Chronological History of the American Civil War

P a g e | 244

Fort Fisher (CSA), North Carolina. The plan was to damage the fort bad enough to rush it with Federal troops and capture it. The explosion however, did not measurably affect Fort Fisher and its garrison. In fact, Colonel Lamb, the fort’s commander, wrote in his diary: “A blockader got aground near the fort, set fire to herself and blew up.” Saturday, December 24, 1864 : At daylight, a huge Naval fleet of 60 ships under the command of Rear Admiral Porter (U.S.) and Army units under Major General Butler (U.S.) launch an unsuccessful attack against Fort Fisher (CSA). With so many cannonballs flying around, and General Butler (U.S.) got news of enemy reinforcements approaching, and in the worsening weather conditions, he aborts the operation, declaring the fort to be impregnable. Inside the fort, the men are huddled in bombproof shelters. The floor of the fort was like walking on nothing but iron from all the exploding cannonballs. Sunday, December 25, 1864 : Christmas Day, and no peace on earth. Nor was there time for presents, the singing of carols, Christmas trees or big family dinners, as today, as in many places in the South was just another day in the war. A joint Army-Navy operation under Rear Admiral Porter and Major General B. F. Butler (U.S.) land 6,000 Union troops to take Fort Fisher (U.S.) at Wilmington, North Carolina, but the fort’s guns, were still intact, and kept them pinned down. A rumor that Confederate reinforcements were on their way, convinced the General Butler (U.S.) that they should withdraw. The attack fails. Yesterday, General Forrest (CSA) left Pulaski, Tennessee, to guard General John B. Hood’s (CSA) rear column as it moves south, the final 40 miles of its retreat to the Tennessee River. By 3 p.m., Major General James H. Wilson (U.S.) advance guard catches up with General Forrest at what will be called, the Battle of Anthony’s Hill (also known as the Battle of King’s Hill or the Battle of Devil’s Gap). General Forrest, had two brigades waiting for Wilson’s arrival, and quickly the Union pursuers were now being chased themselves. Rebels using a captured cannon, uses it to push them back another ½ mile, until the Union fell back to the support of their full division. With darkness coming on, Forrest chooses to disengage, and return to their original positions, and later that night moves further south to Sugar Creek on the Tennessee River. At White’s Station near Memphis one Union officer and 17 of 30 men, are captured by Rebels.

On a McMinnville, Tennessee plantation, Lucy Virginia French (pictured) writes in her journal: “Christmas Dec. 1864. Tonight I have but one thought—the cause of the South has gone down…. For my part I freely acknowledge that, I can see no brightness now for the Confederacy…. Oh! I felt very, very sad this morning— our Christmas times are no longer [a] holiday—as of years [before]. How dark and darker they grow! I am [ready] tonight to cry. Oh! God give us peace, peace on any terms!” Monday, December 26, 1864 : Fighting continues at Sugar Creek, Tennessee as Lieut. General John B. Hood (CSA) and the remnants of the Confederate Army of Tennessee head to Florence, Alabama to cross the Tennessee River and move on to Tupelo, Mississippi.

The Union troops at Fort Fisher at Wilmington, North Carolina are evacuated. President Lincoln ordered an investigation, as to what went wrong and why; what should have been a relatively easy victory turned into a full- scale withdrawal.