Battle of Fort Fisher
After the failure of his December expedition against Fort Fisher, Maj. Gen.
Benjamin Butler was relieved of command. Maj. Gen. Alfred Terry was placed in
command of a “Provisional Corps,” including Paine's Division of U.S. Colored
Troops, and supported by a naval force of nearly 60 vessels, to renew
operations against the fort. After a preliminary bombardment directed by Rear
Adm. David D. Porter on January 13, Union forces landed and prepared an attack
on Maj. Gen. Robert Hoke's infantry line. On the 15th, a select force moved on
the fort from the rear. A valiant attack late in the afternoon, following the
bloody repulse of a naval landing party carried the parapet. The Confederate
garrison surrendered, opening the way for a Federal thrust against Wilmington,
the South's last open seaport on the Atlantic coast.
Benjamin Butler was relieved of command. Maj. Gen. Alfred Terry was placed in
command of a “Provisional Corps,” including Paine's Division of U.S. Colored
Troops, and supported by a naval force of nearly 60 vessels, to renew
operations against the fort. After a preliminary bombardment directed by Rear
Adm. David D. Porter on January 13, Union forces landed and prepared an attack
on Maj. Gen. Robert Hoke's infantry line. On the 15th, a select force moved on
the fort from the rear. A valiant attack late in the afternoon, following the
bloody repulse of a naval landing party carried the parapet. The Confederate
garrison surrendered, opening the way for a Federal thrust against Wilmington,
the South's last open seaport on the Atlantic coast.
Battle of Bentonville
The battle started as the right wing of Sherman's army under command of Maj.
Gen. Oliver O. Howard marched toward Goldsborough and encountered the entrenched men of Johnston's army. On the first day of the battle, the Confederates attacked the XIVCorps and routed two divisions, but the rest of Sherman's army defended its positions successfully. The next day, as Sherman
received reinforcements and expected Johnston to withdraw, only minor sporadic
fighting occurred. On the third day, as skirmishing continued, the division of
Maj. Gen. Joesph A. Myer followed a path into the Confederate rear and attacked. The Confederates were able to repulse the attack, but elected to withdraw from the battlefield that night.As a result of the overwhelming enemy strength and the heavy casualties his army suffered in the battle, Johnston surrendered to Sherman little more than a month later at Bennet Place, near Durham Station. Coupled with Gen. Robert E. Lee's surrender earlier in April, Johnston's surrender represented the effective end of the war.
Gen. Oliver O. Howard marched toward Goldsborough and encountered the entrenched men of Johnston's army. On the first day of the battle, the Confederates attacked the XIVCorps and routed two divisions, but the rest of Sherman's army defended its positions successfully. The next day, as Sherman
received reinforcements and expected Johnston to withdraw, only minor sporadic
fighting occurred. On the third day, as skirmishing continued, the division of
Maj. Gen. Joesph A. Myer followed a path into the Confederate rear and attacked. The Confederates were able to repulse the attack, but elected to withdraw from the battlefield that night.As a result of the overwhelming enemy strength and the heavy casualties his army suffered in the battle, Johnston surrendered to Sherman little more than a month later at Bennet Place, near Durham Station. Coupled with Gen. Robert E. Lee's surrender earlier in April, Johnston's surrender represented the effective end of the war.