Day 2 of the battle.
December 25, 1864
MORNING Union ships shell woods north of Fort Fisher to make it safer to land infantry. Bombardment begins again. Another 10,000 shells fired.
2 PM, Union infantry begins landing. Brevet Brig. General Newton Martin Curtis is first Union soldier on beach. Later Curtis strikes toward the fort with142nd and 112th New York regiments.
3 PM. Curtis and Weitzel advance to within a mile and a half of Fort Fisher. Later Curtis within 75 yards of Shepherd's Battery.
3:20 TO DUSK Lt. William Walling of the 142nd NY picks up a garrison flag that had been knocked down by the bombardment.
Curtis believes the fort can be taken, but Butler calls a halt to the operation.
NIGHTFALL Curtis advances a skirmish line toward the fort.
DARK Confederates in fort open fire on Union soldiers. Most of the Union troops have already gone back to the transports offshore. By the time Curtis gets to the landing zone, the weather has gotten too bad to leave shore so Curtis and 600 men are left on shore.
Not Much To Do About Anything. --Old B-Runner
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