Union forces assault and capture Fort Fisher

Strategic Context. Fort Fisher, known as the "Gibraltar of the South," protected Wilmington, the last major Confederate port on the Atlantic coast. It served as a critical hub for blockade runners supplying the Army of Northern Virginia. After a failed December 1864 assault led by Major General Benjamin Butler, Union command shifted to Major General Alfred Terry, who coordinated with Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter for a renewed amphibious operation.

The January Assault. Union forces returned in January 1865, waiting until January 12 for the second attempt. On January 13, Porter's naval squadron shifted fire to the fort, while Terry's infantry force of 8,000 soldiers landed north of the fort. Terry reconnoitered the position and determined an infantry assault would succeed, setting the stage for the final attack on January 15.

Fall of the Fort. On January 15, Porter's gunboats silenced most of the fort's guns by noon. Union forces successfully assaulted and captured Fort Fisher, closing the port of Wilmington. This victory was described as the "final nail in the Confederate coffin," ending the Confederacy's ability to receive supplies via the Atlantic seacoast.