Battle of Fort Macon

Other Names: None

Location: Carteret County, North Carolina

Campaign: Burnside's North Carolina Expedition (January-July 1862)

Date: March 23-April 26, 1862

Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. John G. Parke [US]; Lt. Col. Moses J. White [CS]

Forces Engaged: (3,259)[US]; (450)[CS]

Casualties and losses: 31 total (US 7; CS 24)

Result(s): Union victory

Brief Description:

In late March, Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside's army advanced on Fort Macon, a third system casemated masonry fort that commanded the channel to Beaufort, 35 miles southeast of New Berne. The Union force invested the fort with siege works and, on April 26, opened an accurate fire on the fort, which soon breached the masonry walls. Within a few hours the fort's scarp began to collapse, and the Confederates hoisted a white flag. This action demonstrated the inadequacy of masonry forts against large-bore, rifled artillery. The battle had been relatively bloodless, at least by standards that soon would be common in the Civil War. Although the Burnside Expedition had gained notable success at little cost in North Carolina, little was done to exploit it. Wilmington, for example, would seem to have been vulnerable, but it was not attacked until the final days of the war.