![]() Confederate troops built fortified earthworks on the road at the center of the island to defend against a land-based assault. Only one road ran north to south along the length of the island. Brigadier General Henry Wise, the Confederate commander on Roanoke Island, had no formal military training, but he recognized his vulnerable situation, pleading for reinforcements, but never receiving them. Losing Roanoke Island would mean losing all of eastern North Carolina. If the Confederates lost Roanoke Island, it would only be a matter of time before Albemarle Sound, its port cities, and backdoor access to Norfolk would also be lost to the Union. It was vital for Confederates to hold the island. Union forces set their sights on Roanoke Island, the linchpin in North Carolina’s coast, in early 1862. Contemporary depiction of the Union charge at the Battle of Roanoke Island. ![]()
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