There was considerable discussion in the Civil War Navy and Marine Forum by several members and Andrew Duppstadt, about navy and marine re-enactor involvement in the upcoming Fort Fisher 145th Anniversary Celebration. This e-group is composed mostly of these re-enactors.
The program will not focus on the navy's role, but there is an interest in a total naval treatment in the future between this one and the 150th in 2015.
The 145th will focus on the involvement of the United States Colored Troops. Professor Richard Reid, author of "Freedom for Themselves: North Carolina's Black Soldiers in the Civil War Era" will speak. There will also be US Colored Troops re-enactors.
One member wanted to know if there was to be black sailors included. William B. Gould, a former Wilmington, NC, slave escaped to the Union blockader USS Cambridge along with seven others, joined the Navy and fought against his former master. He kept a journal that has been published, "Diary of a Contraband" The Civil War Passage of a Black sailor." http://goulddiary.stanford.edu.
Definitely an Aspect of the War That Needs to Be Better Addressed. --Old B-R'er
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
