The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

General Newton Martin Curtis-- Part 4

At the Battle of Chancellorsville, the 16th lost 20 killed, 87 wounded and 49 missing.

On May 22, 1863, the 16th was mustered out of service with most joining other New York regiments.

On Jan. 15, 1865, he and the 121st New York, which had many former members of the 16th. Curtis described the action that day at Fort Fisher as " a hand-to hand contest with swords and bayonets."

"We gained possession of the seventh traverse at 4:45 p.m. ...and shortly after 5:15 p.m. ...when the sun was just disappearing...while the volunteers were assembling, I went father into the fort and has ascended a magazine or sand dune for the purpose of looking onto the angle of the bastion I intended to attack, when I was struck and disabled by two pieces of shell, one destroying the left eye and the other carrying away a portion of the bone at the base of the brain."

It would have been interesting to find out whether it was a Confederate or Union shell.

Not Finished Yet. --Old B-Runner

No comments: