A Brunswick County Boy, a Flagpole, and the U.S. Navy’s Biggest Guns

A Brunswick County boy, a flagpole, and the U.S. Navy’s biggest guns. ⚓

📍 Fort Fisher sits at Kure Beach, NC — at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, about 20 miles south of Wilmington. That’s where Pvt. Christopher C. Bland, 19, of Shallotte, climbed the bare flagstaff under a storm of naval fire on Christmas Eve 1864 — twice — to raise the battle flag. The deed earned him the Confederate Medal of Honor.

The official citation reads:

“When the garrison flag staff was destroyed in the opening bombardment, orders were given to raise the battle flag on the empty staff at the Mound battery. Private Bland grabbed the flag and finding the halyards unreeved, personally climbed the flag staff and despite a heavy fire of shot and shell from the enemy fleet, fastened the flag. Determined to destroy this staff, the enemy concentrated their guns on the Mound battery, eventually cutting loose the lower end of the flag. Again, Private Bland climbed the staff and at great personal peril, reattached the flag with his necktie where it remained, although torn and rent by shell fragments, until the enemy withdrew.”

Wounded in January, captured, held at Point Lookout, lost a leg to infection. He came home to marry Elizabeth Boyd, raise 13 children, and preach for fifty years — the “peg-leg” preacher of Pitt County. One of only 42 Confederates ever awarded the medal. It sits on display at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site.

Thanks to Bill Bland for sharing this story. (📸 Map graphic AI-generated; second photo is Fort Fisher today.)