directed them to flank the enemy on either side of the swamp-the abatis proving at most places impassable; and it was resolved to charge over the causeway directly in front. This was done by the 9th New York (Zouaves), Col. Rush C. Hawkins, the 51st, Col. Edward Ferrero, the 23d Massachusetts, Col. John Kurtz, and 21st, Lt.-Col. A. C. Maggi. The 25th and 27th Massachusetts, and 10th Connecticut, Col. Russell, were honorably distinguished in the attack. Col. R. was killed; as was Lt.Col. Viguier de Monteuil, 53d New York, who was serving as a volunteer with Hawkins's Zouaves. Lying down to receive a fire of grape from the Rebel batteries, part of the 51st New York, with Hawkins's Zouaves and the 21st Massachusetts, instantly rose and rushed over the Rebel breastworks, chasing out their defenders and following them in their retreat; securing, by their impetuosity, the capture of the larger number, as no time was given for their escape from the Island. Their loss in killed and wounded was but 55; but among the former were Capt. O. J. Wise, son of the General, and other valuable officers; while their loss in prisoners was not far from 2,700, including Cols. Shaw and Jordan, Lt.-Cols. Fowle and Price, Majors Hill, Yates, and Williamson. Our loss in the bombardment and assault was about 50 killed and 250 wounded. All the cannon, small arms, munitions, provisions, etc., on the Island, were among the spoils of victory. Com. Rowan, with 14 gunboats, was dispatched next evening up Albemarle Sound and Pasquotank river in pursuit of the Rebel gun Feb. 19. boats. He found them, 7 in number, at Elizabeth City; where, after a smart fight, they were set on fire by their crews and abandoned. One of them was captured, the others destroyed. The city itself was likewise set on fire, and in good part destroyed. Four of the gunboats were sent thence to Edenton, on the west end of Albemarle Sound, where eight cannon and a schooner were destroyed, and two schooners, with 4,000 bushels of corn, captured. Com. Rowan's flotilla next moved" five miles up the Chowan river to Winton, Hereford county, upon assurances that its citizens wished to return to and be protected by the Union. Their reception was even warmer than they had expected. On reaching the town, they were saluted by a hailstorm of bullets, which con- . strained them to fall down the river for the night; returning next morning, the village was shelled by them until abandoned, and then burnt. Gen. Burnside next concentrated his forces at Hatteras Inlet, for an attack on NEWBERN, at the junction of the Neuse and Trent rivers, near Pamlico Sound, and the most important seaport of North Carolina. Com. Goldsborough having been relieved, Commander Rowan directed the fleet. Leaving Hatteras in the morning,' the expedition came to about sunset at Slocum's creek, on the south side of the river, 18 miles below Newbern, where a landing was effected next morning, and the troops pushed forward, so fast as ready, to within a mile and a half of the Rebel defenses; the gunboats moving up the river in advance of the troops, and shelling the road BURNSIDE ADVANCES UPON NEWBERN. 77 whereon they marched. No resist- | ble swamp which connects Newbern ance was encountered by land; but with Morehead City, with a battery the fleet found the channel of the of 13 heavy guns next the river, Neuse obstructed, half way up, by several redoubts, all of them well 24 vessels sunk in the channel, sev-mounted, 3 batteries of field artileral torpedoes, and a number of iron- lery, and 8 regiments of infantry, pointed spars firmly planted in the numbering about 5,000 men, combed and inclined down stream, under manded by Gen. Louis O'B. Branch. water, after the manner of the snags Our guns were few and light, beof the Mississippi. These obstruc- cause of the difficulty of landing and tions were speedily removed or sur- dragging heavier. mounted; while two or three batteries along the bank were successively silenced by a few shots from our flagship Delaware. The fleet halted for the night nearly abreast of the army; which had had a hard day's work, dragging its guns through the deep clay of the roads, sodden with several days' rain; and the men sank on the ground at night around their pitchpine fires to enjoy a drenching from the freshly pouring skies. A dense fog covered land and water next morning," as our fleet, having safely passed the obstructions, steamed up past Forts Thompson and Ellis; which, after firing a few shots, were hastily evacuated, a shell from one of the gunboats having exploded the magazine of the latter. Fort Lane, the last and strongest defense of Newbern on the water, was more carefully approached, in expectation of a sanguinary struggle; but it had by this time been likewise evacuated, in deference to the successes of our army; and.our fleet steamed directly up to the wharves, shelling the dépôt and track whereby the Rebels were escaping from the city. GOLDSBORO NEWBERN TRENT BATTLE FORTIFIED CAMP BRANCH BATTERIES OF COTTON BALES BR.BR ROAD