Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke (CSA, NC) and most of his division remained at Sugar Loaf from January 12th through February 19th, when he began a "determinedly slow" withdrawal back into Wilmington. Confederate Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (CSA, GA) had requested Maj. Gen. Hoke's assistance in transporting his army via Wilmington to Greensborough—Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's march through South Carolina had forced Lt. Gen. Hardee's evacuation of Charleston three (3) days earlier. Maj. Gen. Hoke believed he could get Lt. Gen. Hardee safely through Wilmington only so long as Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood with the remainder of his division held Town Creek on the other side of the Cape Fear River, and protected the Wilmington & Manchester Railroad. Pressing Maj. Gen. Hoke was Union Maj. Gen. Alfred H. Terry (U.S. Army, Terry's Provisional Corps), marching up Confederate Point with two (2) divisions of infantry and several batteries of field artillery, determined to seize the town of Wilmington, NC.

Brig. Gen. Charles J. Paine's (U.S. Army, XXV Corps, 3rd Division) division with four (4) brigades led the Union advance up Federal Point Road [During the war, this peninsula was called Confederate Point by locals and all Southerners, even though officially it was called Federal Point.], skirmishing with Confederate Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (CSA, NC) rear guard in an almost continuous running fight. "The firing of the Johnnies was... desultory and purposeless, and our columns moved gaily on to the music of the dropping shots," wrote one Union rifleman. The march was also slowed due to the Carolina Bays—pocosins (lowland swamps) of briars, pond pines, and evergreen shrubs.

Maj. Gen. Terry's large column halted for a brief rest along Federal Point Road about halfway between Sugar Loaf and Wilmington. A Union corporal requested permission to leave the line and visit a house on the side of the road. When asked why, he replied that it was his boyhood home. His commander gave his consent and the corporal "soon clasped in the arms of his overjoyed mother. She said, 'your brother was here yesterday; he stopped by as the Confederates marched past.'" This man was most likely Cpl. Jacob Horne, whose brother was Cpl. Hosea Horne in Capt. Thomas J. Southerland's "Wilmington Horse Artillery" (10th NC Regiment, 2nd Company I). The mother was likely Katherine Lanier Horne.

Just up the road, the Confederates were strongly entrenched at Forks Road. Their breastworks—revetted with Carolina heart pine logs—straddled Federal Point Road. Capt. Thomas J. Southerland's battery of five (5) 6-pounder cannon and one (1) 12-pounder gun covered the road, while Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Clingman's 900-man brigade, consisting of the 8th NC Regiment, the 51st NC Regiment, and the 61st NC Regiment, commanded by Col. William S. DeVane (61st NC Regiment) since Brig. Gen. Clingman was still recuperating from his wounds, manned the entrenchments.

At 3:00 p.m. on February 20th, the Union vanguard appeared on the Confederates' front line. The rebel pickets scurried to their main works as Brig. Gen. Paine's skirmishers marched into view. Shells and small arms fire erupted on the Union forces coming their way. According to Brig. Gen. Charles J. Paine (U.S. Army, XXV Corps), "The enemy's fire along our whole front was found to be that of a single rank or a little more, and his artillery fire was from six or seven guns." This convinced Maj. Gen. Terry that the enemy's works could be carried by frontal assault and he ordered Brig. Gen. Paine to attack. Brig. Gen. Paine ordered Col. Elias Wright and his 3rd Brigade forward and they maded it to within 150 yards before being driven back by "strong resistance."

Confederate Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Clingman's (NC) brigade, led by Col. William S. DeVane fired continuous volleys of musketry, while Capt. Thomas J. Southerland's "Wilmington Horse Artillery" followed with barrages of iron case shot. This caused substantial Union casualties—one officer and one man killed, three (3) officers wounded, including Col. Wright and his Aide-de-Camp, plus forty-eight (48) enlisted men were wounded, six (6) by the explosion of a single 6-pound artillery shell.

