27th USCT-- Part 3: Fort Fisher and Operations in North Carolina

The 27th USCT then participated in the Fort Fisher Campaign from December 1864 to January 1865.

Then in subsequent actions between Fort Fisher and Wilmington January to February 1865:

Sugar Loaf Hill

Federal Point

Capture of Wilmington

Northeast Ferry

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CAROLINAS CAMPAIGN  (March to April 1865)

Kinston

Goldsboro

Cox's Bridge

Raleigh

Present at Johnston's surrender at Bennett's House, North carolina on April 26, 1865.

Remained on duty in Department of North Carolina until mustered out on September 21, 1865.

--Old B-Runner

Death of Col. Charles Fisher and First Battle of Manassas-- Part 4

Fort Fisher was named for this man.

From the July 24, 1861, Wilmington (NC) Daily Journal.

"We are pained  to see the death of Col. Fisher confirmed by the Raleigh Register."

"The Register says that it learns the 11th  Regiment, commanded by  Col. Kirkwood, the 13th by Col. Hoke, the 6th by Col. Fisher and the 5th by  Col. McRae, were engaged in the battle.

"We  have made enquiry at Richmond, relative to our friends now in Virginia, but the wires are so much engaged that we will not  be able to receive an answer before late this afternoon -- if before  to-morrow morning."

--Old B-Runner

John Julius Guthrie Obituary-- Part 1

From the Newspapers.com site.

Clipped from the December 1, 1877, Raleigh News.

CAPT. J.J. GUTHRIE

The Norfolk  Landmark says  of Capt. J.J. Guthrie who was lost on the wreck of the Huron:

He was a native of North Carolina, having been born at Raleigh; and had a sword of honor voted him by that State in recognition of an act of conspicuous  gallantry performed in the China Seas.  He had served with  credit and distinction in the navies of the Union and of the Confederacy, and recently had entered  on the discharge of his duties in connection with the Life Saving Service with generous enthusiasm.

The Landmark is mistaken as to the nativity of Capt. Guthrie.  John Julius Guthrie  was the son of Dr. John  Guthrie, of Washington, N.C.,  where he was born about the year 1814,  and was therefore in his 63rd year at the time of his death.

His father died when he was quite a boy,  and he came to this city  with his widowed mother, who is buried here in the old cemetery.  He was placed under the care of  Rev. Dr.  William McPheeters, and went to school to this distinguished preacher and educator  at the Raleigh Academy.

--Old B-Runner

Raleigh Cannons Now at Fort Fisher

 From the June 29, 2020, Wilmington (NC) Star-News  "Confederate cannons removed from Raleigh now at Fort Fisher" by Hunter Ingram.

These were removed from the North Carolina State Capitol grounds by orders of Governor Roy Cooper after they were vandalized (hate crime), earlier in June.  The 1895 monument to Confederate military was built in 1895.

The two cannons are now at Fort Fisher and are on display by the fort's mounds where they will remain.  (See picture)

Fort Fisher is ramping up for a new $23 million visitors center and grounds which will greatly provide opportunity to display these cannons.

We can always use more cannons.  Definitely could have used more cannons on January 15, 1865.

Raleigh's Loss Is Fort Fisher's Gain.  --Old B-Runner

Two Confederate Cannons Now At Fort Fisher-- Part 2

The Confederate monument on the North Carolina State Capitol grounds in Raleigh had been there since since May 20, 1895.  That day, it was unveiled by Julia Jackson Christian, the daughter of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson.

The cannons will now remain at Fort Fisher (hopefully emplaced on the fort's parapet).  Fort Fisher is currently undergoing a $23 million renovation to its visitors center and grounds as it is one of the state's most-visited historic places.

Michele Walker of the N.C.  Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources says the cannons will remain there since they are of the same era as a cannon and artifacts at the site.

The removal of the Confederate monument in Raleigh is just one of many similar  actions being taken across the state and country as the nation grapples with its  history of honoring the Confederacy with monuments in public places.  There have been riots and much damage done to these monuments.

The arrival of the cannons at Fort Fisher is one of the first, if not the first, instances of recently removed Confederate monuments being relocated.

Here's hoping that sites like Fort Fisher will be recipients of many or most of the removed monuments.  I just hope some way can be found to keep certain groups from further damaging the artifacts.

--Old B-Runner

Two Confederate Cannons That Once Were At Raleigh Now At Fort Fisher-- Part 1

From June 30, 2020, WUNC 91.5 NPR  "Confederate cannons removed from Raleigh now at Fort Fisher"  by Mitch Northam and AP.

Two Civil War cannons that were at a Confederate monument in Raleigh are now at Fort Fisher.  They arrived Friday after being removed from the state Capitol grounds by the N.C. governor  The two 32-pounder naval cannons were stationed at the base of the monument had been "vandalized" along with the rest of the 75-foot tall monument accompanied by two statues of a Confederate infantryman and cavalryman.

These two statues were pulled down June 19 (and one was even LYNCHED).  The next day, the governor ordered all three monuments removed.

According to  the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, a plaque on the cannons says  they were captured by Confederates when they took the U.S. Navy Yard at Norfolk, Virginia and were then used at Fort Caswell at the mouth of the Cape Fear River's Old Inlet.

They were dismounted when Confederates evacuated the fort and blew it up in 1865 after the fall of Fort Fisher.

Raleigh's Loss Is Fort Fisher's Gain.  At Least One Good Thing Happening in All This Sad Mess.   --Old B-Runner

Feb. 23, 1865: Bleak Gets Even Bleaker in Richmond As Confederate Fortunes Wane-- Part 1

FEBRUARY 22, 1865:  In Richmond, Confederate  War Department clerk J.B. Jones wrote in his diary:  "To-day is the anniversary of the birth of Washington, and of the inauguration of Davis; but I hear of no holiday.  Not much is doing, however, in the departments; simply a waiting for calamities, which come with stunning rapidity.

"The next news, I suppose, will be the evacuation of Wilmington!  Then Raleigh may tremble.  Unless there is a speedy turn in the tide of affairs, confusion will reign  supreme and universally."

And this was way before this year's vote on Confederate statue removal in Virginia.  Things are pretty bleak on that front as well.

--Old B-Runner

Destruction of the Cape Lookout (NC) Lighthouse-- Part 2:

They failed to bring the light house down, but did significant damage to it.  L.C. Harland's attempt destroyed the light house oil supply and damaged the iron stairs on the interior.  With iron unavailable during the war, the damaged sections of iron were replaced with wooden ones.

The Fresnel lenses from all over North Carolina were found at Raleigh in 1865.    The lenses were shipped back to their original manufacturers to be checked out and repaired.

In 1867, the temporary wooden stairs were replaced with iron ones and the original  first-order Frensel  lens was reinstalled.

In 1873, it was painted in its distinctive black and white diagonal, checkerboard, or diamond, pattern.

--Old B-Runner

"A Soldier's Walk Home" Schedule-- Part 3

From the site.

These are the destinations of Philip Brown on his walk across North Carolina retracing the steps of Washington Duke returning home from New Bern at the end of the war.

May 15--  Seven Springs to Goldsboro
May 16--  Goldsboro to Princeton
May 17--  Princeton to Smithfield
May 18--  Smithville to Clayton
May 19--  Clayton to Raleigh
May 20--  Raleigh
May 21--  Raleigh to Morrisville
May 22--  Morrisvile to Durham
May 23--  Durham to Duke Homestead

Hope he doesn't take I-40 through the area as he would never get there in the monumental traffic jams.

--Old B-R'er