Feb. 3, 1865-- Part 1-- Plans to Take Wilmington

FEBRUARY 3, 1865:  To speed the collapse of the faltering Confederacy, another giant thrust gathered from the sea off Wilmington.  During the lull between the planned spring assault on Richmond when the road conditions improved, General Grant came down to confer with Rear Admiral Porter, his old Vicksburg partner.

Grant had spent several hours on board Porter's flagship Malvern on Janaury 28 where plans took shape for the push into North Carolina up the Cape Fear River as Sherman marched inland parallel to the coast.

When Grant returned to Virginia, he quickly dispatched General Schofield by sea with an army which, with the big guns of the fleet, would be large enough to push on to Wilmington.

--Old B-Runner