James W. Verney

Under Fire from Fort Fisher to Wilmington

James W. Verney was born on January 17, 1834, in Bath, Maine. His early life is only lightly documented in surviving military records, but during the American Civil War he entered the United States Navy and eventually served as Chief Quartermaster aboard USS Pontoosuc. His duties placed him at the heart of the Union Navy's final campaign against Wilmington, North Carolina, one of the Confederacy's most important remaining ports.

USS Pontoosuc was a side-wheel gunboat commissioned in May 1864. Equipped with heavy guns and designed for coastal and river operations, she initially served in several assignments before joining the naval blockade off Wilmington late that year. By December 1864, the Union had closed or captured most major Confederate ports, making Wilmington increasingly important to blockade runners carrying supplies into the South.

The entrance to Wilmington was protected by Fort Fisher, a powerful Confederate fortification guarding the New Inlet approach to the Cape Fear River. As long as Fort Fisher remained in Confederate hands, blockade runners could continue reaching Wilmington. Union commanders therefore organized a major joint Army-Navy operation to destroy the fort and close the port.

On December 24, 1864, Pontoosuc joined Rear Admiral David D. Porter's fleet in the first large bombardment of Fort Fisher. Verney was serving as Chief Quartermaster during the attack. A chief quartermaster's responsibilities demanded skill, discipline, and constant attention to the ship's navigation and operation, particularly while maneuvering under fire. During combat, those responsibilities had to be carried out while enemy artillery threatened the vessel and its crew.

The fleet opened a massive bombardment against the Confederate defenses on December 24 and continued the attack on December 25. Although the naval gunfire was intense, the first attempt to capture Fort Fisher failed when the accompanying Army force withdrew without launching a full assault. The Navy remained determined to return.

In January 1865, Pontoosuc again joined the Federal fleet for a second attack. This time Union Army forces under Major General Alfred H. Terry cooperated with Porter's warships. Beginning on January 13, the Navy subjected Fort Fisher to another sustained bombardment while Federal troops landed north of the fort and established positions across the peninsula.

Throughout these operations Verney continued performing his duties aboard Pontoosuc while the vessel operated under combat conditions. The fighting required the ship's crew to maintain effectiveness during prolonged bombardment, maneuvering, and repeated exposure to Confederate fire. His later Medal of Honor citation emphasized not a single isolated moment, but his performance throughout an extended period of dangerous operations.

On January 15, 1865, Union forces launched the decisive assault on Fort Fisher. After fierce fighting, Army troops penetrated the Confederate defenses and captured the fort. Its fall closed the New Inlet entrance and dealt a severe blow to Wilmington's usefulness as a blockade-running port.

The capture of Fort Fisher did not end Verney's combat service. Pontoosuc moved into the Cape Fear River in February as Union forces continued their advance toward Wilmington. The gunboat participated in operations against Fort Anderson, another Confederate defensive position protecting the river approach to the city.

Union naval and land forces steadily forced the Confederates from their remaining defenses. With Fort Fisher lost, Fort Anderson abandoned, and Federal forces advancing from multiple directions, Wilmington could no longer be held. Union troops entered the city on February 22, 1865.

That date marked the end of the period specifically recognized by Verney's Medal of Honor citation. From December 24, 1864, through February 22, 1865, he had served aboard Pontoosuc during the capture of Fort Fisher and Wilmington. His conduct was officially praised for gallantry and skill, as well as for the cool courage he displayed while under enemy fire throughout the various actions.

For this sustained performance in combat, Verney received the Medal of Honor. The award was authorized under General Orders No. 59 on June 22, 1865. Unlike decorations associated with a single dramatic act, Verney's Medal of Honor recognized professional courage maintained across weeks of demanding naval operations. He repeatedly carried out the responsibilities of Chief Quartermaster as his ship took part in one of the final major coastal campaigns of the Civil War.

His award was not posthumous. Verney survived both the Wilmington campaign and the Civil War, living for more than three decades after receiving the nation's highest military decoration for valor. His rank during the recognized actions was Chief Quartermaster, and no higher verified military rank has been established for his profile.

The campaign in which Verney distinguished himself had consequences far beyond the individual engagements in which Pontoosuc participated. Wilmington had served as the Confederacy's last major Atlantic port open to blockade-running traffic. The fall of Fort Fisher and the subsequent capture of Wilmington eliminated that supply route at a moment when Confederate armies were already facing increasingly severe shortages.

Pontoosuc continued operating after Wilmington fell before eventually returning north. The ship was decommissioned at Boston in July 1865, shortly after the Civil War ended. By then, Verney's service during the Fort Fisher and Wilmington operations had already earned formal recognition.

James W. Verney died on November 29, 1902, in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of sixty-eight. He was buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in Dorchester.

His legacy is defined by sustained courage rather than a single instant of battlefield heroism. From the first bombardment of Fort Fisher through the final capture of Wilmington, Verney remained at his post aboard USS Pontoosuc and carried out his duties with skill while repeatedly exposed to enemy fire. His Medal of Honor preserved the Navy's recognition of that steadfast service during a campaign that helped close the Confederacy's final major Atlantic gateway.