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EMPLOYMENT OF THE FLEET.

and its Supporting regiments, had been advancing inch by inch, standing up against the enemy's musketry and cannonade without flinching, and at about the time when the 4th Rhode Island charged in at the right flank, the colors of the 24th were planted on the parapet at the left, and the whole of the 1st brigade poured into the fortification. The whole line of earthworks was now in our hands, and the cheers of our men, from one end of it to the other, broke out with fresh spirit as each new regimental color was unfurled on the parapet.'

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319

We have seen the important aid rendered by the fleet in Lieutenant McCook's battery of naval howitzers, and the brave men who brought them into action. Commander Rowan was prepared for an equally arduous task on the river, where he had to encounter the forts on the shore, and where, six miles below the town, a formidable barricade of sunken vessels, iron-capped piles or spars planted in the channel, and ingeniously constructed torpedoes, opposed his advance. The forts do not appear to have proved any very serious obstacle. The first one encountered was found abandoned, and The breastwork thus entered by the even the redoubtable Fort Thompson victorious Union army was a truly for- was deserted at the approach of the midable barrier—a series of well-planned combined forces. Even the piles and works extending, in a continuous line, torpedoes were lightly brushed aside by for two miles and a half. It commenced the advancing fleet, which, following the on the river with Fort Thompson, the lead of the Delaware, the flag-ship, esmost powerful of the works erected by caped with comparatively little injury. the Confederates, mounting thirteen 32- When General Foster's brigade, in the pounder guns, four of which bore di- afternoon, following in pursuit of the rectly on the the advancing Union lines. enemy, who fled in confusion after the From this the breastwork extended for capture of the breastwork, reached the a mile and a quarter to the railway Trent, before the city, and found the track, whence the defences were pro- bridges burnt or destroyed, the fleet was longed for an equal distance by rifle-pits at hand at the wharves to supply the and detached intrenchments, in the form means of crossing. Though freely exof curvettes and redans, terminated by posed to the fire of the forts, Commander a two-gun battery. The breastwork was Rowan had not a single casualty to remounted with two complete field batter- port of the men on duty in the squadron. ies, besides several small pieces of heavy On his arrival before the city, he found artillery, and manned by about six thou-"several points of the city fired by the sand men. The capture of these works enemy, where stores had been accumudecided the fate of Newbern, after a lated. Two small batteries, constructed sharp contest of four hours, terminating about eleven o'clock in the forenoon. Before following the enemy in their flight, let us glance at the part taken by the squadron in the day's engage

ment.

From the first moment of landing the troops, the gunboats had been diligently engaged in shelling the woods and protecting the advance of the Union forces.

*Correspondence of the New York Tribune. Newbern, N. C., March 12-15, 1862.

+ General Foster's Report. Newbern, March 20, 1862.

of cotton bales, and mounting two guns each, were also fired by them. Two small steamers were captured, another having been burnt. A large raft, composed of barrels of pitch and bales of cotton, which had been prepared to send down upon the fleet, was fired, and, floating against the railroad bridge, set it on fire and destroyed it. In addition to the prizes, a quantity of cotton, pitch, tar, a gunboat, and another vessel on the stocks, several schooners afloat, and an immense quantity of arms and munitions of war,

