fort Fisher was surrendered. The Confederate defenders were taken to Elmira Prison in New York, while the wounded were taken to Hammond General Hospital and eventually, the POW camp at nearby Point Lookout, Maryland. The loss of Fort Fisher was a huge blow to the faltering Confederate war effort and it destroyed the last supply line for General Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.
Interesting Facts
- Towards the end of the war, Wilmington became the last port in the Confederacy where blockade runners could bring in supplies for the southern war effort
- The wounded Confederate General William Whiting was taken prisoner after the battle and died in prison on March 10, 1865
- Early on the morning of January 16th (the day after the battle), Fort Fisher’s magazine exploded and killed a few hundred men from both sides. Naturally, the Union Army believed it was sabotage by the defeated Confederate soldiers; however, an official inquiry determined that “the explosion was the result of carelessness on the part of persons to them unknown”
- Today, only about 10% of the original Fort Fisher remains, along with rebuilt wooden palisade fencing. The loss of a majority of the fort is due to erosion from the ocean over the past 150+ years
Our Visit & Recommendations
The best place to begin your visit to Fort Fisher is at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site Visitor Center (1610 Fort Fisher Blvd S, Kure Beach, NC 28449). The visitor center includes restrooms, a gift shop, and a very detailed museum about Fort Fisher. Admission is free and the visitor center is open from Tuesday – Saturday, 9AM – 5PM, and closed on Sunday, Monday, and most major holidays (updated information can be found on their website here).
We started at the visitor center, where the friendly staff provided information about the historic site and directed us to explore the museum. On display are numerous artifacts from Fort Fisher and exhibits that explain the history of the fort, blockade running, and the battle. I’d set aside at least 30 minutes to explore the museum to really get the most out of it.
There are actually three main locations to visit within Fort Fisher State Historic Site, which we explore here: the remaining portions of Fort Fisher (behind the visitor center), Battle Acre and the Fort Fisher Monument, and Battery Buchanan. Of note, due to the distance between each site, you will need to drive to each one.
Fort Fisher Fortifications
Naturally, we first explored the remnants of the fort and accessed the 1/4 mile walking trail behind the visitor center. Near the beginning of the trail are a few artifacts on display, to include two anchors from blockade runners and a replica of Fort Fisher’s Armstrong Cannon.
The Armstrong Cannon is an English-made artillery piece, which was the pride of Fort Fisher and located at Purdie Battery. Remarkably, this cannon could fire a 150 pound shell up to five miles! After Union forces captured the fort, the Armstrong Cannon became an iconic “trophy” and after the war, was displayed at Trophy Point on the grounds of West Point Military Academy. In 2004, it returned to Fort Fisher State Historic Site in preparation for the 140th anniversary of the battle, but was returned to West Point thereafter. Today, a replica Armstrong Cannon is on display.
The 1/4 mile trail goes in a clockwise fashion around the fortifications and there are various interpretive signs throughout that explain the history of Fort Fisher and the battle. You will undoubtedly be amazed by the remaining original earthwork mounds, which originally spanned over 1.5 miles in the shape of the number “7.”
About halfway through the trail is a staircase, which will take you to a rebuilt gun emplacement atop Shepherd’s Battery. From there, you can get a great view of the Cape Fear River and surrounding landscape. We stood there in awe, trying to imagine dozens of Union ships and thousands of troops assaulting that position!
After exploring the gun emplacement, we headed back down to the trail, which curves around to the right and roughly parallels the Cape Fear River. You will soon be coming up on the “Bloody Gate,” which was a sally port on the extreme western end of the fort (nearest the river) where Union soldiers forced their way into Fort Fisher during the battle. This side of the fort also leads directly to the Old River Road, which connected Fort Fisher to the city of Wilmington, 20 miles to the north.
As you head back towards the visitor center, you will see two large cannon on display. These are 32-pounder naval cannons, which were captured by Confederate forces at the Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia, after it was abandoned by the United States. These two were converted into 6″ rifled artillery pieces at Richmond and then mounted at Fort Caswell in North Carolina.
After touring the remains of Fort Fisher, we headed back to the visitor center parking lot and drove to the next site: Battle Acre!
Battle Acre & the Fort Fisher Monument
A short drive (or 10 minute walk) down Fort Fisher Blvd is Battle Acre and the Fort Fisher Monument. This area was once part of the fortifications, although little remains today (much of Fort Fisher that faced the Atlantic Ocean here has long since been claimed by the sea). There is a large a stone slab monument here, which was erected in 1921 to mark the location of a former light keeper’s house that was used by Colonel Lamb as his headquarters. Of course, there was also a lighthouse at this spot, which aided blockade runners entering New Inlet. During the Civil War, Union ships often used this lighthouse as target practice, which ultimately led Colonel Lamb to demolish the lighthouse in January 1863.
Colonel Lamb maintained his headquarters at the light keeper’s house until December 24, 1864, when heavy fire from Union ships prompted him to abandon the ruined building (he shifted his headquarters to Pulpit Battery).
You will also notice the towering Fort Fisher Monument, which was dedicated in 1932. This monument is dedicated to the Confederate soldiers who fought there and stands at approximately 24-feet high, topped by a bronze eagle.
As you are exploring this area, be sure to take a moment to look out into the Atlantic Ocean. At this spot, you can really appreciate the geographical importance of Fort Fisher, despite the many changes the area has experienced over the decades. Additionally, about 700 yards off the beach from this point, is the wreckage of the blockade runner Condor, which has been a favorite dive spot for the adventurous for many years.
Battery Buchanan
About a five minute drive down Fort Fisher Blvd will take you to the remnants of Battery Buchanan. This battery, named for Confederate Admiral Frank Buchanan, was constructed in 1864 to serve as “a citadel to which an overpowered garrison might retreat.” During the December 1864 attack by Union forces on Fort Fisher, southern sailors and marines at Battery Buchanan successfully fought off a few Union boats.
During the second Union attack on Fort Fisher in January 1865, the wounded General Whiting and Colonel Lamb were both brought to Battery Buchanan in hopes of rallying the garrison. Ultimately, it was here that Confederate Major James Reilly surrendered Fort Fisher to an overwhelming Union force.
Today, not much is left of this “citadel,” but you can walk the sandy trails and on occasion, make out the remnants of the once powerful battery. Similar to Battle Acre, I was taken by the remarkable views. This site maintains a commanding view of both the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, which makes it clear why it was chosen to construct a battery.
Legacy
Fort Fisher was once one of the most intricate and remarkable earthen fortifications in North America and it played a pivotal role for the south during the Civil War. Ultimately, its demise meant the end of supply lines to Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia and marked the final throes of the Confederate war effort. Today, little remains of Fort Fisher; however, what does remain reveals a fascinating chapter of the Civil War that all Americans should learn about and explore.