I am sure that Reverend Smith would be very pleased to see what has been done to preserve his fort in the last 100 years, and especially since the 1960s. All that undergrowth has been removed and even one of the batteries has been restored. There is an excellent museum and walking tour.
I was surprised that the sea face was already mostly gone by 1909. I'd always heard that some of it had been washed away, but that most of the loss came after US-421 was constructed in the 1930s. Material was removed from offshore that had more or less kept the beach from washing away. After that, there was rapid deterioration.
I think another interesting book could be written about the fort starting with the day after its capture.
I sure hope the Star News keeps doing these interesting Look Backs.
The Reverend Would Be So Proud. --B-R'er
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
