1865 Is Off To A Good Start For The Union

Today’s Civil War Diary excerpt marks the start of 1865. Philip starts the new year with guard duty and a bad cold. However, his subsequent entries mark the turning of the tide in the Civil War.

In January 1865, Fort Fisher guarded the last remaining open port for the Confederacy at Wilmington, North Carolina. At the beginning of the Civil War, the Confederacy constructed Fort Fisher near the mouth of the Cape Fear River. Throughout the war, Fort Fisher remained vital to keeping the port of Wilmington open to ensure that necessary supplies reached the troops inland.

The Capture of Fort Fisher

Source: North Carolina in the American Civil War

In December 1864, the first battle of Fort Fisher ended when Union troops failed to capture the fort. The second battle took place January 13 to 15, 1865. After intense fighting, and after his defenses were overrun by Union troops, a wounded Major General William H.C. Witting surrendered his garrison of 1,900 men to the Union army. The capture of Fort Fisher secured the Union blockade and cut off the final supply route for war materials and foreign aid to Confederate troops. Following the fall of Fort Fisher, Confederate troops withdrew from Wilmington, North Carolina, which Philip mentions in his diary on January 24^th.

Fort Caswell in North Carolina was destroyed on January 17^th by a massive explosion when retreating Confederate troops detonated powder magazines containing an estimated 100,000 pounds of gunpowder. The explosion demolished much of the fort's northern brick wall, hurled several massive guns off their carriages, nearly buried others in the sand, unroofed nearby buildings, and left behind a huge crater.

The fire at the Smithsonian Institute that Philip mentions on January 24^th started from a stove that had been improperly installed in the Picture Gallery. The New York Times called the damage to the Smithsonian and its collections a “national calamity.”

Sources:

Second Battle of Fort Fisher

History of Fort Fisher

North Carolina in the American Civil War

A fire in the Smithsonian Castle

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JANUARY 1^ST 1865

Was on guard this day at the government stables. The boys are all out on a hunt for rabbits. They caught twelve of them this morning. I am not very well. Have a bad cold.

JANUARY 4^TH

(Sometime after writing the original entry, Philip wrote another entry across the top of the original one, making both entries extremely difficult to read. I have taken a few liberties while transcribing and used my best judgement on what makes sense.)

Original entry: Was on guard this day. The snow fell very heavy into the evening. No news of any import from the front.

Second entry written across the original:  Fort Fisher was captured by our troops on the 15^th day of January. 12 guns and 2,000 prisoners. The army and navy taking part.

JANUARY 24^TH

I discovered the Smithsonian Institute to be on fire. The picture gallery and lecture room and also the apparatus room were destroyed. The loss is very heavy to the public as very many relics were totally destroyed. The building itself was a very pretty construction. The news from the army is very cheering. It is rumored that Wilmington is being evacuated.

JANUARY 25^TH

Fort Caswell was blew up on the 15^th and our troops are still advancing. The troops are confident in the success in the capture of Wilmington. The weather is very cold here.