Wednesday, July 04, 2012

Looking for NC's Civil War - Battery Buchanan


Way out on Federal Point, where US 421 ends, stands an earthen mound. It does not look like much today, but during the War, it was an impressive fortification that mounted four heavy guns. Battery Buchanan, the works further to the north at Fort Fisher, was constructed to protect the port at Wilmington, along the Cape Fear River.

Battery Buchanan was constructed in 1864. On January 15, 1865, as the Federals attacked Fort Fisher, the Fort's wounded commanders, Gen. W. H. C. Whiting and Col. William Lamb, were taken via stretcher to Battery Buchanan with hopes of being loaded on boats and making their escape. They found no boats and were forced to surrender as the Federal troops closed in.

I have visited Battery Buchanan on several occasions. This photo was taken in June 2012.

2 comments:

RoadDog said...

Let's do US-421.

Thanks for all your great work on the Civil War.

Michael C. Hardy said...

Thanks RoadDog!