Category: Dan O’Connell’s Campaign Series

The Campaign Continues After the fall of Fort Fisher there was no need to hold any of the remaining exterior works on the peninsula. They were isolated and far too small to make a successful defense against the combined might of the Federal army and navy. The Confederate defense was consolidated at Sugar Loaf on […]

Fort Fisher Falls With key leaders down on both sides the fight for the fort continued on with “desperate valor.” The Confederate charge had failed but the remaining traverses on the land face remained to be taken. The Federal advance was stalled by the thick carpet of dead and wounded that lay on their narrow […]

The Army Attack Begins Inside the fort Whiting* and Lamb were jubilant at the repulse of the naval assault but were well aware that the job of defending the fort was not finished. Their attention was called to the western end of the fort where the next Federal assault was already gaining steam. Whiting had […]

Decision Time With a “foothold on the peninsula” secured Terry and Porter began to weigh their options. Curtis’ brigade was pushed south toward Fort fisher. On the way they captured a small steamer filled with provisions, forage and ammunition for the fort. They gained possession of a “small unfinished outwork” at the western end of […]

A New Attempt Having rid himself of Butler, Grant was eager to start another attempt at Fort Fisher and Wilmington. He found a willing partner in Porter. The first decision to be made was who would command the Army forces during the new effort. Porter was eyeballing Sherman to head up the second attempt. It […]

Assessment of First Attack As a military operation the first effort to take Fort Fisher was a disaster. It suffered from a multitude of problems, any one of which alone could lead to failure, but together left little chance for a successful outcome. The list of difficulties that the attackers heaped on themselves is nearly […]

Retreat and Failure Encouraged by the apparent lack of enemy troops on the works Curtis continued to urge his men to find a way into the fort. LT William Walling of Co. C 142nd New York Infantry braved the friendly naval fire to grab the downed enemy flag. Scampering through a gap in the palisades […]