103-650113-[H]Fort Fisher.30 - WDS Forgotten Campaigns

(Historical 30 minute turns) January 1865. This is the Union's second attempt to capture Fort Fisher, a strong defensive position at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. The first expedition had been under the command of MajGen Ben Butler; the second is under MajGen Alfred Terry. Due to the shallowness of "the bar" passing from the Atlantic into the Cape Fear River, warships may not pass over the line indicated southwest from Federal Point. Where the politician/general failed in December, Grant sent basically the same force back to North Carolina under a professional soldier. The failure in December seemed to breed complacency in the Confederate ranks. They had won so easily, they expected to do it again. But this was a different foe. The CSA's relief force was under the command of Braxton Bragg, and his indecisiveness might cost the defenders of Ft Fisher very dearly.