Featured Hero
The Heroes of Fort Fisher
By late 1864, Wilmington, NC became the last major seaport open to Confederate blockade runners. Located on the Cape Fear River, the city's seaward approaches were guarded by Fort Fisher situated at the tip of Federal Point. Fort Fisher was a massive L-shaped earthwork that stretched 682 yards across the neck of land and another 1,898 yards down the beach. The fort was heavily armed with 44 heavy cannon to protect the approaches to the Cape Fear River, 125 other cannons for defense, and manned by more than 1,900 soldiers.
The fight for Fort Fisher consisted of two battles. The first battle was fought from December 23 to December 27, 1864 and ended in a humiliating defeat of the Union forces under the command of Major General Benjamin Butler. After the failure of the December battle, Major General Alfred Terry was placed in charge of the second assault of Fort Fisher. Terry’s forces were composed of approximately 10,000 men in three white divisions and one black division and 22 army transport ships. Terry was supported by a naval armada of 58 vessels under the command of Rear Admiral David D. Porter.
Terry and Porter devised a plan of attack. Under covering fire from Porter's ships, Terry's men went ashore and established a beachhead five miles north of the fort on January 13, 1865. Thus, the largest amphibious operation until the Second World War began. Terry scouted the land face of the fort on the 14th and decided to make his attack there on the 15th. To aid in the attack, Porter recruited approximately 2,200 sailor and marine volunteers led by Lieutenant Commander Kidder Breese to storm the fort from the ocean side simultaneously with the army's assault. By the end of the day, the bloody battle was over. While the assault was a victory, the union suffered in excess of 1300 killed or wounded.
During the assault, 53 individuals distinguished themselves through their leadership, daring, and valor for which they were awarded the Medal of Honor.