Laycock, J.F. "Bombardment of Fort Fisher. Jan.15th. 1865."

J.F. Laycock. "Bombardment of Fort Fisher. Jan.15th. 1865.".

New York: Endicott & Co., 1865. 18 x 29 7/8. Lithotint. Good borders. Five vertical/folds with tears with numerous small tears in image. Upper left hand corner chipped. Print has been professionally conserved with archival backing. Bottom half of dedication missing. Fine condition.

In December of 1864, Grant sent Benjamin Butler to capture the city of Wilmington, N.C., from the sea. Capturing Ft. Fisher at the mouth of the Cape Fear River was necessary, and Butler's attempts failed. True to form, Grant did not back off, but in the next month sent Major General Alfred Howe Terry (1827-90) with Admiral David Dixon Porter (1813-1891) to take the fort. This scene shows the opening bombardment by the naval force of 60 vessels and 627 guns as they bombarded the peninsula prior to 6,000 infantry and cavalry landing north of the fort. In the foreground is the Mound Battery which held out from dawn until 3:00 p m when the Union troops landed and cut off the Confederates on the peninsula. This large and dramatic piece of battle art shows the fall of the last Confederate stronghold on the Atlantic coast.