KFT.LANE FT.ELLIS FT. BROWN SUNKEN SHIPS.TORPEDOES FT.THOMPSON FT.DIXI CAMP SLOCUMS CR LANDING POINT NEWBERN. Gen. Burnside was on the alert at 6 A. M., and by 7 had his forces in motion. Moving up to within short range of the enemy's intrenchments, The Rebel defenses consisted of a his men were formed in order of batwell constructed breastwork, running tle, and opened fire along their ena mile and a half from the Neuse tire front; the ground being swampy across the railroad to an impenetra- on the left, and elsewhere cut up by 10 Sunday, March 14. L&C. gullies and ravines which opened | Rebel battery in his front, called up toward the enemy, affording no protection from his fire. The naval battery was in our center, Gen. Reno's brigade on the right, Gen. Parke's in the center, and Gen. Foster's on the left; and the regiments most effective at Roanoke were all honorably distinguished here, as were the 4th and 5th Rhode Island, the 8th and 11th Connecticut, 9th New Jersey, and 51st Pennsylvania. There was, of course, a great disparity of numbers -probably three to one-but this was in effect a contest wherein infantry were required to charge and carry strong intrenchments, well provided with artillery. The loss was naturally much the greater on our side. Af ter an hour's sharp fighting, the 21st Massachusetts, Col. Clark, accompanied by Gen. Reno, was ordered forward on a double-quick, and went over the Rebel breast works. It was immediately charged by two Rebel regiments, and repulsed; when Capt. Fraser, being wounded, was taken prisoner, but soon captured his guard and escaped. The 4th Rhode Island, disliking its position in front of a Rebel battery of 5 guns, well backed by a fire from rifle-pits, next attempted a charge, and carried the battery at double-quick; finding an entrance between a brick-yard and the parapet. Once inside, the Colonel formed his right wing in line, and charged down upon the guns at full speed, capturing the entire battery, routing its supports, and planting his flag on the parapet. The 5th Rhode Island and 8th and 11th Connecticut immediately rushing up, our triumph at that point was secure. Gen. Reno, on our right, seeing that he was losing heavily from the his reserve regiment, the 51st Pennsylvania, Col. Hartranft, and ordered a charge, in which the 21st and 24th Massachusetts, 51st New York, and 9th New Jersey participated. Its success was complete; and the whole line of Rebel works was very soon in our hands. The enemy were now in full flight; and Gen. Burnside ordered an advance on their track, which was led by Gen. Foster; but the speed of the fugitives was inimitable, and, when our van reached the bank of the Trent, opposite Newbern, they found that city on fire in seven different places; the splendid railroad bridge over the Trent a sheet of flame, having been fired by a scow-load of turpentine, drifted against it; and the Rebel troops, with all the locomotives and cars in and about Newbern, on their way inland toward Goldsboro'. The wind suddenly lulling, the fires were soon extinguished by sailors from our fleet; but the railroad bridge, market-house, and about a dozen other structures, were burned. Our captures at the Rebel intrenchments and in the city included 69 cannon, two steamboats, large quantities of munitions and stores, with some 500 prisoners. Our total loss was about 100 killed and 500 wounded: the former including Lt.-Col. Henry Merritt, 23d Massachusetts, Adjt. Frazer A. Stearns, of the 21st, Maj. Charles W. Le Gendre and Capt. D. R. Johnson, of the 51st, and Capt. Charles Tillinghast, of the 4th Rhode Island. The Rebel loss, beside prisoners, hardly exceeded 200, including Maj. Carmichael, killed, and Col. Avery, captured. Gen. Burnside, having undisturbed FORT MACON TAKEN-FIGHT NEAR SOUTH MILLS. 79 public. Meantime, Washington, Plymouth, and some other towns on the coast, were quietly occupied by our forces, which ascended the Chowan river without serious resistance so far as Wilton. possession of Newbern, sent Gen. | Rebels, was repossessed by the ReParke" with his brigade, 3,500 strong, south westward to the coast, where he occupied" Morehead City without resistance; as also the more important village of Beaufort, across the inlet known as Newport river; and proceeded to invest FORT MACON, a regular fortress of great cost and Gen. Reno was dispatched by strength, seized by Gov. Ellis before Gen. Burnside from Newbern to the secession of the State." This Roanoke Island, whence his brigade work stands on an island, or rather was conveyed up Albemarle Sound ocean sand-bank, whence it looks off to within three miles of Elizabeth on the broad Atlantic, and com- City, where it was disembarked mands the entrance to the Newport during the night" and pushed northriver. It is approached from the ward, with intent to intercept a land with much difficulty, but was Rebel force known to be about leavsoon invested, and a regular siege ing Elizabeth City for Norfolk; but commenced," its pickets driven in, Col. Hawkins of