Some More on the XXV Corps (A Fort Fisher and Wilmington Connection)

This unit was black war correspondent Thomas Morris Chester's beat during the war.

I should mention that it also had a Fort Fisher connection.  It was composed of three divisions.  One was under the command of August Kautz, William Birney and Charles J. Paine.

In January 1865, Paine's Division sailed  with Terry's Expedition to attack Fort Fisher in North Carolina, where it rendered effective service although it did not take part in the initial assault.  The division did not rejoin the XXV Corps after that, but remained in North Carolina and participated in the Wilmington Campaign during February.

The post I had about the USCT statue at the Cameron Art Center in Wilmington, N.C., in my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog last month is dedicated to these men.  They showed their mettle at this final battle before the fall of Wilmington at the Battle of Forks Road.

--Old Secesh

Fort Johnston, North Carolina, in the Civil War

Originally built in 1744 to protect the Cape Fear River from Spanish attack, what is left of it stands today at present-day Southport (originally the town of Smithville) about twenty miles south of Wilmington.

I will have its pre and post Civil War history on my history blog http://cootershistorything.blogspot.com, tomorrow.

This is from the May 10th Wilmington Star-News' MyReporter column where they delve into the history behind readers' questions. This one was by Amy Hotz.

Of all the forts protecting Wilmington during the war, I know the least about this one.

On January 9, 1861, local residents marched on Fort Anderson and demanded its surrender. Ordinance sergeant James Reilly, was the only soldier there and handed the fort over with no resistance.

Governor John Ellis ordered them to return the fort two days later and it was given back to Reilly.

On April 16, 1861, after Fort Sumter, Fort Johnston was occupied once again. Like before, the good sergeant James Reilly surrendered it. Only this time, Reilly resigned from the US Army and joined the Confederate one.

This same James Reilly, now a major, surrendered Fort Fisher to Union forces January 15, 1865. He was buried at Wilmington's Oakdale Cemetery.

During the war, Fort Johnston served as a hub for recruiting and assisted blockade-runners. It was occasionally called Fort Branch or Fort Pender, but most still referred to it as Johnston, named for the British colonial governor Gabriel Johnston who had it built.

From "A History of Fort Johnston on the Lower Cape Fear" by Wilson Angley.

So That Reilly. --Old B-Runner

Last Stand in Wilmington, NC-- Part 2

Two brothers fought against each other at the Battle of Forks Road. Corporal Jacob Home of the Wilmington Horse Artillery and Corporal Jacob Home of the 2nd (US) North Carolina squared off after both, separately, stopped off to visit with their parents.

Both survived the battle and the war and lived their lives in New Hanover County.

In 2002, the Cameron family donated the site of the battle for the Cameron Art Museum with the stipulation that the fortifications and field be preserved.

Also on the site is a marker reading "Thank God we stand here today as friends." These words were spoken by Lt. Commander James Parker, USN, to Col. William Lamb at the 1903 reunion of veterans of the Battle of Fort Fisher and Wilmington Campaign.

These were submitted by Bernard Fisher of Mechanicsville, Virginia, to HMDB.

I have never been to the Forks Road site or the Cameron Art Museum, but will have to visit the next time I'm in the Wilmington area.

Stuff I Didn't Know Much About. --Old B-Runner

Last Stand at Wilmington, NC

Compliments of the good folks at HMDB on March 15th. They scour all things historical and on a stick or marker.

This involved a marker for the Forks Road engagement February 21-22, 1865 and was an attempt by Confederate General Robert F. Hoke to make a stand on the east side of the Cape Fear River. His division along with General Thomas Clingman's brigade and the Wilmington Horse Artillery repulsed Union Col. Elias Wright's brigade of US Colored Troops including the 5th USCT.

The Confederates inflicted 50 casualties and caused the Federals to retreat a short distance where they returned fire for 34 hours. Hoke withdrew on the 22nd and Wilmington was captured later that day.

Nearing the End of the War. --Old B-Runner

Civil War Events Around Wilmington, NC

Editorial in the Feb. 17th Wilmington Star News.

The editorial spotlighted the 145th anniversaries of two battles fought in the Wilmington Campaign following the capture of Fort Fisher. Both will be held this weekend. One is for the Battle of Fort Anderson and the other the Battle of the Forks, near the Cameron Art Museum grounds.