him, his sword was taken, but his revol- ing was very heavy. The 21st was enver being overlooked, he seized the op-gaging the battery of five small pieces, portunity offered by a charge of the 4th the 51st New York the first of the reRhode Island, and by the judicious dis- dans, the 9th New Jersey the next two, play of his pistol, captured all three of and the 51st Pennsylvania were still in his guard. On being driven from the reserve. Lieutenant-Colonel Robert B. battery, Colonel Clark informed Colonel Potter of the 51st New York, when in Rodman of the 4th Rhode Island of the advance with Captain Hazard's company state of affairs inside, and that officer, of skirmishers, was shot through the side unable to communicate with General and fell, but making light of the wound, Parke in the confusion of the fight, acted he got his servant to put on a bandage, upon his own responsibility, after con- and in a few minutes had returned to his sultation with Lieutenant Lydig, one of place and was cheering on his men. The the General's aids, and decided upon a regiment was drawn up in a hollow, or charge with the bayonet. As the 4th ravine, from which they would move up was one of the most prominent regiments to the top of the eminence, discharge in the action, it will be well to go back a their volleys, and retire to such cover as little in our narrative, and trace them up the inequalities of the ground might furnto that point. Their position in the line ish. General Reno, becoming impatient of battle, as ordered by General Parke, at the loss of life which his regiments, was in front of a battery of five guns, and particularly Colonel Ferrero's, was and the rifle-pits or redans which were suffering, wished the regiment to advance situated immediately in the rear of and as soon as possible, so Lieutenant-Colonel protected the right flank of the main bat- Potter took a color over the brow of the tery of nine guns. Until the charge was hill into another hollow, and from here decided upon by Colonel Rodman, the charged up an acclivity and over brushregiment had been firing, like the rest of wood and abattis into the redan. The the line, by companies and otherwise. 51st Pennsylvania, for a long time held When the command was given to charge, in reserve, was ordered up to participate they went at the double-quick directly in the decisive charge of the whole brigup to the battery, firing as they ran, and ade upon the line of redans, and passing entering at the right flank, between a through the 51st New York, as it was brick-yard and the end of the parapet. lying on the ground after having exWhen fairly inside, the Colonel formed hausted all its ammunition, came under the right wing in line of battle, and at the heaviest fire, and without flinching or their head charged down upon the guns wavering moved to its place, and rushed, at double-quick, the left wing forming ir- with the other regiments, upon the deregularly, and going as they could. With fences of the enemy. The movement of a steady line of cold steel, the Rhode Is- Colonel Hartrauft's regiment was excutlanders bore down upon the enemy, and, ed in the most deliberate manner, and routing them, captured the whole battery, proved a complete success. The movewith its two flags, and planted the stars ment of the 3d brigade was supported and stripes upon the parapet. The 8th by a charge of the 4th Rhode Island Connecticut, 5th Rhode Island, and 11th from the captured main battery upon the Connecticut, coming up to their support, works which were being assailed, and the rebels fled with precipitation, and the enemy, already demoralized by the left us in undisputed possession. breaking of their centre, fell back before the grand charge upon the left and front of their position, and fled in confusion. On our extreme right the brave 24th,

"General Reno's brigade were still attacking the redans and small battery on the right of the railroad, and the fir

EMPLOYMENT OF THE FLEET.

and its Supporting regiments, had been advancing inch by inch, standing up against the enemy's musketry and cannonade without flinching, and at about the time when the 4th Rhode Island charged in at the right flank, the colors of the 24th were planted on the parapet at the left, and the whole of the 1st brigade poured into the fortification. The whole line of earthworks was now in our hands, and the cheers of our men, from one end of it to the other, broke out with fresh spirit as each new regimental color was unfurled on the parapet."*

319

We have seen the important aid rendered by the fleet in Lieutenant McCook's battery of naval howitzers, and the brave men who brought them into action. Commander Rowan was prepared for an equally arduous task on the river, where he had to encounter the forts on the shore, and where, six miles below the town, a formidable barricade of sunken vessels, iron-capped piles or spars planted in the channel, and ingeniously constructed torpedoes, opposed his advance. The forts do not appear to have proved any very serious obstacle. The first one encountered was found abandoned, and The breastwork thus entered by the even the redoubtable Fort Thompson victorious Union army was a truly for- was deserted at the approach of the midable barrier a series of well-planned combined forces. Even the piles and works extending, in a continuous line, torpedoes were lightly brushed aside by for two miles and a half. It commenced the advancing fleet, which, following the on the river with Fort Thompson, the lead of the Delaware, the flag-ship, esmost powerful of the works erected by caped with comparatively little injury. the Confederates, mounting thirteen 32- When General Foster's brigade, in the pounder guns, four of which bore di- afternoon, following in pursuit of the rectly on the advancing Union lines. enemy, who fled in confusion after the From this the breastwork extended for capture of the breastwork, reached the a mile and a quarter to the railway Trent, before the city, and found the track, whence the defences were pro- bridges burnt or destroyed, the fleet was longed for an equal distance by rifle-pits at hand at the wharves to supply the and detached intrenchments, in the form means of crossing. Though freely exof curvettes and redans, terminated by posed to the fire of the forts, Commander a two-gun battery. The breastwork was Rowan had not a single casualty to remounted with two complete field batter- port of the men on duty in the squadron. ies, besides several small pieces of heavy On his arrival before the city, he found artillery, and manned by about six thou- "several points of the city fired by the sand men. The capture of these works enemy, where stores had been accumudecided the fate of Newbern, after a lated. Two small batteries, constructed sharp contest of four hours, terminating of cotton bales, and mounting two guns about eleven o'clock in the forenoon. each, were also fired by them. Two Before following the enemy in their small steamers were captured, another flight, let us glance at the part taken having been burnt. A large raft, comby the squadron in the day's engage-posed of barrels of pitch and bales of

