The Movement On Wilmington Begins in Earnest-- Part 1: The West Bank

FEBRUARY 16-17TH, 1865:  As the combined operation to capture Wilmington got underway, ships of Rear Admiral Porter's fleet helped ferry General Schofield's two divisions from Fort Fisher to Smithville (now Southport), on the west bank of the Cape Fear River.

Fort Anderson, the initial objective, was on the west bank midway between the mouth of the river and Wilmington.

On the morning of the 17th, Major General Jacob D. Cox led 8,000 troops north from Smithville.  In support of the Army advance on the Confederates, the monitor USS Montauk and four gunboats heavily bombarded Fort Anderson and successfully silenced its 12 guns.

--Old B-Runner