Saturday, December 6, 2014

150 Years Ago: Grant Writes Butler About Wilmington Expedition

DECEMBER 6TH, 1864:  Major general Grant wrote Major General Butler regarding the objectives of the proposed joint expedition against Wilmington, one of the most ambitious of the war:  "The first object of the expedition under General Weitzel is to close the port of Wilmington.

"If successful in this, the second will to be capture Wilmington itself....The object of the expedition will be gained by effecting a landing on the mainland between Caope Fear River and the Atlantic north of the north entrance to the river, then the troops should entrench themselves, and by cooperating with the Navy effect a reduction and capture of those places.

"These in our hands, the Navy could enter the harbor and the port of Wilmington would be sealed."

Old B-R'er

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