C2. 
 
 ■ " ■ - . i 
 
 ■■ ■ 
 
 
 1 r"' : '. '•/'• '■'"'' .X^3h,->;i ; ''"- 
 
 /**"^" v 
 
 HEROIC DEEDS OF HEROIC 
 Abbott 
 
 MEN: 
 
 • -,..'- 
 
 ' '■ :' 
 
 - 
 
 kr. 
 
 iW' 
 
Cp9l0.-15 
 
 rn 
 
 1 fl/3 
 
 Co 
 
 p& 
 
 HEROIC DEEDS 
 OP HEROIC MEN: 
 
 A MILITARY ADVENTURE. 
 By J. S.C.Abbott, 
 
 Harper ' s 
 Deo. 1864. 
 
Library of 
 The University of North Carolina 
 
 COLLECTION OF 
 
 NORTH CAROLINIANA 
 
 ENDOWED BY 
 
 JOHN SPRUNT HILL 
 
 of the Class of 1889 
 
 Cp3~?o.7S-_ai3^ 0<aj 
 

 A MILITARY ADVENTURE. 
 
 HEROIC DEEDS OF HEROIC MEN. 
 
 BV JOHN S. C. ABBOTT. 
 
 AMBROSE E. BPRNSIDE. 
 
 ri 
 
 to 
 
 I.— A MILITARY ADVENTURE. 
 
 Putting to Sea. — Entering the Inlet — Conquest of Roa- 
 noke Island. —The Slaves— Destruction of the Rebel 
 Fleet. — Extending the Conquest. — Expedition to the 
 
 Neuse Decisive Battle.— Anecdotes. — Capture of New- 
 
 bern. — Secret Expedition. — Bivouac — Battle of Kii;gc- 
 ton. — Daily Marchings.— Battle at Whitehall. — Heroism 
 of Butler. —Successful Raid — Battle of Goldsborough.— 
 Success of the Expedition.— The Return. 
 
 ^N the 11th of January, 1862, a vast fleet of 
 gun-boats and transports was assembled at 
 Hampton Roads, Old Point Comfort, for a se- 
 cret expedition. Spectators on the shore counted 
 one hundred and twenty-five boats of all sizes 
 and patterns. There were formidable vessels 
 of war, powerfully armed and nobly manned. 
 There were ferry-boats extemporized into gun- 
 boats, and peaceful merchantmen frowning with 
 
 artillery. There was one queer stern -wheeled 
 craft, which went puffing about among the fleet, 
 attracting much attention. It had come from 
 the shoal waters of the Kennebec River. The 
 sailors called it "the wheel-barrow." Its draught 
 was so light that they insisted it could run wher- 
 ever there was a heavy dew. Sixteen thousand 
 men — infantry, artillery, and cavalry — were em- 
 barked in this fleet, under the chieftainship of 
 General Burnside. The troops were divided 
 into three brigades, under Generals Foster, Reno, 
 and Parke ; all experienced officers of the regu- 
 lar army. Commodore Goldsborough, a veteran 
 of fifty years' service, commanded the fleet- 
 It was a bright, mild winter's day. Just after 
 the sun had gone down and the stars had come- 
 out, those on the shore observed an unusual com- 
 motion in the fleet. Lights were flashing and tug- 
 
HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 LOUIS M. GOLBSBOEOTJGH. 
 
 boats moving rapidly in all directions, and it 
 was evident that every ship was getting up its 
 steam. Just at midnight some signal rockets 
 pierced the sky from the flag-ship, and almost 
 instantly every paddle-wheel was in motion, 
 and the majestic squadron swept down the bay. 
 It was a brilliant night, serene, cloudless ; with 
 the moon near the full. It was very manifest to 
 all on board that hard work was to be done by 
 both fleet and army ; but when, where, how, 
 none but a few of the highest officers could tell, 
 and they were silent. At noon the next day, 
 Sunday, January 12, the fleet was entirely out 
 of sight of land, enveloped in fog, steaming rap- 
 idly down the southern coast. 
 