The rebels' obstinate defense convinced Maj. Gen. Terry that Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke (CSA, NC) meant to contest any further advance on Wilmington. He ordered his forces to throw up a line of breastworks. Although no further Union attacks were made, sharpshooting continued to crackle between the two enemies for about another thirty-six (36) hours.

Meanwhile, as the Union armies marched and skirmished on both sides of the Cape Fear River—Maj. Gen. Jacob D. Cox (U.S. Army) chasing Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood (CSA, SC) on the other side of the river; Maj. Gen. Alfred H. Terry (U.S. Army) attacking Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke (CSA, NC) on this side of the river—Rear Admiral David D. Porter (U.S. Navy, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron) ordered part of his fleet upriver. About 10:00 a.m. on February 20th, the U.S.S. Sassacus and the U.S.S. Lenapee led the flotilla upstream to engage the Confederate river batteries, as shown above. Their advance was slow because the channel was narrow and shallow, and in many places the Confederates had sunk obstructions to block their paths. Some ships struck bottom; the U.S.S. Montauk could not get past Campbell Island. Unlike earlier engagements (Fort Fisher and Fort Anderson), the Union navy could provide no support to the Union army forces because they were too far inland, well beyond the range of Rear Admiral Porter's gunboats.

Unable to assist Maj. Gen. Alfred H. Terry during this engagement at Forks Road below Wilmington, Rear Admiral Porter decided to concentrate his assets' fire on the four (4) river batteries on the eastern shore of the Cape Fear River—Fort Meares, Fort Campbell, Fort Lee and Fort Davis—collectively known as "Fort Strong" to the Union forces. The battle began at 3:00 p.m. on the afternoon of February 20th, with continuous firing from both sides for about three (3) hours. One Union sailor asserted that the gunboats fired eight to ten (8-10) shots at the shore batteries every minute. However, they were unable to silence the defiant Confederate artillery atop the high bluffs. The U.S.S. Sassacus was hit multiple times and she began to leak badly; gun crews had to cease firing to help bail water to keep her from sinking. The battle raged until dark with neither side gaining any significant advantage.

After all of this, General Braxton Bragg (CSA) sent word to Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (CSA, GA) to NOT come to Wilmington, instead he was to go to Cheraw, SC.

+ After the skirmish at Sugar Loaf on February 11th, his brigade constructed a line of earthworks and occupied them until the morning of February 19th, when the Confederates withdrew; his men moved into the enemy's existing breastworks. Maj. Gen. Alfred H. Terry then ordered him to follow the rebels, and his men then moved up the Telegraph Road towards Wilmington, which was unopposed on that day.
+ On February 20th, he reported a brisk skirmish with the Confederates. About 3:00 p.m. that afternoon, his brigade came upon a well-manned earth-work about five (5) miles below the town of Wilmington. He lost 1 officer and 1 man killed, and 3 officers and 48 men wounded, including Col. Elias Wright. He threw up a line of entrenchments on the south side of Telegraph Road. The Confederates evacuated their earthworks the next day.

Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke — Commanding Officer,

Hoke's Division — Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke,
Maj. John W. Moore (3rd NC Battalion-Light Artillery),
1st Lt. George L. Washington — Aide-de-Camp,

Clingman's Brigade — Col. William S. DeVane,

8th NC Regiment — Lt. Col. Rufus A. Barrier,
Company A — Capt. Daniel A. Sawyer,
Company B — "Shaw Guards" — Capt. Thomas J. Jarvis,
Company C — Sgt. Nathan D.D. May,
Company D — 2nd Lt. James C. Cooper,
Company E — "Manchester Guards" — 1st Lt. Benjamin R. Hargrove,
Company F — Capt. John E. Dugger,
Company G — "General Bragg Guards" — Capt. Amos J. Hines,
Company H — Capt. Jonas Cook,
Company I — Capt. Junius N. Ramsay,
Company K — Capt. Pinkney A. Kennerly,

