Confederate Forts at Hatteras
Dare County, Dare County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Confederate Forts. Fort Hatteras and Fort Clark, 2 miles s. west, fell to Union troops on Aug. 29, 1861, after two days of heavy naval bombardment.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
Two miles to the southwest stood Fort Hatteras and Fort Clark, earthen forts guarding the vital inlet where the Atlantic meets Pamlico Sound. On August 29, 1861, after two days of heavy naval bombardment, they surrendered to Union troops. The fall of the Hatteras forts gave the North one of its first victories of the war and a foothold on the Carolina coast.
Why it matters
The capture of these forts opened the Union's amphibious campaign against the North Carolina sounds, an early demonstration of the naval power that would slowly strangle the Confederacy.
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Related events
- · Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries
Themes & tags
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