 At length the fog lifted, and the leading ships 
 caught sight of the shores of Hatteras, and, fol- 
 lowed by the whole squadron, turned toward the 
 Inlet. It was a gorgeous afternoon of autumnal 
 beauty. The scene was magnificent. Thou- 
 
 sands of men were clustered on the decks and in 
 the rigging of the ships, gazing with admiration 
 upon the golden sunset, and the forest-crowned 
 shore fringed with its long line of snow-white 
 beach, upon which the billows of the wide At- 
 lantic dashed almost mast-head high, and with 
 thunder roar. 
 
 It was too late to enter the Inlet. The next 
 morning was cold and wintry. Clouds were 
 gathering ; the ocean looked black ; and angry 
 billows with foaming crests pursued each other. 
 It was difficult to cross the bar in a storm, as 
 smooth water was very necessary for the passage. 
 Yet it was not safe for a fleet to attempt to ride 
 out a Hatteras gale on that open sea. About 
 seventy of the ships succeeded in safely getting 
 within the Inlet. One of the transports, laden 
 with horses, struck the bar, plunging her keel 
 into the sand, and remained immovable. The 
 waves dashed over the ship, hurling the horses 
 
A MILITARY ADVENTURE. 
 
 into the sea, where they all perished. The sea- 
 men lashed themselves to the rigging, and there, 
 without food or sleep, and drenched to the skin, 
 remained for forty-eight hours until the storm 
 abated. Every endeavor which was made to send 
 them assistance was fruitless. Two heroic men, 
 Colonel Allen and Dr. Wellar, perished in the 
 attempt. During the continuance of the gale 
 nearly every vessel was injured, both those with- 
 in and those without the Inlet. Many were bad- 
 ly shattered, and four entirely wrecked ; the crews 
 generally escaping. 
 
 A calm succeeded this fearful storm ; yet it 
 was two weeks before the fleet, crippled and dis- 
 
 persed, was collected and refitted at a safe an- 
 chorage in Pamlico Sound. 
 
 A comparatively small strait separates the two 
 majestic Sounds called Pamlico and Albemarle. 
 In the centre of this strait you find Roanoke Isl- 
 and, twelve miles long and three broad. As 
 the channel on either side is narrow and tortu- 
 ous, the island effectually commands the passage 
 between the two Sounds. Here the rebels were 
 in force with batteries, intrenchments, and gun- 
 boats. Wednesday morning, the 6th of Febru- 
 ary, dawned cold, and wet, and gloomy. Grop- 
 ing through the fog our fleet approached the isl- 
 and, and, anchoring for the night, prepared for 
 
HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 a conflict in the morning. The morning came. 
 As the clouds broke, and the rays of the sun 
 struggling through the rifts gave promise of a 
 brilliant day, Nelson's famous order was run to 
 the mast-head of the flag-ship, "America ex- 
 pects every man to do his duty!" 
 
 The gun-boats immediately commenced throw- 
 ing 9-inch shot and shell into the woods near 
 the beach. Under protection of this fire a 
 large number of troops were landed. The in- 
 trenchments were bombarded, the batteries were 
 stormed, and the patriot troops swept the island 
 from south to north in uninterrupted victory. Be- 
 fore five o'clock in the afternoon of the 8th Roa- 
 
 noke Island was rescued from the hands of trai- 
 tors, and the star-spangled banner floated over all 
 its captured ramparts. General Foster led the 
 men in their impetuous attacks upon the redoubts, 
 and inspired them with his own enthusiasm and 
 intrepidity. The gallant Colonel Russell, of the 
 Connecticut Tenth — a man who knew not the 
 sense of fear — was struck by a bullet which 
 pierced his heart, and he fell dead without a 
 groan. As the men were assailing one of the 
 most formidable redoubts their ammunition failed 
 them. Just then Major Kimball of the Haw- 
 kins's Zouaves came up, and offered to charge 
 the redoubt. "You are the very man," said 
 
A MILITARY ADVENTURE. 
 
 EOANOKE ISLAND, NEWBEBN, AND THE SOUNDS. 
 
 General Foster, ' ' and this is the very moment. 
 Zouaves, storm the battery !" There was an in- 
 stantaneous rush, and with their ringing battle- 
 cry, Zou, Zou, Zou ! they ran across the inter- 
 vening space, clambered the ramparts, and burst 
 through the embrasures. The rebels fled in the 
 utmost panic, not even stopping to spike their 
 guns or to carry off their wounded. 
 
