January 1, 1865: Fort Fisher Attack To Be Renewed-- Part 2: "Day and Night" Preparations

Porter replied immediately to Grant:  "...thank God we are not to leave here with so easy a victory at hand...."

He assured his old Vicksburg colleague that he would "work day and night to be ready."

At Fort Fisher, mindful of general Lee's message that the work must be held at all costs or the Army of Northern Virginia could not be supplied, Colonel William Lamb and his garrison readied themselves for further attacks forecast by the sizable Federal  naval force which had remained off the Cape Fear River entrances since the first attempt to take the fort in December had broken off.

--Old B-Runner