Sunday, January 11, 2015

NC: Fort Fisher's historic importance in Civil War largely forgotten

Via Bob


Ask anyone to talk about the Civil War in North Carolina, and the first name you're likely to hear is Sherman.

Fisher is almost an afterthought. The battle on the beach outside Wilmington seems lost in the shuffle.

Historians believe the battle was one of the pivotal conflicts of the war. It was the largest fort ever built in the United States, and it endured one of the heaviest naval bombardments in history.

But 150 years later, it remains almost unknown outside the state.

"The fort's fame, like the fort itself, eroded away," said North Carolina historian Jim Leutze.

2 comments:

  1. After the downfall of Fort. Fisher, the Confederacy's days were numbered. Alas.
    The importance of Fort Fisher was stressed by Robert E. Lee who told the commanding officer, Colonel William Lamb, that if he was to lose control of the fort, Lee would not be able to supply his army.
    I bet it would fun to scavenge in the river for Civil War memorabilia. But, that has
    probably been done a million times.

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    1. Yes and there was much found in the Tar River in Tarboro years ago (dumped during Potter's raid) and when the water went way down again around 2004 as I remember, there wasn't much left. I did find a water Moccasin though. :)

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