 General John G. Foster, with his brigade, fol- 
 lowed in the track of the Zouaves and pursued 
 the retreating rebels at the double quick. For 
 nearly six miles the exciting chase was contin- 
 ued. General Reno took another path to cut 
 off the rebel retreat, and on the way came across 
 
 a body of eight hundred of the foe who were 
 compelled to throw down their arms. The reb- 
 els were now thoroughly vanquished. A flag 
 of truce was sent to General Foster, asking what 
 terms of capitulation he would accept. "Un- 
 conditional surrender, " was the reply. It was 
 impossible to dispute the terms, and before five 
 o'clock in the afternoon the Stars and Stripes 
 were floating over every battery on the island. 
 Six forts, two thousand five hundred prisoners, 
 forty-two heavy guns, with a large quantity of 
 smaller arms and ammunition, fell into the hands 
 of the victors. The patriots lost but forty killed 
 and two hundred wounded. Among the pris- 
 
HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 JOHN G. FOSTER. 
 
 oners taken there were about two hundred 
 slaves, all men in the prime of life, whom the 
 rebels had brought upon the island to work 
 upon the intrenchments. As the white prison- 
 ers were paroled, these slaves were called to- 
 gether and informed that they might remain 
 upon the island as freemen, or return with their 
 masters to the main land. Nearly every man 
 chose to return with his master. This extraor- 
 dinary decision led some one to exclaim in be- 
 wilderment, "What does this mean? We 
 thought you all wanted to be free." An hon- 
 est, earnest black man stepped forward, and, 
 taking off his hat, said, 
 
 "We'se wives and chillern in slavery. We 
 can't leave them. Bress de Lord, de day ob 
 jubilee is come. We'se all to be free now. 
 We must go back and get our wives and chil- 
 lern." 
 
 No comment can add to the pathos of this 
 incident. 
 
 The next day was the Sabbath. The rebel 
 gun-boats had escaped up the Sound to Eliza- 
 beth City. The patriot gun -boats pursued 
 them ; with full head of steam they rushed by 
 the fort, under whose guns the rebel boats had 
 
 sought protection, and in a conflict of fifteen 
 minutes destroyed the whole rebel fleet, killing 
 or capturing nearly every man of the crew. 
 From all the region around the slaves flocked 
 by hundreds to the national boats, entreating to 
 be taken "to de Norf." This was impossible. 
 Their grief was touching as they saw their 
 hopes blighted, and that the long-prayed-for 
 hour of deliverance had not yet come. 
 
 After a few unimportant excursions in this 
 vicinity, every where indignantly striking down 
 the flag of treason, General Burnside reassembled 
 his fleet at Hatteras Inlet for a more important 
 movement than he had yet attempted. 
 
 On the night of the 12th of March the fleet 
 was again in motion. They steamed down 
 Pamlico Sound about fifty miles, and entering 
 the spacious River Neuse, anchored upon its 
 western bank within about sixteen miles of the 
 city of Newbern. This city, of about five thou- 
 sand inhabitants, one of the finest in the State, 
 is situated at the confluence of the Neuse and 
 Trent. It is important as a military post, being 
 connected with Goldsborough and Raleigh on 
 the west, and Beaufort on the south. The 
 rebels had strongly fortified it, employing thou- 
 
A MILITARY ADVENTURE. 
 
 sands of slaves in throwing up intrenchments. 
 A line of water-batteries, with heavy guns, from 
 every commanding point swept the river. Six 
 miles from the city there was a long line of 
 earth-works extending from the river to the 
 swamps and tangled woods, effectually barring 
 approach to any ordinary force or courage. 
 From that point to the city the whole expanse 
 was filled with redoubts, batteries, rifle-pits, 
 treacherous torpedoes, and all the other appli- 
 ances of honorable and dishonorable war. 
 
