Fort Fisher, NC I

Date(s): December 7-27, 1864

Location: Please click on link below for map.

Campaign(s): Expedition against Fort Fisher [December 1864]

Battles in Campaign:

• Fort Fisher, NC I - December 7-27, 1864 C

Situation:

Commanders:

• Union: Rear Adm. David D. Porter and Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler

• Confederate: Maj. Gen. Robert Hoke

Principal Forces:

• Union: Expeditionary Corps, Army of the James

• Confederate: Hoke’s Division and Fort Fisher Garrison

Description:

• Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler was relieved of command of the Army of the James and assigned to lead an amphibious expedition against Fort Fisher, which protected Wilmington, the South’s last open seaport on the Atlantic coast.

• Learning that large numbers of Union troops had embarked from Hampton Roads on December 13, Lee sent Hoke’s Division to meet the expected attack on Fort Fisher.

• On December 24, the Union fleet under Rear Adm. David D. Porter arrived to begin shelling the fort.

• An infantry division disembarked from transports to test the fort’s defenses.

• The Federal assault on the fort had already begun when Maj. Gen. Robert Hoke approached, discouraging further Union attempts.

• Butler called off the expedition on December 27 and returned to Fort Monroe.

Photo Gallery:¹

Fort Fisher Visitor Center			Fort Fisher's role in keeping the Port of Wilmington, NC open
	Col. Lamb's expansion of the fort from 1862-1865	Old River Road from Wilmington	Walkway to fort over marshes
Marshes		Cannon emplacement inside the fort
Shepherd's Battery		Shepherd's Battery	View from fort of bridge and Union approach
Shepherd's Bombproof		Union Fisasco - First Battle	Capture of the Fort
View from outside of fort showing gun emplacements	Fort Fisher's Armstong Gun	Fort Fisher's Armstong Gun	Firing the Armstrong gun
Firing the Armstrong gun	Map showing movement of Union fleet in attack on fort	Map showing movement of Union fleet in attack on fort	Diorama of fort construction
Description of fort construction	Memorial to Confederate soldiers who served at Fort Fisher	Marker indicating the location of the Fort Fisher headquarters

Classification²: C

Casualties³: 320 total

• Union:  

• Confederate:

Results: Confederate Victory

Battlefield Websites:

• Fort Fisher - Wikipedia

• First Battle of Fort Fisher -Wikipedia

Recommended Resources:

¹ Please click on the image to enlarge it. You may copy the images if you include the following note and link with each image: "Courtesy of civil-war-journeys.org."

² Classification:

• A - having a decisive influence on a campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war

• B - having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign

• C - having observable influence on the outcome of a campaign

• D - having a limited influence on the outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important local objectives

³ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 06/05/2008