Fort Fisher, NC II

[Capture of Fort Fisher by Kurz and Allison courtesy of Wikipedia]

Date(s): January 13-15, 1865

Location: Please click on link below for map.

Campaign(s): Operations against Fort Fisher and Wilmington [January-February 1865]  

Battles in Campaign:

• Fort Fisher, NC II - January 13-15, 1865 A

• Wilmington, NC - February 12-22, 1865 D¹

Situation:

Commanders:

• Union: Rear Adm. David D. Porter and Maj. Gen. Alfred Terry

• Confederate:  Gen. Braxton Bragg, Maj. Gen. Robert Hoke, and Col. Charles Lamb

Principal Forces:

• Union: Expeditionary Corps, Army of the James [9,632]

• Confederate: Hoke's Division and Fort Fisher Garrison [1,900]

Description:

• After the failure of his December expedition against Fort Fisher, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler was relieved of command. 

• Maj. Gen. Alfred Terry was placed in command of a “Provisional Corps,” including Paine's Division of U.S. Colored Troops, and supported by a naval force of nearly 60 vessels, to renew operations against the fort.

• After a preliminary bombardment directed by Rear Adm. David D. Porter on January 13, Union forces landed and prepared an attack on Maj. Gen. Robert Hoke's infantry line.

• On the 15th, a select force moved on the fort from the rear. A valiant attack late in the afternoon, following the bloody repulse of a naval landing party carried the parapet.

• The Confederate garrison surrendered, opening the way for a Federal thrust against Wilmington, the South's last open seaport on the Atlantic coast.

Photo Gallery:²

• Please see Fort Fisher, NC I - December 7-27, 1864 C to view Photo Gallery

Classification³: A

Casualties⁴:

• Union: 1,341

• Confederate: 2,583

Results: Union Victory

Battlefield Websites:

• Fort Fisher - Wikipedia

• Second Battle of Fort Fisher - Wikipedia

• Fort Fisher State Historic Site

Recommended Resources:

¹ National Park Service summary.

² 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."

³ 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

⁴ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 02/17/2011