LCDR James J. May USN - Joint Operations In The North Carolina Sounds During The Civil War

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Text originally published in 1995 under the same title.

Pickle Partners Publishing 2015, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

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Although in most cases we have retained the Authors original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern readers benefit.

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JOINT OPERATIONS IN THE NORTH CAROLINA SOUNDS DURING THE CIVIL WAR

by

LCDR James J. May, USN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER

ABSTRACT

This study is a historical analysis of Union joint operations that occurred during the American Civil War in northeastern North Carolina. The study begins with a historical overview of joint operations then transitions into the events that occurred in northeastern North Carolina between February 1862 and June 1865.

Joint operations in the sounds began with the assault of Roanoke Island in February 1862. This study documents the Roanoke Island operation and the missions that supported the capture of New Bern, Plymouth and Washington, North Carolina during 1862. Specific emphasis is placed on the difficulties encountered conducting joint riverine warfare in the restricted waters of North Carolina without the benefit of a unified commander.

Although the concept of a unified commander was not utilized in the sounds of North Carolina, this study documents the maturation of the joint relationship that did exist. It further displays how the joint forces overcame the challenges of communications and both natural and manmade obstacles. Overall, this study shows how success in the waters of northeastern North Carolina was dependent on a joint effort but could have been more successful had a unified commander been appointed. Conclusions include present day application and considerations.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure

1. Railroad Lines in Northeast North Carolina in 1862.
2. Union Command Structure in North Carolina in January 1862.
3. Confederate Defenses on Roanoke Island.
4. Approaches to New Bern, North Carolina in 1862.
5. Location of Confederate Forces during siege of Washington.
6. Naval Attack on Plymouth, October 30th, 1864.

LIST OF TABLES

Table

1. Vessels Assigned to the Sounds of North Carolina on March 15, 1862.
2. Vessels Assigned to the Sounds of North Carolina on July 1, 1862.
3. Army Vessels Reassigned to the Sounds in January 1863.
4. Vessels Assigned to the Sounds of North Carolina on June 15, 1864.
5. Vessels Assigned to the Attack of Plymouth on October 29, 1864.
6. Vessels Assigned to the Sounds of North Carolina on January 1, 1865.

CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION

This study is an examination of the joint Army/Navy operations that occurred in the sounds and rivers of northeastern North Carolina during the Civil War. The focus of the thesis is on the planning and execution of the joint operations between February 1862 and the conclusion of the war in June 1865. The goal throughout the thesis is to answer the following primary and supporting questions:

1. How did joint operations develop in the North Carolina sounds and rivers during the Civil War between February 1862 and June 1865?

2. What impact did environment have on joint operations?

3. Did joint planning occur and if so how did it affect the battles in the North Carolina sounds?

4. What effect did individual leaders and communication issues have on the development and success of joint operations?

The battles in this area of operations were greatly affected by the geography of northeastern North Carolina. Configuration of the North Carolina coast presents both ideal opportunities as well as significant challenges to the Army and Navy with respect to conducting joint operations. The North Carolina coast is bounded by a string of barrier islands which creates numerous sounds and provides a natural barrier for defense. Two of the largest sounds include Albemarle Sound and Pamlico Sound. Albemarle Sound in the north provided access to Plymouth, North Carolina through the Roanoke River and to Franklin, Virginia via the Chowan and Blackwater Rivers to the north. The Roanoke River also forms an avenue of approach to a critical railway node in Weldon, North Carolina. From Weldon, the railroad lines extended to Norfolk and Petersburg in the north and to Raleigh, Goldsboro, and Wilmington in the south (see Figure 1). Maintaining control of these lines was crucial to the logistic support of the Confederate Army.

Pamlico Sound, in the central coastal region, provided an avenue of approach to Washington, North Carolina, on the Pamlico River and New Bern on the Neuse River to the south. The Neuse River, during flood stages, provided valuable access to Confederate forces encamped in Kinston and Goldsboro. Goldsboro became a principal objective as the war progressed due to the railroad node located there that connected Goldsboro to Weldon in the north; Raleigh in the west; and Wilmington, New Bern, and Morehead City in the southeast.

Although most of the rivers in the region were navigable, the Chowan and Blackwater Rivers were often narrow, overgrown by trees, and surrounded by high banks. These restrictions were particularly advantageous for the Confederate Army who felled trees across the rivers obstructing the advance of the Union gunboats. Also, felled trees were used to entrap the gunboats once they had passed up river. The combination of the high banks and blocked rivers enabled the Confederate soldiers to ambush the Union gunboats once they were trapped.

Another aspect of the region that greatly affected the Civil War battles was the challenging tidal fluctuations which the Union gunboats had to overcome. Heavy weather from the west often caused unpredictably low water that lasted several days. Furthermore, most of the sounds and their rivers had sand bars limiting the entrance depth to less than six feet. These sand bars shifted with the seasons, posing continual navigational hazards during low tide. Groundings were commonplace in the sounds, making the gunboats vulnerable to attack. As the war progressed, the naval forces eventually gained the necessary experience to overcome this challenge.

Figure 1. Railroad Lines in Northeast North Carolina in 1862.

Source: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War the Rebellion (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1899) Series I, Vol. 8, 698

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