Fort Fisher

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Fort Fisher
New Hanover County, near Wilmington, North Carolina
Union Attack on Fort Fisher, North Carolina, January 15, 1865
Site history
Built	1861
In use	1861–1865
Battles/wars	First Battle of Fort Fisher Second Battle of Fort Fisher
Events
Fort Fisher
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in North Carolina Show map of North Carolina Location in United States Show map of the United States
Nearest city	Wilmington, North Carolina
Area	200 acres (81 ha)
Built	1861
Architect	Lamb, Col. William
NRHP reference No.	66000595[1]
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966

Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. The fort was located on one of Cape Fear River's two outlets to the Atlantic Ocean on what was then known as Federal Point or Confederate Point and today is known as Pleasure Island. The strength of Fort Fisher led to its being called the Southern Gibraltar and the "Malakoff Tower of the South". The battle of Fort Fisher was the most decisive battle of the Civil War fought in North Carolina.