31st NC Regiment — Lt. Col. Charles W. Knight,
Adjutant Edward K. Bryan,
Company A — 1st Lt. William R. Freeman,
Company B — "O.K. Boys" — 3rd Lt. Joseph W. Allison,
Company C — "Chalybeate Guards" — Capt. William J. Long,
Company D — Capt. Ruffin L. Bryant,
Company E — Capt. Julius F. Allison,
Company F — 2nd Lt. Arthur B. Knight,
Company G — Sgt. C.C. Furguson,
Company H — Capt. John W. Smith,
Company I — "Cape Fear Boys" — 1st Lt. Edmund J. Williams,
Company K — Capt. Joseph Whitty,

51st NC Regiment — Capt. James W. Lippitt,
Company A — Capt. Edward Southerland,
Company B — "Warsaw Sampsons" — Capt. Thomas J. Herring,
Company C — "Duplin Stars" — Capt. Edward Watson,
Company D — "Scotch Tigers" — 1st Lt. Hector McEachern,
Company E — "Clay Valley Rangers" — 3rd Lt. Hiram V. Houston,
Company F — "Ashpole True Boys" — Capt. William S. Norment,
Company G — 1st Lt. Jacob A. Evans,
Company H — "Columbus Light Infantry" — Capt. Samuel W. Maultsby,
Company I — 2nd Lt. Charles T. Guy,
Company K — "Confederate Stars" — 3rd Lt. Eli Dudley, Jr.,

61st NC Regiment — Lt. Col. Edward B. Mallett,
Adjutant John W. Mallett,
Company A — "DeVane's Company" — 3rd Lt. Francis M. Carroll,
Company B — "Harding's Company" — 2nd Lt. John T. Wilkinson,
Company C — "Neuse Guards" — Capt. Samuel S. Biddle, Jr.,
Company D — "Vance Guards" — Capt. Nathan A. Ramsey,
Company E — "Eastern Stars" — 3rd Lt. Henry H. Rasberry,
Company F — "Trio Guards" — 2nd Lt. John B. Belcher,
Company G — "Moore's Company" — Capt. Augustus D. Lippitt,
Company H — "Hill Guards" — Capt. John D. Biggs, Sr.,
Company I — "Alleghany Rangers" — Capt. George Grimsley,
Company K — "Koonce's State Guerrillas" — Capt. Stephen W. Noble,

Colquitt's Brigade — Brig. Gen. Alfred H. Colquitt,
Lt. Hugh H. Colquitt — Aide-de-Camp,
Lt. Harry Estill — Ordnance Officer,

6th GA Regiment — Col. John T. Lofton,
19th GA Regiment — Col. James H. Neal,
23rd GA Regiment — Col. Marcus R. Ballenger,
27th GA Regiment — Capt. Elisha D. Graham,
28th GA Regiment — Capt. John A. Johnson,

Kirkland's Brigade — Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland (NC),
Acting Assistant Adjutant & Inspector General (Maj.) Lucius J. Johnson,
Assistant Adjutant General (Capt.) Charles G. Elliott,
Aide-de-Camp (Lt.) Albert Stoddard,

17th NC Regiment (State Troops) — Col. William F. Martin,
Lt. Col. Thomas H. Sharp,
Maj. Lucius J. Johnson,
Company A — "Roanoke Guards" — Capt. William Biggs,
Company B — "Stonewall Rifles" — 1st Lt. James H. Wahab,
Company C — "Hertford Light Infantry" — Capt. Lewis F. Everett,
Company D — Capt. Norman L. Shaw,
Company E — Capt. John L. Swain,
Company F — Capt. George B. Daniel,
Company G — "Morris Guards" — Capt. Thomas J. Norman,
Company H — "Liberty Guards" — Capt. Stuart L. Johnston,
Company I — Capt. William H. Powell,
Company K — "Tar River Boys" — Capt. Howard Wiswall, Jr.,
Company L — "John Harvey Guards" — Capt. Thomas H. Gilliam,