 Early in the morning of March 13 the patriot 
 troops, five thousand in number, landed at Slo- 
 cum's Creek, about a dozen miles below New- 
 
 bern. The water was shallow. The overladen 
 boats sank deep and could not approach near 
 the shore. The landing seemed much like a 
 frolic. With jokes and shouts and peals of 
 laughter the men leaped overboard, up to the 
 middle in water, and waded to the shore. Their 
 path up toward Newbern led over an extended 
 plain, marshy from recent rains, and covered 
 with a dense growth of gloomy pines, draped 
 with hoary Spanish moss. The heavy gun- 
 carriages sank deep in the mire, and a cold 
 March wind swept over the drenched and shiv- 
 ering ranks, subduing the mirth of the most 
 buoyant. 
 
10 
 
 HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 The Massachusetts Twenty-fourth led the 
 march. The Connecticut Eleventh brought up 
 the rear. The line of march in compact mass 
 filled the forest road for two and a half miles. 
 The gun-boats followed cautiously along the 
 channel of the stream, throwing shells into the 
 woods in advance of the head of our column. 
 Night came dismal with clouds, darkness, mud, 
 and rain. The wearied soldiers threw them- 
 selves upon the sodden leaves of the flooded 
 plain for their cheerless bivouac. On Friday 
 morning, the 14th of March, the patriot troops 
 were again early in motion, and soon approached 
 the long line of earth-works running from the 
 river to the swamp, strongly protected by rifle- 
 
 pits and batteries on either flank. The woods 
 in front of the intrenchments had been felled 
 for a distance of a quarter of a mile, that the 
 assailants might be exposed to an unerring fire. 
 Behind these intrenchments the rebels were 
 comparatively safe. Neither bullet nor ball 
 could easily harm them. It would seem mad- 
 ness to an ordinary observer to send men with 
 bare bosoms to face the line of fire bursting 
 from those breast-works. But our heroic troops 
 accomplished the apparent impossibility. Form- 
 ing in line of battle in the edge of the woods, a 
 mile in extent, they opened a vigorous fire of 
 musketry and artillery which they must have 
 been conscious could accomplish little, save to 
 
A MILITARY ADVENTURE. 
 
 11 
 
 distract attention by making a noise. Nearly 
 every ball and bullet went plump and harmless 
 into the breast-Avork of earth rising six feet high 
 before them. 
 
 At length when the field of battle was covered 
 with smoke, and the frenzy of conflict inflamed 
 all minds, Colonel Clark, at the head of the 
 Massachusetts Twenty-first, rushed across the 
 open plain, through the deadly storm of lead, 
 and entering on the full run one of the em- 
 brasures seized the gun. The rebels fled, as- 
 tonished at such audacity. Instantly two rebel 
 regiments came charging upon them, and the 
 heroic little band were compelled to retire. 
 
 But the next moment Colonel Rodman, with 
 the Fourth Rhode Island, charged upon a bat- 
 tery of five guns. At the double quick they ran 
 upon these death-dealing muzzles, pouring in a 
 volley of bullets as they ran. The desperate ad- 
 venture was a success. They seized the guns, 
 and with the precision of veterans in compact 
 mass, with bristling bayonets, bore down along 
 the rebel line within the intrenchments. The 
 Eighth and Eleventh Connecticut, and Fifth 
 Rhode Island rushed instantly to their support. 
 The rebels fled precipitately, and the Stars and 
 Stripes were proudly unfurled over one portion 
 of their ramparts. 
 
12 
 
 HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 Animated by this sight the patriot troops, 
 who were struggling through the tangled morass 
 at the southern extremity of the enemy's line, 
 made a grand charge upon that flank. Aided 
 as they were by their comrades, who were al- 
 ready within the ramparts, they speedily smote 
 down all opposition, and the rebels tumultuous- 
 ly fled. With exultation and rapture, which 
 none can comprehend but those who have 
 passed through such scenes, the patriot troops 
 clambered the ramparts, discharging their mus- 
 kets at the retiring foe, disappearing in the dis- 
 tance, and greeting the glorious old banner of 
 the Union with enthusiastic huzzas. It was a 
 splendid victory. Every regiment behaved hero- 
 ically. The Fifty-first New York attracted es- 
 pecial applause. There is not a man of that 
 regiment who will not look back with pride 
 upon the battle of Newbern so long as he shall 
 live. The rebel army was disorganized and 
 panic-stricken. It was important that they 
 should have no time to recover from their con- 
 sternation. 
 
