1. Ft. Fisher Visit With help from some pretty amazing tour guides

2.  Map showing location relative to Lincolnton & Charlotte Map showing how location guards Port of Wilmington => Ft. Fisher was hugely important to the Confederacy in that it kept Wilmington’s port open longer than any Southern coastal city Southern ships trying to get through the Union blockade were generally safe once they got in range of Ft. Fisher’s guns, which would attack any Union ship that dared to get close enough

3. This is a blockade runner. It’s the closest thing to a stealth ship back then, burning a special coal that made less smoke and running mostly at night. It’s long, low, & fast to try to escape detection and make it through the Union blockade with supplies for the South. This is a blockade runner. It’s the closest thing to a stealth ship back then, burning a special coal that made less smoke and running mostly at night. It’s long, low, & fast to try to escape detection and make it through the Union blockade with supplies for the South.

4. These are shells and cannonballs fired from guns at Ft. Fisher. They seem about the same size as my kids’ heads. I wonder, if I put them in headfirst…. These are shells and cannonballs fired from guns at Ft. Fisher. They seem about the same size as my kids’ heads. I wonder, if I put them in headfirst….

5. This is a mine. The South put these in water around Wilmington and Ft. Fisher and used wires to detonate them if Union ships got close to one. This is a mine. The South put these in water around Wilmington and Ft. Fisher and used wires to detonate them if Union ships got close to one.

6. This is an overhead look at Ft. Fisher during one of the Union attempts to capture the fort. See how the Union put a ton of ships blockading the area. This is an overhead look at Ft. Fisher during one of the Union attempts to capture the fort. See how the Union put a ton of ships blockading the area.

7. This anchor is from a Confederate blockade runner called the Modern Greece, which the Union actually did manage to sink. Notice that the anchor looks pretty light (for an anchor). Blockade runners were kept as light as possible so that they’d run fast

8. This is a replica of the finest cannon at Ft. Fisher. The real one was so nice (mahogany base) that the U.S. Army captured it and brought it to West Point, NY (where it still is today). HAHA South, you lost! This is a replica of the finest cannon at Ft. Fisher. The real one was so nice (mahogany base) that the U.S. Army captured it and brought it to West Point, NY (where it still is today). HAHA South, you lost!

9. Notice the earthworks. One thing that made Ft. Fisher very effective is that dirt and sand absorb cannonfire much better than brick or concrete (which would shatter quickly). But that’s also why 90% of the fort has eroded by now. Nature + time > cannons. Cannons, other guns, and armed soldiers would be placed in between ridges, like archers shooting out narrow windows in a castle

10. The fence is not original but replica. The earth mounds are original. The fence is not original but replica. The earth mounds are original.

11. This cannon is on a swiveling turret so that it could easily be spun around and fired in almost any direction

12. This is why my kids wouldn’t last real long on a battlefield. But they’d have stuff named after them.

13. This is an actual Spencer Carbine – the war’s most commonly used repeating rifle Northern factories could mass-produce these, giving them a considerable advantage It’s lever action (the trigger guard) lets the soldier shoot 7 bullets quickly before having to reload

14. They have started placing giant boulders on the beach to slow the erosion. We discovered, however, that a number of UNCW students use it as a place to play kissy-face. Even though the sign says to keep off the rocks! They have started placing giant boulders on the beach to slow the erosion. We discovered, however, that a number of UNCW students use it as a place to play kissy-face. Even though the sign says to keep off the rocks!

15. This is taken from standing on the rocks…I know, I know…you can see the fort’s earthworks on the right and the Cape Fear River on the left – that’s how narrow the strip of land is that the fort is on. This is taken from standing on the rocks…I know, I know…you can see the fort’s earthworks on the right and the Cape Fear River on the left – that’s how narrow the strip of land is that the fort is on. Earthworks Cape Fear River This memorial is where the Confederate commander’s (Col. Lamb) office stood This memorial is where the Confederate commander’s (Col. Lamb) office stood.

16. On the back of the memorial where the Confederate office was, there’s this marker. I don’t think there’s actually anyone buried there because there aren’t any signs that say don’t walk on this poor dead guy’s grave. On the back of the memorial where the Confederate office was, there’s this marker. I don’t think there’s actually anyone buried there because there aren’t any signs that say don’t walk on this poor dead guy’s grave.

17. There’s also a nice beach near the fort, where my little redhead danced with the seagulls (who chased her all the way to the van after she fed them saltines). There’s also a nice beach near the fort, where my little redhead danced with the seagulls (who chased her all the way to the van after she fed them saltines).

18. It’s also less than a mile from the NC Aquarium at Ft. Fisher, where we were all eaten by “Megalodon,” an extinct* shark- dinosaur. * It’s not really extinct, there’s one in the pond behind the soccer field here at NLMS.

19. Thank you!