Walking the Sugar Loaf Line With Chris Fonvielle-- Part 2

This is your chance to discover the Civil War ruins which stretch across from Myrtle Grove Sound by the Atlantic Ocean to the Cape Fear River just to the south of today's Snow's Cut Bridge.  Dr. Fonveille will lead the group across that line pointing out what remains of this formidable line of defense.

It was built by Confederates near the end of 1864 in anticipation of a Union attack on Fort Fisher, about four miles to the south of the line.

On January 19, 1865, Union forces from the now-captured Fort Fisher, including Col. John W. Ames' regiments of the United States Colored Troops, attacked  the line and were unable to break it.  On February 11, 1865, an even bigger assault was made with black soldiers again playing a big role.

This became known as the Battle of Sugar Loaf and Confederae defenses again proved to difficult to breach.

Unable to break through, the federals transferred their efforts to proceed to Wilmington to the west side of the Cape Fear River where they attacked and capture Fort Anderson, directly across the river from Sugar Loaf,  on February 19.

With Union ships now able to attack the Sugar Loaf line from the rear, it to was abandoned.  Wilmington fell three days later, on February 22.

--Old B-Runner