the 9th New York and a good position for siege-guns (Zouaves), who had the advance, obtained within fair distance, while mistook his road, and marched ten the fleet menaced it on the side of miles out of the way; so that, on the ocean. All being at length in retracing his steps, and gaining the readiness, fire was opened" from a right road, his men were intensely breaching battery at 1,100 feet dis- fatigued, and he in the rear of the tance, with flanking mortars behind main column. The anticipated sursand-banks at 1,400 yards; the fleet prise proved a failure; and, at a also, consisting of three gunboats point nearly 20 miles inland, within and a bark, steamed around in a a mile and a half of SOUTH MILLS, circle, after the fashion inaugurated our weary, overmarched men, who by Dupont at Port Royal, and fired had been nearly 24 hours on their as they severally came opposite the feet, were confronted by a less nufort, until the roughness of the sea merous Rebel force, very strongly compelled them to desist. The land posted in woods flanked by swamps, batteries were kept at work until and with a large clearing in their late in the afternoon; when, 7 of the front; upon entering which, they garrison being killed, 18 wounded, were saluted by a fire of grape, well and most of the available guns dis- supported by musketry, whereby a mounted, Col. White raised the white gallant but rashly ordered charge of flag, and next morning surrendered the Zouaves was repulsed with conhis garrison of 500 men, with the siderable loss. The position was fort and all it contained. Fort Ma- soon flanked by our superior numcon was among the first of the im- bers, and the Rebels compelled to portant fortresses of the old Union, draw off, leaving nothing on the which, having been seized by the field but a very few dead and March 20. 12 March 23. 13 See Vol. I., p. 411. 1 April 11. April 25. April 19. 16 wounded. We lost 15 killed, inclu- | capture three Rebel regiments who ding Adjutant Gadsden, of the Zouaves, and 98 wounded, which was probably more than the loss of the Rebels. Gen. Reno gave his men six hours' much needed rest on the battle-field, and then returned to his boats, being under peremptory orders to do so. He was obliged to leave behind 14 of his more severely wounded. As Camden Court House was the only village traversed by Gen. Reno on his advance, this engagement has been sometimes designated the battle of Camden. By this time, Burnside's division, which had at no time exceeded 15,000 men, had become so widely dispersed, and had so many important points to guard, that its offensive efficiency was destroyed; and very little more of moment occurred in his department, until he was ordered by telegraph from Washington" to hasten with all the force he could collect to Fortress Monroe, where he arrived three days afterward. Gen. Foster was left in command of the department of North Carolina, with a force barely sufficient to hold the important positions left him by Gen. Burnside, until late in the Autumn, when, having been considerably rëenforced by new regiments, mainly from Massachusetts, he resolved to assume the offensive. He led one expedition from Washington," through Williamston to Hamilton, on the Roanoke, where he expected to find and destroy some iron-clads in process of construction; but there were none. Pushing thence inland," in the direction of Tarboro', he advanced to within ten miles of that place, expecting to surround and 17 July 4, 1862. had there been stationed; but by this time a far superior Rebel force had, by means of telegraphs and railroads, been concentrated at that point, and he wisely retreated without molestation or loss, other than that inflicted by the rain, sleet, and deep mud through which the retreat was effected. The liberation of several hundred slaves was the chief result of this expedition. A few weeks later, Gen. Foster, with a considerably larger force—all that he could collect-set out from Newbern" on a march directly inland, intending to reach and destroy the important railroad junction at Goldsboro'. He encountered no impediments, save from trees felled across the road, until he reached South-west creek, where the bridge had been destroyed, and a regiment was found posted on the opposite bank, supporting three pieces of artillery. These were driven off by charge of the 9th New Jersey, and 1 gun captured; when, after two or three more skirmishes, Foster advanced" to within a mile of Kinston; where he encountered a considerable Rebel force under Gen. Evans, strongly posted between the Neuse and a deep swamp, whence they were driven after a short but sharp fight, and the bridge over the Neuse saved, though it had been fired by the fugitives, of whom 400 were taken prisoners. Evans fled through and abandoned the town; but reformed two miles beyond it, and continued his retreat, before Foster could bring his artillery over the injured bridge and attack him. Gen. Foster, having bewildered the 21 Sunday, 14th. 20 Dec. 11. 19 Nov. 6. 18 Nov. 3 |