42nd NC Regiment (State Troops) — Col. John E. Brown,
Lt. Col. Charles W. Bradshaw,
Maj. Thomas J. Brown,
Company A — 2nd Lt. Alpheus E. Siceliff,
2nd Company B — Capt. James R. Crawford,
Company C — Capt. Robert A. Carter,
Company D — 3rd Lt. A.M. Foster,
Company E — Capt. Spencer J. Hanes,
Company F — Capt. Wiley A. Clement,
Company G — Capt. James A. Blackwelder,
Company H — Capt. Jackson M. Hartsell,
Company I — Capt. Thomas W. Redwine,
Company K — Capt. Sydenham B. Alexander,

66th NC Regiment (State Troops) — Col. John H. Nethercutt,
Lt. Col. Clement G. Wright,
Maj. David S. Davis,
Adjutant George M. Rose,
Company A — "The Orange Boys" — 2nd Lt. George B. Pearce,
Company B — Capt. Winfield S. Mitchell,
Company C — 2nd Lt. James Wilkins,
Company D — Capt. Windal T. Robinson,
Company E — "Cockade Rifles" — 3rd Lt. John Hall,
Company F — 1st Lt. Samuel S. Carter,
Company G — "The Rough & Readys" — 1st Lt. William C. Brandon,
Company H — 1st Lt. Willis W. Cherry,
Company I — Capt. Jesse P. Williams,
Company K — 1st Lt. Alvin Bagley,

10th NC Regiment (1st Artillery) Detachment:
2nd Company I — "Wilmington Horse Artillery" — Capt. Thomas J. Southerland.

Cape Fear River Batteries — Col. Peter C. Gaillard (SC),

Fort Meares Garrison — Led by Unknown,
Capt. William R. Bass's Independent Company,

Fort Campbell Garrison — Led by Unknown,
Capt. William R. Bass's Independent Company,

Fort Lee Garrison — Led by Unknown,
Capt. William R. Bass's Independent Company,

Fort Davis Garrison — Led by Unknown,
Capt. William R. Bass's Independent Company.

Maj. Gen. Alfred H. Terry — Commanding Officer,

Terry's Provisional Corps — Maj. Gen. Alfred H. Terry,
Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Hawley — Chief of Staff,
Lt. Col. Cyrus B. Comstock — Engineering Advisor,
Assistant Adjutant General (Maj.) Adrian Terry,
Col. George S. Dodge — Chief Quartermaster,

2nd Division (XXIV Corps) — Bvt. Maj. Gen. Adelbert Ames,
Assistant Adjutant General (Capt.) Charles A. Carleton,
Acting Aide-de-Camp (Capt.) A.G. Lawrence,
Aide-de-Camp (Capt.) H.C. Lockwood,
Acting Assistant Inspector General (Capt.) R.W. Dawson,
Provost Marshal (Capt.) J.S. Mathews,
Mustering Officer (Capt.) B.B. Keeler,

1st Brigade — Col. Rufus Daggett,
3rd NY Infantry —
112th NY Infantry —
117th NY Infantry —
142nd NY Infantry — Lt. Col. Albert M. Barney,

2nd Brigade — Maj. Oliver P. Harding,
47th NY Infantry — Capt. Joseph M. McDonald,
48th NY Infantry —
76th PA Infantry —
97th PA Infantry —
203rd PA Infantry —

3rd Brigade — Lt. Col. Nathan J. Johnson,
13th IN Infantry — Lt. Col. Samuel M. Zent,
9th ME Infantry —
4th NH Infantry — Capt. John H. Roberts,
115th NY Infantry —
169th NY Infantry — Col. Alonzo Alden,

