Kure Beach in New Hanover County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Columbiad Battery

Photographed by Evan Dwyer, January 24, 2025

1. The Columbiad Battery Marker

Inscription.

The Columbiad Battery. . Fort Fisher's six-gun Columbiad Battery once stood stood [SIC - error is on the marker] directly in front of you. Construction of the battery began in 1863, and it was one fo the last built on the sea face. It contained four eight-inch Columbiad smoothbore guns and two seven-inch Brooke rifles salvaged from the CSS Raleigh in 1864. In addition to the guns and ammunition magazine, the battery also housed a hot shot furnace., During the Christmas 1864 battle, the Confederate army and navy shared command of the Columbiad Battery. First Lt. Daniel R. Perry commanded the four Columbiads. Lt. Francis Roby of the CSS Chickamauga, with a detachment of 29 officers and men, crewed the Brooke rifles. On Christmas Eve, the Brooke rifles fired a combined 23 shots, but on the following day, one gun blew up on its third discharge and the other on its eighth. More than half the gun crew were wounded, several severely, and at least one mortally., In early January 1865, artillerists made repairs to the Columbia battery. The damaged Brooke rifles were replaced, but two of the eight-inch Columbiads that had been rendered unserviceable during the Christmas bombardment were not. To deter the Union advance inside the fort during the second battle, Colonel Lamb had the two functioning Columbiads traversed to fire into the interior of the fort: "Giving orders to dispute any advance, I went rapidly down the sea-face and turned the two mound guns and two Columbiads on this column in the fort.", (captions) , Weeks after the battle, when photographer Timothy O'Sullivan captured this image, the two Columbiads remained traversed on the interior of the fort., Passed Midshipman Clarence Cary, "At 2:30 p.m. gun No. 1 commanded by Passed Midshipman Clarence Cary, burst at the third discharge, disabling the carriage and wounding several men. At about 4 p.m. gun No. 2, commanded by Passed Midshipman [Thomas M.] Berrien, burst at the eighth discharge." Lt. Francis Roby, Watercolor of Columbiad Battery after the battle, from sailor-artist John Grattan's book Under the Blue Pennant, Sponsored by the Laird Family , Paul, Kay, Ben, Matt and Heather

Fort Fisher's six-gun Columbiad Battery once stood stood [SIC - error is on the marker] directly in front of you. Construction of the battery began in 1863, and it was one fo the last built on the sea face. It contained four eight-inch Columbiad smoothbore guns and two seven-inch Brooke rifles salvaged from the CSS Raleigh in 1864. In addition to the guns and ammunition magazine, the battery also housed a hot shot furnace.

During the Christmas 1864 battle, the Confederate army and navy shared command of the Columbiad Battery. First Lt. Daniel R. Perry commanded the four Columbiads. Lt. Francis Roby of the CSS Chickamauga, with a detachment of 29 officers and men, crewed the Brooke rifles. On Christmas Eve, the Brooke rifles fired a combined 23 shots, but on the following day, one gun blew up on its third discharge and the other on its eighth. More than half the gun crew were wounded, several severely, and at least one mortally.

In early January 1865, artillerists made repairs to the Columbia battery. The damaged Brooke rifles were replaced, but two of the eight-inch Columbiads that had been rendered unserviceable during the Christmas bombardment were not. To deter the Union advance inside the fort during the second battle, Colonel Lamb had the two functioning Columbiads traversed to fire into the interior

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of the fort: "Giving orders to dispute any advance, I went rapidly down the sea-face and turned the two mound guns and two Columbiads on this column in the fort."

(captions)
Weeks after the battle, when photographer Timothy O'Sullivan captured this image, the two Columbiads remained traversed on the interior of the fort.

Passed Midshipman Clarence Cary

"At 2:30 p.m. gun No. 1 commanded by Passed Midshipman Clarence Cary, burst at the third discharge, disabling the carriage and wounding several men. At about 4 p.m. gun No. 2, commanded by Passed Midshipman [Thomas M.] Berrien, burst at the eighth discharge." Lt. Francis Roby

Watercolor of Columbiad Battery after the battle, from sailor-artist John Grattan's book Under the Blue Pennant

Sponsored by the Laird Family
Paul, Kay, Ben, Matt & Heather

Erected by Friends of Fort Fisher.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is January 15, 1865.

Location. 33° 58.099′ N, 77° 55.12′ W. Marker is in Kure Beach, North Carolina, in New Hanover County. It is at the intersection of Battle Acre Road and Fort Fisher Boulevard South (U.S. 421), on the left when traveling

Photographed by Evan Dwyer, January 24, 2025

2. The Columbiad Battery Marker

Beyond the marker is the ocean - also where the Columbiad Battery used to be before erosion and storms took their toll on the earthen structure.

west on Battle Acre Road. Marker is on the beach trail between the Battle Acre Driving Stop parking lot and the rock buffer by the ocean. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Kure Beach NC 28449, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain and on the Cape Fear Coast.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: "How Grand a Fame It Watches Over": The Fort Fisher Monument (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Headquarters of Fort Fisher (about 400 feet away); Fort Fisher Monument (about 400 feet away); …A Light House And Dwelling House At Federal Point (about 400 feet away); Fort Fisher (about 600 feet away); W.H.C. Whiting (about 600 feet away); a different marker also named Fort Fisher (approx. 0.2 miles away); Our Occupation Of The Fort, Was Not Equivalent To Its Possession. (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kure Beach.

Other markers no longer nearby. Fighting the Sea - Saving the Fort (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing); Blockade-Running (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing); Fort Fisher Since 1865 (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Additional commentary.
1. 2015 Series of Markers
The following markers were placed at Fort Fisher State Historic Site on the site walking

The Columbiad Battery vs. Erosion image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Evan Dwyer, January 25, 2025

3. The Columbiad Battery vs. Erosion

This graphic from inside the Visitor Center shows how erosion wiped out Columbiad Battery.

trail as part of the 150th Anniversary of the battles in 2015:

278788
278793
278799
278843
278848
278856
278903
278907
278909
278913
278919
278923
278926
278936

A marker in the same style (278761) was placed at the Fort Fisher monument at Battle Acre in 2017. Three other markers outside of the site history trail (278940, 278774, and 278764) are all the same styling and may also be part of the 2015 re-signing effort.

— Submitted July 17, 2025, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 7, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 17, 2025, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 117 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 17, 2025, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.