{"product_id":"fort-fisher-map-stickers","title":"\"Southern Gibraltar\" Fort Fisher Map Sticker\/Magnet","description":"\u003cp\u003eFort Fisher Shirts\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe \u003ci\u003eSouthern Gibraltar or Fort Fisher was the primary garrison protecting the vital blockade and importation hub of Wilmington, North Carolina. When the fort fell in early 1865 it effectively ended the Confederacy ability to import substantial amounts of arms and equipment from Europe. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the Union army and navy sealed off Mobile Bay in August of 1864, only one major port remained open for the Confederacy: Wilmington, North Carolina. This port could be accessed via the Cape Fear River, which ran north-south on the city’s west side before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean some 20 miles south of the city. A peninsula of land on the east side of the river sheltered the town and ships from the Federal blockading squadron in the Atlantic Ocean. Bolstering the area’s natural defense was a series of Confederate fortifications, with the primary fortification being Fort Fisher. This upside-down L-shaped fort was dubbed the “Gibraltar of the Confederacy.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first Battle of Fort Fisher, fought from December 23 to 27, 1864, and was more of a Gallipoli than a Normandy: an ill-timed naval bombardment tipped off the Confederate defenders, and a Federal ship packed with tons of explosives failed to make contact with Fort Fisher’s defenses and harmlessly blew up at sea. When the Federal infantry did land, they quickly evacuated. After the debacle, Union commander \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.battlefields.org\/learn\/biographies\/benjamin-f-butler\"\u003eBenjamin F. Butler\u003c\/a\u003e was relieved of command.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn January of 1865, a second attempt was made to secure Fort Fisher, and this time the Federals placed Maj. Gen. Alfred Terry and Rear Adm. David D. Porter in command. Terry collected nearly 10,000 Union army soldiers while Porter arrayed 58 ships offshore. Both commanders formed a battle plan where Porter would pummel the Confederate defenses and Terry would land the army on shore. Once ashore, a division of United States Colored Troops (USCT) would advance north up the peninsula and assume a blocking position—their primary mission was to hold back any Confederate reinforcements. The second force of Union infantry would establish a line facing south and attack the landward wall of Fort Fisher. Finally, a force of sailors and the United States marines, some 2,000 in all, would land and attack the seaward wall of the fort.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOn the night of January 12, 1865, General Alfred Terry’s joint Navy and Army forces made it to the shores of Fort Fisher. For the next two days, Federal ships opened fire on the garrison, firing so frequently it was impossible for the Confederate soldiers stationed inside to repair the damages to the fort. On January 15, the Union army attacked the fort with nearly 2,000 Marines and sailors. Although greatly outnumbered, the Southern soldiers clung tenaciously to their defenses. Meanwhile, Confederate Maj. Gen. William H. C. Whiting pleaded with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.battlefields.org\/learn\/biographies\/braxton-bragg\"\u003eBraxton Bragg\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e for reinforcements. Bragg refused, not taking the situation at all seriously. Finally, after repeated pleas from Whiting, Bragg sent Alfred Colquitt to the fort with orders to relieve Whiting.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodebattlefield-battle-after block-field-block block-field-battle-after\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"field field--name-field-battle-after field--type-text-long field--label-above open\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"field__item\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the time Gen. Alfred Colquitt arrived, Confederates were evacuating the fort, and Whiting and Lamb lay wounded. After hours of battle, the Confederates surrendered the fort. The Southern defenses around Wilmington crumbled, and the city fell to Union soldiers roughly one month later. The last Confederate port was locked shut, and the flow of outside supplies ceased to reach the languishing Confederate field armies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Beauregard's Tailor","offers":[{"title":"Magnet","offer_id":67690595516694,"sku":null,"price":6.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Sticker","offer_id":67690595549462,"sku":null,"price":2.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0756\/0885\/0710\/files\/7DDC0792-4CD2-4A26-94C4-D2837F081FE4.png?v=1791811329","url":"https:\/\/beauregardstailor.shop\/products\/fort-fisher-map-stickers","provider":"Beauregard's Tailor","version":"1.0","type":"link"}