Artillery: — Bvt. Brig. Gen. Henry L. Abbott,

1st CT Heavy Artillery Detachment — Capt. William G. Pride,
Company B —
Company G —
Company L —

16th Independent Battery, NY Light Artillery — Capt. Richard H. Lee,

2nd PA Heavy Artillery Detachment —
Company A —

Engineers:

15th NY Engineers Detachment — Lt. Keefe Samuel O'Keefe,
Company A —
Company I —

3rd Division (XXV Corps) — Brig. Gen. Charles J. Paine,

1st Brigade — Col. Delevan Bates,
107th U.S. Colored Infantry —
Other Regiments Dispersed Throughout this Division,

2nd Brigade — Col. John W. Ames,
4th U.S. Colored Infantry — Lt. Col. George Rogers,
6th U.S. Colored Infantry — Maj. Augustus S. Boernstein,
30th U.S. Colored Infantry — Lt. Col. Hiram A. Oakman,
39th U.S. Colored Infantry — Col. Ozora P. Stearns,

3rd Brigade — Col. Elias Wright (wounded),
1st U.S. Colored Infantry — Lt. Col. Giles H. Rich,
5th U.S. Colored Infantry — Maj. William R. Brazie,
10th U.S. Colored Infantry — Lt. Col. Edward H. Powell,
27th U.S. Colored Infantry — Bvt. Brig. Gen. Albert M. Blackman,
37th U.S. Colored Infantry — Col. Nathan Goff, Jr.,
Battery E, 3rd U.S. Artillery — Lt. John Myrick,

1st Division (XXIV Corps), 2nd Brigade — Bvt. BG Joseph C. Abbott,
Assistant Adjutant General (Capt.) E. Lewis Moore,
6th CT Infantry — Col. Alfred P. Rockwell,
7th CT Infantry —
3rd NH Infantry — Capt. William H. Trickey,
7th NH Infantry — Lt. Col. Augustus W. Rollins,
16th NY Heavy Artillery Detachment — Maj. Frederick W. Prince,

U.S. Navy, North Atlantic Blockading Squadron — Rear Admiral David D. Porter,

Flagship U.S.S. Malvern — Ensign William C. Wise,

Known Participants:

U.S.S. Montauk — Lt. Cdr. Edward E. Stone,
U.S.S. Sassacus — Lt. Cdr. John L. Davis,
U.S.S. Lenapee — Lt. Cdr. John S. Barnes,

In Cape Fear River (Unclear if They Participated or Not):

U.S.S. Chippewa — Lt. Cdr. Edward E. Potter,
U.S.S. Huron — Lt. Cdr. Thomas O. Selfridge, Jr.,
U.S.S. Kansas — Lt. Cdr. Pendleton G. Watmough,
U.S.S. Little Ada — Acting Master Samuel P. Crafts,
U.S.S. Mackinaw — Capt. John C. Beaumont,
U.S.S. Maratanza — Lt. Cdr. George W. Young,
U.S.S. Nyack — Lt. Cdr. L.Howard Newman,
U.S.S. Nansemond — Acting Master James H. Porter,
U.S.S. Osceola — Cdr. John B.M. Clitz,
U.S.S. Pequot — Lt. Cdr. Daniel L. Braine,
U.S.S. Pawtuxent — Cdr. James H. Spotts,
U.S.S. Pontoosuc — Lt. Cdr. William G. Temple,
U.S.S. Republic — Acting Ensign J.W. Bennett,
U.S.S. Seneca — Lt. Cdr. Montgomery Sicard,
U.S.S. Shawmut — Lt. Cdr. J.G. Walker,
U.S.S. Unadilla — Lt. Cdr. Frank M. Ramsay,
U.S.S. Wilderness — Acting Master Henry Arey.

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The Wilmington Campaign - Last Rays of Departing Hope, Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr., P.389, PP.394-400.

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume XLVII, Part I, P.925.

https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/battle-of-forks-road/