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280 Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

mington Rifle Guards, to assemble fully armed and equipped
this afternoon” [15th], which orders were promptly obeyed.
On the morning of the 16th the Governor telegraphed Colonel
Cantwell to proceed at once to the forts, “and take possession
of the same in the name of the State of North Carolina. This
measure being one of precaution merely, you will observe strictly

a peaceful policy, and act only on the defensive.” The force
under Colonel Cantwell’s orders moved promptly. It consisted

of the Wilmington Light Infantry, Capt. W. L. DeRosset ; the
German Volunteers, Capt. C. Cornehlson; the Wilmington Rifle

Guards, Capt. O. P. Meares; and the Cape Fear Light Artillery,
Lieut. James M. Stevenson, commanding. At 4 p. m., United
States Ord. Sergt. James Reilly surrendered the post at Fort
Johnston, where Lieutenant Stevenson, with his company, was
left in command. The remainder of the battalion, under Col.
J. L. Cantwell, proceeded to Fort Caswell and took possession
at 6.20 p. m., Sergeant Walker, of the United States Army,
being placed in close confinement in his quarters “in conse-
quence of the discovery of repeated attempts to communicate
with his government.”

Officers and men worked with vigor to mount guns and pre-
pare for defense, and the work never ceased until the fall of Fort
Fisher in 1865, and the necessary abandonment of the defense
of the lower harbor. The Wilmington Light Infantry were soon
after sent to Federal Point, where, in Battery Bolles, they began
the first defensive works, which afterwards grew into Fort
Fisher and its outlying batteries.

Thus was war inaugurated in North Carolina more than a
month prior to the act of secession; and it is a noteworthy fact
that the news of the act dissolving connection with the Union,

and the call upon her sons to arm themselves was first made

known to the pioneer troops of the Cape Fear on the parade
ground at Fort Caswell.

?

The War Between the States

EARLY WAR TIMES.

The day following the fall of Sumter, Maj. W. H. C. Whiting
hastened to Wilmington and by courtesy took command of the
defenses of the Cape Fear. He at once formed a staff, organized
the Quartermaster and Commissary Departments, and assigned
Capt. F. L. Childs, of the old army, to duty as chief of Artil-
lery and Ordnance, and he appointed S. A. Ashe a lieutenant,
and assigned him to duty with Captain Childs. Capt. John C.
Winder, who bore a commission from Governor Ellis as chief
engineer, reported to Major Whiting. So all of the departments
were speedily organized, and the work of preparing for defense
was begun. It was a time of unremitting work.

To command New Inlet, Capt. C. P. Bolles threw up the first
battery on Confederate Point. It was called Battery Bolles.
The Wilmington Light Infantry, Capt W. L. DeRosset, which
had been drilled at the cannon at Caswell, was its first garrison.
The most interesting of these early batteries was a casemate
battery constructed by Captain Winder out of railroad iron and
palmetto logs cut on Smith’s Island. It was located near the
river bank and a short distance higher up than Battery Bolles.
Captain Winder’s plan of defense for Confederate Point em-
braced a strong fortification to command the inlet; and in order
to guard against a land attack there was a redoubt at the head
of the sound, another halfway to the point, and a covered way
was planned from the sound to the point, affording protection
from the guns of the fleet to the riflemen while they should be
engaged with any force that might attempt to land.

Major Whiting was soon promoted to the rank of general and
ordered to Virginia, and Col. S. L. Fremont had general charge
of the Cape Fear. After some months, Colonel Brown of the
Regular Army succeeded Colonel Cantwell. Captain DeRosset
was promoted and ordered to Virginia, and Maj. J. J. Hedrick
had command at Confederate Point. This officer early became
distinguished for energy and efficiency, and was especially re-
markable for his skill in erecting batteries. His work at Con-
federate Point and also at Fort Johnston excited admiration.
In October, 1861, when an attack was expected, Gen. Joseph R.
Anderson, of Richmond, an old West Pointer, was assigned to
the command of the district, and brought with him a full staff
of Virginians. Major Lamb, of Norfolk, was assigned to the

 

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