Descendants Database

We call to mind their courage and their sacrifice as we remember our descendants who were a part of Fort Fisher and the Wilmington Campaign.

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.

G.K. Chesterton

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Our next descendants reunion will be during the 155th anniversary in 2020.

Fort Fisher and its defense of the port of Wilmington, NC played a critical role in the Civil War and the men, from both sides, who engaged here are forever a part of our Nation’s history. Their struggles and their stories must never be forgotten.

Ancestor Information Form

If you had an ancestor who participated in the building of the Fort, was part of the Union Navy Blockade, ran the blockade, fought in the December 1864 and January 1865 battles for Fort Fisher, participated in follow-up operations to control the Cape Fear River, or the capture and occupation of Wilmington, please let us know by completing the form below.

Fill out and submit the form below, or contact us for assistance.  Thank you!

FORT FISHER

FORT FISHER

When the Battle Ended, a New Nation Emerged

Fort Fisher and its defense of the port of Wilmington, North Carolina played a critical role in the Civil War. The Veterans who manned the Union naval blockade or Confederate coastal defenses, sailed on the Blockade Runners, fought in the two campaigns to capture Fort Fisher and the Wilmington port and rail hub, did their duty despite tremendous adversity and their stories are an important part of our Nation’s history. The 150th Anniversary of the Battles at Fort Fisher and the subsequent campaign to capture the Port of Wilmington, North Carolina was commemorated January 17-18, 2015 with over 30,000 citizens attending. North Carolina’s Fort Fisher State Historic Site and the Friends of Fort Fisher created a database of descendants of those veterans, Union and Confederate, in order to provide information on the commemorative anniversary events and conducted a Descendants Reunion on January 15-16, 2015 as a prelude to the Anniversary weekend events.

Helpful Resources

If you are just beginning your search into your Civil War ancestry the following resources may be of help to you.

Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database

This free online database, sponsored by the National Park service, allows you to search the names of those who enlisted in both the Confederate and Union military during the Civil War, as well as provides some basic information on regiments, battles and Civil War cemeteries.

Click Here

The National Archives and Records Administration

Military and pension records can be found at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington DC. Records request forms and additional information can be found online.

Click Here

Fold3

Researching your family history is like putting the pieces of a puzzle together. The more pieces you have, the more complete picture you can create. At Fold3 we want to help you build your family picture by providing you pieces that have never been available on the internet before.

(Paid Subscription Required)

Click Here

American Civil War Research Database

The largest, most in-depth and fully searchable database of
American Civil War soldiers and events.

(Paid Subscription Required)

Click Here

If you can find access in your local library, this series, organized by state, is worth looking into:

The Roster of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865

(Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot Publishing) - A thirty-three volume set that lists all of the men who served in the Union armies by state, regiment and company.

The Roster of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865

(Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot Publishing) - sixteen volume set that lists all of the individuals who served in the southern armies during the war, by state and organization.

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