…A Light House And Dwelling House At Federal Point

…A Light House And Dwelling House At Federal Point. Wilmington Port Collector's Office 1837 bid advertisement for second lighthouse. , During the 19th Century, a series of lighthouses at this location aided mariners entering New Inlet. The first lighthouse was completed in 1817, but was destroyed by fire in 1836. Construction on a replacement began the following year, and the lighthouse was completed in 1837., As the Civil War started, North Carolina's governor, John W. Ellis, ordered all coastal light houses to be "destroyed, rendered inoperative, or have their lanterns removed." In spite of the directive, the Federal Point lighthouse continued to serve as a navigational beacon for blockade runners until its demolition in 1863., Col. William Lamb, commander of Fort Fisher, established his headquarters in the light keeper's house, adjacent to the second lighthouse. He decorated his headquarters with a Confederate flag and a British ensign; draped his sword, sash accouterments over the window, and hung a picture of Napoleon over the fireplace mantel., Unfortunately, the Union Navy occasionally used the lighthouse for target practice, prompting Lamb to demolish the structure on January 30, 1863. During the process, Pvt. Alfred Campen was killed when part of the lighthouse fell and crushed him., Colonel Lamb's Headquarters remained in the keeper's house until December 24, 1864, when as Lamb wrote, "the enemy directed the warmest fire at the flag-staff at headquarters until they had cut the flag and staff down and knocked headquarters into a mass of ruins." Colonel Lamb relocated his headquarters to the Pulpit Battery, in time for the second battle on January 13-15, 1865. The final lighthouse was built in 1866 but was destroyed by fire in 1881., This wayside was made possible by The North Carolina Society, Military Order of the Stars and Bars.