ment.

From the first moment of landing the troops, the gunboats had been diligently engaged in shelling the woods and protecting the advance of the Union forces.

*Correspondence of the New York Tribune. Newbern, N. C., March 12-15, 1862.

General Foster's Report. Newbern, March 20, 1862.

cotton, which had been prepared to send down upon the fleet, was fired, and, floating against the railroad bridge, set it on fire and destroyed it. In addition to the prizes, a quantity of cotton, pitch, tar, a gunboat, and another vessel on the stocks, several schooners afloat, and an immense quantity of arms and munitions of war,

fell into our hands."* It was by the exertions of the naval officers, seconded by the efforts of the citizens who had not taken to flight, that the fires, lighted by the retreating soldiers, were checked, and the city saved from destruction. On entering the town, the Union advance found the enemy, though their numbers had been increased by the arrival of reinforcements, had rapidly retreated by the railway in the direction of Goldsboro'. "By this victory," says General Burnside, in his official report, "our combined forces have captured eight batteries, containing forty-six heavy guns, and three batteries of light artillery, of six guns each, making in all sixty-four guns; two steamboats, a number of sailing vessels, wagons, horses, a large quantity of ammunition, commissary, and quartermaster's stores, forage, the entire camp equipage of the rebel troops, a large quantity of resin, turpentine, cotton, etc., and over two hundred prisoners. Our loss, thus far ascertained, will amount to ninety-one killed, and four hundred and sixty-six wounded, many of them mortally. Among these are some of our most gallant officers and men. The rebel loss is severe, but not so great as our own, they being effectually covered by their works. Too much praise cannot be awarded to the officers and men for their untiring exertion and unceasing patience in accomplishing this work. The effecting of the landing, and the approach to within a mile and a half of the enemy's works, on the 13th, I consider as great a victory as the engagement of the 14th. Owing to the difficult nature of the landing, our men were forced to wade ashore waist deep, march through mud to a point twelve miles distant, bivouac on low, marshy ground, in a rain storm, for the night, engage the enemy at daylight in the morning, fighting them for hours, amid a dense fog, that prevented them from seeing the

*Official Report of Commander Rowan to Flag-Officer Goldsborough. Off Newbern, N. C., March 16, 1862.

position of the enemy, and finally advancing rapidly over bad roads upon the city. In the midst of all this, not a complaint was heard: the men were only eager to accomplish their work. Every brigade, and, in fact, every regiment, and I can almost say every officer and man of the force landed, was in the engagement. The men are all in good spirits, and, under the circumstances, are in good health. I beg to say to the General commanding that I have under my command a division that can be relied upon in any emergency. *** I beg to say to the General commanding the army that I have endeavored to carry out the very minute instructions given me by him before leaving Annapolis, and thus far events have been singularly coincident with his anticipations. I only hope that we may in future be able to carry out in detail the remaining plans of the campaign. The only thing I have to regret is the delay caused by the elements."*