"It is a chance also to promote our region as a destination for tourists interested in the Civil War." Unfortunately, Wilmington's Civil War is not as well known as the Battles of Gettysburg, Bull Run and others.

Two experts on the battles, Jim McKee and Chris Fonvielle will be leading the events at these sites.

Sure wish I could be there.

I Already Know the Importance of the Area, But Agree That Most Don't Know Much About It. --Old B-Runner

Union Assault on Half Moon Battery

From the Civil War Naval Chronology, 145 years ago today.

Saturday, February 11, 1865-- Union ships Keystone State, Aries, Montgomery, Howquah, Emma and Vicksburg engage Half Moon battery, called battery Gatlin by Confederates) about six miles north of Fort Fisher. This bombardment pinned down General Hoke's division while General Schofield's troops advanced along the beach.

The weather got worse, preventing landing of pontoons and the Union troops withdrew to the Fort Fisher lines.

Porter's gunboats also engaged banks on the west bank of the river.

Union forces were continuing their march to Wilmington.

Half Moon Battery was built in 1862 on the west side of Myrtle Grove Sound in present day Carolina Beach, NC and mounted six guns. The site today is marked and preserved at the Forest-By-the-Sea condo complex. (From East Coast Forts).

When You Drop Half Trou? --Old B-Runner

Great New Blog

And right up my alley. Today, I came across this new blog titled Wilmington and the War by Jonathan J. Anderson, and it wowed me. It is onlt two months old and has six posts, but I couldn't be more interested.

Jonathan said his interest in the Civil War started on the sand mounds of Fort Fisher when he was 5 back in the 1970s, much the way my Civil War interest started, but only in the 1950s.

The blog made for interesting reading with entries about 6.4 inch Whitworth shells and Whitworth guns, Wilmington's Upland River Defense, Pt 1, sand, and Marines looking for unexploded shells at Ft. Anderson. I'll have a blog entry about this last item. Thanks, Jonathan.

The website is at http://wilmingtonatwar.blogspot.com

Well Worth a Look as a History, Civil War, or Civil War Naval Person. Old B-Runner

Living History Event at Fort Anderson this Weekend

It seems that a lot of Civil War activity has been going on around Wilmington, NC, of late.

This weekend, a part of the Battle of Fort Anderson is being re-enacted. This was a battle that occurred as the Union Army continued its drive against Wilmington after the fall of Fort Fisher January 15, 1865.

Visitors can learn a lot about Fort Anderson at the Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson Museum, but this weekend, they can also relive those events 143 years ago with musket fire, cannons, and campgrounds.

Leland Smith and Chris Fonvielle, authir of Fort Anderson: The Battle of Wilmington have compiled a list of three things you don't know about Fort Anderson.

1. Fort Anderson's main weapons-- were not its cannons, which were fairly antiquated. The main river thing the fort protected were the underwater torpedoes which were more like today's mines.

2. If you truly want to understand Fort Fisher-- go to Fort Anderson. The site is almost fully intact whereas Fort Fisher is almost 80% gone thanks to the ocean. Fort Fisher's Col. Lamb had much to do with the design of both forts.

3. The First Battle of the Bands-- Chris Fonvielle, while researching his book found a report in a New York paper that the band of the 104th Ohio began playing patriotic songs during the night before the assault. The band of the 25th SC regiment replied in kind.

I Live Just Too Far Away. --B-R'er

Big Fort Fisher/Wilmington Re-enactment Planned

The Jan. 30th Wilmington Cape Fear Coast website gave information about the 143rd anniversary Battle of Forks Road, an important skirmish that preceded the fall of Wilmington, NC, to Union forces.

The re-enactment will be held February 22-24th and is part of the third annual Civil War Living History Weekend sponsored by the Cameron Art Museum.

The actual battle took place on Feb. 20, 1865 when Confederate General Robert Hoke made a last stand to stop the Union advance on Wilmington. This advance consisted largely of black troops, referred to back then as US Colored Troops.

Living history will be re-enacted. There will be lectures and the Fourth Annual US Colored Troops Symposium. Dr. Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr, a UNCW history professor and author will discuss the fall of Wilmington and the Battle of Forks Road.

Professor William B. Gould, IV, of Stanford Law School will present his book Diary of a Contraband: The Civil War Passage of a Black Soldier, a rare diary written by Gould's great-grandfather. This is the only-known diary of a black soldier who was formerly a slave.

Looks Like a Very Interesting Day if You Live in the Area. --The Old B-R'er.