Compared to the commotion in the North today, Christmas appears to have been a rather quiet day of celebration. From the nation’s capital, the normal sounds of city life are shattered by the firing of ordnance. The morning was “ushered in with a booming of cannon, 300 having been fired in honor of the capture…
With Savannah safely in Federal hands, the Union Navy today begins an assault upon Fort Fisher, a Confederate fort guarding the coastal city of Wilmington, North Carolina. The Battle of Fort Fisher lasts for four days. Today the Union attempts to destroy the fort’s walls by detonating a gunpowder-laden ship. This failed effort is followed…
With the Confederates declaring their refusal to surrender Savannah to Sherman, the Union General begins preparations to take the city. Numerical manpower and firepower are on Sherman’s side, a fact recognized by the Confederacy. More soldiers are desperately needed in the defense of the city, but none are forthcoming. The armies of the South, decimated…