Among "the gallant officers and men " to whom General Burnside thus paid his tribute of admiration and regret, in addition to the fate of Lieutenant-Colonel Merritt, whose "soldier's death" is especially commemorated in the official reports of General Foster and the officer in immediate command of his regiment, Colonel Kurtz, who pronounces him "a gallant officer and a firm friend, and the kindest hearted comrade I ever had," there are recorded Lieutenant J. W. Lawton of the 27th Massachusetts, Captain Charles Tillinghast of the 4th Rhode Island, Adjutant Stearns, already mentioned, and, not least, in this roll of honored names, Chaplain Owen N. Benton, an estimable clergyman, who, following the regiment to which he was attached, the 51st New York, into the field, was mortally wounded before the line of breastworks.

The officer in command of the Confederate forces was General Lawrence O' B. Branch, a native of North Carolina,

*Report of General Burnside to General L. Thomas, Adjutant-General U. S. A. Newbern, March 16, 1862.

GENERAL BURNSIDE COMMENDS HIS TROOPS.

321

urbs, and was especially required "to direct that the churches be opened at a suitable hour to-morrow, in order that the chaplains of the different regiments may hold divine service in them. The bells will be rung as usual."

educated at Princeton, New Jersey, who swamps and thickets, after a sleepless had represented his State in the recent night passed in a drenching rain, they National Congress. He was in the House met the enemy in his chosen position, when the secession movement began, and, found him protected by strong earthvacating his seat, returned home to raise works mounting many heavy guns, and, men for the rebel service, in which he re- although in open field themselves, they ceived the appointment of Brigadier- conquered. With such soldiers advance General, and was placed in command of is victory. The General commanding the troops on the southern coast of North directs, with peculiar pride, that, as a Carolina. Eight North Carolina regi- well-deserved tribute to valor in this ments are enumerated in the Southern second victory of the expedition, each accounts as engaged in the battle, besides regiment engaged shall inscribe on its the considerable artillery force. Major banner the memorable name, NEWBERN.” Carmichael of the 26th North Carolina By another order, of the same Saturregiment was the only field officer killed. day, General Foster was appointed miliColonel Avery of the 33d, with one hun-tary governor of the city and subdred and fifty men, surrendered at the breastworks to General Foster. Among the incidents of the engagement reported in the North Carolina newspapers, was that of the defence of a two-gun battery in the immediate neighborhood of the city. "It was manned by the Con- A week after the battle, a mixed nafederate minstrels, under the command val and military force, under Commanof Charles O. White, manager. This der Murray of the navy, and Colonel battery fired but twice, and then with Stevenson of the 24th Massachusetts, but little effect, the enemy being out of range. Three of the minstrels are missing. It is thought they were taken prisoners." Another item records the destruction of the printing materials of the Newbern Progress, a daily newspaper of the city. The types and press, however, were not so much damaged as to interpose any serious obstacle to the New England recruits, who speedily commenced its publication anew, substituting, of course, the most loyal opinions in place of its former opposition to the National Government.

was sent up Pamlico river, and after forcing a channel through a carefully prepared obstruction of piles, reached Washington, where they were courteously received by the chief citizens, and with appropriate ceremonies hoisted the "Flag of the Union" on the courthouse. Commander Murray on consultation with the authorities in quest of the Hatteras Light property, supposed to be hidden in this region, found "that underlying an apparent acquiescence of the people of the town and neighborhood, in permitting the building of gunboats and the construction of batteries, to repel the approach of the Federal forces, was a deep-rooted affection for the old Union, and not a little animosity for its enemies the latter element not being diminished by the importation of troops from a distant State."

The day after the battle, General Burnside, from his headquarters at Newbern, issued the following order :-"The General commanding congratulates his troops on their brilliant and hard-won victory of the 14th. Their courage, their patience, their endurance of fatigue, exposure, and toil, cannot be too highly praised. After a tedious march, dragging their howitzers by hand through 1862.

* Commander A. Murray to Commander S. C. Rowan, U. S. Steamer Louisana, Washington, N. C., March 26,

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