First Battle of Fort Fisher
Battle of the American Civil War / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The First Battle of Fort Fisher was a naval siege in the American Civil War, when the Union tried to capture the fort guarding Wilmington, North Carolina, the South's last major Atlantic port. Led by Major General Benjamin Butler, it lasted from December 24–27, 1864.
First Battle of Fort Fisher | |||||||
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Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
A damaged Confederate gun at Fort Fisher | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States (Union) | CSA (Confederacy) | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Benjamin Butler David D. Porter |
William H.C. Whiting William Lamb | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Expeditionary Corps, Army of the James North Atlantic Blockading Squadron |
Hoke's Division Fort Fisher Garrison | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
320[1] |
The Union navy first attempted to detonate a ship filled with powder in order to demolish the fort's walls but this failed; the navy then launched a two-day bombardment in order to demolish the fort and compel surrender. On the second day, the Union army started landing troops in order to begin the siege. But Butler got news of enemy reinforcements approaching, and in the worsening weather conditions, he aborted the operation, declaring the fort to be impregnable. To his embarrassment, Butler was relieved of command on January 8, 1865, and was replaced by Major General Alfred H. Terry, who led a follow-up expedition that captured the fort one week later.