4. Governor Vance and the people, except the handful of Holden's followers, both in and out of the army, opposed this project as dishonorable and unjust to their compatriots of other States. They held that North Carolina's fortunes were inseparable from those of the other Southern States, and that she must share their fate, whatever that might be.
5. About this time several propositions looking to overtures to Mr. Lincoln for peace were communicated to Governor Vance from certain members of the Confederate Congress from other States, but he refused to take any part in such a scheme. He was re- elected by an overwhelming majority, after a thorough exposition of his views by many addresses both to the people at home and to the North Carolina soldiers in their camps.
6. As General Grant day-by-day massed fresh thousands of troops before Petersburg, and the Confederate resistance grew more feeble in the Shenandoah Valley, the conference which took place at Old Point Comfort was arranged to no purpose. After a mighty struggle, the South, in utter exhaustion, was soon to lay down the arms that had been so bravely wielded.
7. The importance of Wilmington to the waning fortunes of the Confederacy had long been evident in the closing of other seaports by blockade. General Whiting was an able and experienced engineer, and his main defence, Fort Fisher, on New Inlet, was pronounced by General Beauregard as almost impregnable. Forts Caswell and Holmes, at the mouth of Cape Fear River, and the numerous works fringing both banks of the stream from Wilmington to the ocean, had apparently rendered hostile approach from that direction a thing almost impossible to any naval expedition.
8. On December 25th the same General Butler who had been at the capture of Fort Hatteras in 1861, came with an army which was borne in a great fleet commanded by Admiral D. D. Porter. This vast armada, carrying six hundred of the heaviest cannon modern science has been able to construct, opened fire upon Fort Fisher.
9. The fort was reinforced by a few companies from other portions of General Whiting's command, and later, the division of General Hoke arrived from Petersburg and took position in the intrenched camp at Sugar Loaf, four miles distant up the river. General Braxton Bragg had been for some time in command of the department and was present on this occasion.
10. All day, on that Christmas Sabbath, a fiery storm of shot and shell was rained upon the fort, which answered slowly and deliberately from its different batteries. In the midst of the bombardment, General Butler landed his army on the peninsula above the land-face of the work, but upon inspection of its strength he grew hopeless of his undertaking, and on the night of December 26th, having re-embarked his force, the fleet returned to Beaufort.
1865.
11. There was much joy and relief in this evident Federal confirmation of the reported impregnability of the great work, and congratulations went around among the Confederates over this defeat of the costly undertaking of the invaders. General Bragg withdrew Hoke's Division and all the force at Sugar Loaf, except Adams' light battery and the cavalry, with the intention of attacking the garrison of New Bern.
12. He was signally interrupted in this undertaking, when, on the night of the 12th of January, 1865, Colonel William Lamb telegraphed from Fort Fisher that the fleet had returned and the troops were disembarking for a renewal of the attack. General Bragg hurried Hoke's and all other available commands back to the rescue, but found the Federal army in complete possession of the ground between the fort and intrenched camp. Upon a reconnaissance, the Enemy were found too strongly posted to be assailed.