General Braxton Bragg might have prevented the Confederate defeat

One of the facts about the battle of Fort Fisher is that General Braxton Bragg might have prevented the Confederate defeat. Confederate Maj. Gen. Whiting despatched a message to neighboring Gen. Braxton Bragg while the fight at the Fort raged, warning him of the perilous situation and pleading for reinforcements. Gen. Bragg, who was deploying his soldiers to protect Wilmington, first chose not to send troops because he did not understand the gravity of the message.

Throughout the three days of warfare, communications begging for help and alerting Gen. Bragg to the dire need for assistance were transmitted to him. Bragg, a controversial figure in history because of his skill as a commander, chose not to take the signals seriously since he believed Fort Fisher to be nearly impenetrable. Smaller reinforcements were dispatched, but he was confident Fort Fisher wouldn't be lost.

On the third day of fighting, Bragg eventually dispatched a small contingent of his soldiers to take over command, but it was already too late. The Confederate forces had already lost the battle and were fleeing when Bragg's men arrived. Then, Bragg was forced to inform Confederate President Jefferson Davis of the loss of the Fort, and he wrote to Davis that he was "mortified" to have to do so.