Page 61 - NS-2 Textbook

54 MARITIME HISTORY

for fleet support, Terry's forces moved forward with
naval bombardment just ahead. Caught behveen Terry's
forces and the naval landing force, the 1,800 Confederate
slu"vivors surrendered.
When Navy secretary Welles informed Lincoln of the
victory at Fort Fisher, the president suddenly realized,
"Why, there is notlllilg left for your ships to do!" And
that was true.
The Fort Fisher expedition was of special interest
since it was the only successful large-scale joint amphibi-
ous attack against a strongly fortified position during the
war. It showed the value of heavy supporting fire by
ships. It also showed that well-plaImed Army-Navy as-
saults could be successful against even the best defenses.
Strategically, the caphue of Fort Fisher blocked
Wihnington, thus ending the Navy's primaq role in the
war. Despite occasional setbacks, the Navy had accom-
plished every job it had been assigned on the rivers in the
west and on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, and had driven
the Confederates from the seas. The final act of the war
was about to take place behveen Lee and Grant near
Riclunond.

LEE SURRENDERS
Grant was now in a position to outflaI1k the defenses of
the Richmond-Petersburg position. He kept up relentless
attacks through the winter, suffering heavy casualties.
, ...... :-~J~:i-Ht§:~~:
.' _;:_q5L~NO-~, Grant's losses, however, ""vere quickly replaced. TIl0ugh
Lee suffered fe,\ver losses, he had no reserves on \vhich to
:' .~:'~4~J call. In desperation, Lee launched a final attack on GraIl!' s
lines on 25 March 1865. He was repulsed with heavy
'. "c~'~,-_ Q tp losses and forced to abaIldon Petersburg. On 9 April, at
MILES
~A'PE FEAR'" Appomattox Court House, Virginia, Lee smrendered his
conunand to General Grant in the parlor of Wilmer
The naval amphibious assault on Fort Fisher, Wilmington, North Car- McLean's home.
olina. This was the only successful large-scale, joint amphibious at- Like Lincoln, Grant sought only to conclude the war
tack against a strongly fortified position during the Civil War. It
showed that well-planned Army-Navy assaults (ould be made on aIld rehlr11 the nation to peace. He gave Lee's men food
the best defenses. and allowed them to keep their horses for the spring
plowing. He paroled the Confederate officers and men
on their word and sent them home. But for a few
place. With Admiral Porter's fleet bombarding in direct skirmishes, the war was over. On 14 April 1865 the now
support, Teny's force landed on 13 January 1865 and dug retired major general Robert Anderson raised the srune
in north of the fort, cutting off any hope of help from flag over Fort Sumter that he had lowered as major ex-
Wihnington. Terry had his men dig trenches and works actly four years earlier. On 10 May Jefferson Davis was
to within 500 yards of the fort, while Porter's fleet rained captmed near rn"inville, Georgia, by a detachment of the
shells on the besieged defenders. 4th Michigan Cavalry. TIle Confederate government
On 15 January the Navy renewed its firing. A Navy ceased to exist. The Union 'vas preserved.
landing force of 1,600 sailors and 400 marines then landed
on the sea face of the fort, in coordination with an attack AFTERMATH OF THE CIVIL WAR
by Terry's army from the north. The Navy-Marine Corps
effort was repulsed with over 300 casualties, and the sur- Nearly 540,000 servicemen from both sides died during
vivors regrouped on the landing beach. The Army suc- the Civil War, the nation's most costly wartime toll.
ceeded in breaching the northern parapets just as the de- About $5 billion was spent by both sides. Destruction in
fenders were recovering from the naval assault. Calling the South was devastating, and it was stricken with