Battle of Roanoke Island
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Monument recapping what happened during the battle of Roanoke Island.
Ashby's Harbor where General Burnside landed his Union troops.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
On February 7th, 1862 General Ambrose Burnside landed 10,000 Union troops on Roanoke Island via Ashby Harbor. He met Colonel Henry Shaw and about 2,500 Confederate troops. Soon after the battle began the Confederates began to retreat north via the only road on the island.
Soon after the Confederate retreat reinforcements came but it was too late. The Confederate’s surrendered all of their men and it gave the Union the victory. It was one of the first major victories in the Union in the south.
With the victory at Roanoke Island it gave the Union control of the North Carolina coast and it water ways. By having control of the Albemarle Sound it gave the Union a geographical advantage because they could possibly stage an attack on Richmond from the south. By claiming Roanoke Island and Grants capture of a fortress it Tennessee it gave the Union hope.