BACKGROUND

In late 1861, Fort Fisher was little more than several sand battery mounds on a narrow strip of land near the mouth of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. Its armament amounted to less than two-dozen guns. Col. William Lamb (C.S.A.) arrived in July 1862 and began the task of fortifying the position on the sandy peninsula. By December 1864, more than one thousand men, many of them Negroes, had created an earth and sand fortification embracing one mile of sea defenses and one-third mile of land defenses.

The sea face was equipped with 22 guns mounted inside 12-foot high batteries, with larger 45-foot high and 60-foot high batteries flanking each side. The land face held 25 guns among its 15 mounds that housed bomb proofs and powder magazines. A 9-foot-high wooden palisade fence extended across the front of the land face.

The first assault on Fort Fisher occurred on December 24-27, 1864. After two days of naval shore bombardment, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler, leading a force of approximately 6,500 men, attempted an assault on the fortress. Making little progress during the fighting, the Union troops were withdrawn.

The troops returned to Fort Fisher on January 13, 1865, under the command of Breveted Maj. Gen. Alfred H. Terry. The U. S. Navy, with 58 warships, shelled the fort for two days prior to any infantry attack. On January 15, 1865, almost 8,000 Union soldiers, sailors and marines made the assault on Fort Fisher, while a few regiments guarded the rear against a possible attack by Hoke's Confederate division. After six hours of fierce fighting, the fort (and the garrison troops) fell into Union hands and Hoke's division returned to Wilmington, NC. Confederate casualties amounted to approximately 500 killed and 1,400 taken prisoner. Federal casualties amounted to more than 1,000 men killed or wounded.

THE WARGAME

The battlefield is set up in a generally northsouth direction. The Confederate fort occupies a narrow strip of land with water on both sides and guarding the entrance to Wilmington, NC. Fort Fisher is simply an L-shaped fortification with the short leg (1/3 mile) of the `L' spanning from water's edge to the ocean (and east-west course and facing north, and the long leg (2/3 mile+) extending from the angle to the south, along the Atlantic Ocean's edge. Hoke's Confederate division held its defensive position, but never made an attempt to assault the Union rear.

The Federal troops landed and headed south towards the fort, leaving the First and Third Divisions to set up a rear defensive position and as support for the fort assault. Therefore, the Union brigades are deployed at the northern end of the battlefield so that they can begin the long trek southward to assault the looming fort walls. 

TERRAIN & SPECIAL RULES

1. All infantry movement in the sand approaching Ft. Fisher is to be made at the Broken rate. Artillery movement is made at the Rough rate.

2. All movement in the swamp area is to be made at the Rough rate. No artillery movement is allowed in the swamp area.

3. Land Torpedoes: Any unit crossing the torpedo line, located 18" north of the palisades fence, must roll 1d6 at the end of their movement. On a roll of `1' or `2', the unit takes 1 casualty due to exploding mines buried in the sand, and is thrown into disorder and must make a morale check.

4. Palisades Fence: troops at the fence must spend one (1) turn stationary to take down the fence as wide as the unit. The fence also provides cover like a regular wood fence.

5. Ranges: troops at the palisades fence are within the Confederate infantry's (if on the parapet) normal range, and the artillery's canister close range. Once inside the fence, the artillery cannot fire at the infantry.

6. Thrown/rolled artillery shells, dynamite, explosives: Artillery crews may opt (in lieu of loading and/or firing their gun) to throw explosives down the slope of the fort wall into the approaching infantry within 3 inches. Roll on the combat results table using the combat strength row 8.

DEPLOYMENT

The Fort Fisher infantry begins the game in the bomb proofs located below the large sand mounds. At any time, a formation order can be given and the infantry may form in the parade grounds, before being ordered onto the fort parapets. All of the fort guns begin the game manned and loaded. See the artillery chart for the location and type of guns in each battery. There is also an artillery battery of two 121b. Napoleons located at the main sally port, placed behind medium works with fraise (angled, sharpened stakes) mounted in front of them, and a single 121b. Napoleon placed on the road at the road sally port. (See map for locations.)

Hoke's division of infantry did not participate in the defense of the fort directly, so those troops are listed for informational purposes only.

The Union only utilized the Second Division commanded by Brig. Gen. Ames and the sailor and marine battalion commanded by Lt. Commander Breese. The First and Third Divisions were used as a rear guard to protect against any attack made by Hoke's division. The Second Division begins the game in successive brigade formations along the Wilmington (River) Road at the northwest corner of the table. The sailor and marine battalions begin the game on the Atlantic beach side, located at the upper northeast edge of the table. Please note that the Union warships, anchored in the Atlantic Ocean, stopped firing on the fort once the infantry was in motion for the assault.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

The Union wins if they are able to rout and/or capture all of the Confederate troops in the fort. The Rebels win if the Union does not win. The Federal army will cease the assault if casualties of the attacking troops reach 70%.

The Second Assault at Fort Fisher North Carolina January 13-15, 1865

Background and Campaign
Fort Fisher Order of Battle: Union
Fort Fisher Order of Battle: Confederate
Fort Fisher Confederate Artillery Chart and Placement (extremely slow: 429K)
Fort Fisher Map (121K)
Fort Fisher Scenery Construction and Optional Expanded Scenario