 There are many interesting incidents of this 
 battle worthy of record. Lieutenant Fearing, 
 of General Burnside's staff, was sitting upon 
 his horse when a 32-pound shot passed under 
 the horse's belly between his legs. The Lieu- 
 tenant, apparently unconscious of his own dan- 
 ger, fondly patted his horse in commendation 
 of the animal's quiet bravery. 
 
 When the first battery was captured Colonel 
 Clark, of the Twenty-first Massachusetts, had 
 mounted one of the rebel guns, and was waving 
 his colors, when two rebel regiments advanced 
 upon him and his handful of men. The patri- 
 ots leaped the parapet and fled. Captain J. 
 D. Frazer, who had been wounded in his right 
 arm, carrying his sword in his left hand, tum- 
 bled and fell into the ditch. He was seized 
 and dragged back by the rebels over the para- 
 pet. A guard of three men was placed over 
 him. A few moments after, when the Fourth 
 Rhode Island made a charge, he drew a con- 
 cealed revolver and captured all three of his 
 guards. 
 
 One of the noblest young men of our nation 
 — a hero, a patriot, and a Christian, Adjutant 
 Frazer A. Stearns, son of President Stearns, of 
 Amhert (Massachusetts) College — fell in this 
 battle. Young Stearns had already borne him- 
 self bravely at Roanoke Island. Here, in the 
 thickest of the fight, a bullet pierced his breast, 
 and he dropped dead. 
 
 General Burnside, aware of the value of time, 
 scarcely remained upon the battle-field long 
 enough to bury the dead. The whole army was 
 immediately put in motion for Newbern, which 
 was about six miles distant. The gun-boats 
 continued to follow along the river, capturing 
 the water-batteries with scarcely a shadow of 
 opposition. Early in the afternoon the troops 
 reached the eastern bank of the Trent opposite 
 the city. The magnificent bridge,, seven hun- 
 dred and fifty yards in length, constructed both 
 for railroad and carriages, across which the reb- 
 
 els had retreated, was in flames. A number 
 of turpentine factories also were rolling up their 
 billows of fire and smoke, which enfolded the 
 city in a black canopy sublimely gloomy. Sev- 
 eral transports had followed the gun-boats up 
 the stream, and in a few hours our whole army 
 of five thousand men were ferried across the 
 Trent, and were in undisputed possession of 
 Newbern. The fires were extinguished, a strong 
 provost-guard established, every liquor cask in 
 the city staved, and by midnight quietude and 
 peace reigned throughout the conquered city. 
 
 The fruits of this victory were six forts, thir- 
 ty-four heavy guns, six steamboats, and public 
 property to the amount of two millions of dol- 
 lars. The rebel troops at the battle-ground 
 were almost entirely protected by their ram- 
 parts, and our bullets did them little harm ; 
 and, on the other hand, they did not dare to ex- 
 pose themselves by taking aim, but loading un- 
 der cover raised their guns over their heads and 
 fired almost at random, thus throwing many of 
 their bullets away. 
 
 As the rebels were retreating the slaves along 
 the route, who had been taught to believe their 
 masters omnipotent, could hardly credit their 
 senses, and were quite unable to repress their 
 joy and exultation. As one of the slave-hold- 
 ing rebels, breathless with terror, spurred his 
 horse by his own door, not venturing to stop, an 
 aged slave stood by the side of his cabin gazing 
 in unutterable astonishment upon the flight and 
 fright of his master. Just as he disappeared in 
 the woods a shell from one of the gun-boats, 
 with its unearthly scream, careering high above 
 the tree-tops, followed the path of the fugitive. 
 The gray-headed old man, clapping his hands, 
 rushed into his cabin shouting, 
 
 "Wife, wife, massais running, and the wrath 
 of God is after him !" 
 
 The next day was the Sabbath. By order of 
 General Burnside all the churches were thrown 
 open, the army chaplains officiated, and thanks 
 were returned to God for the signal victory he 
 had granted the patriot arms. 
 
 Several months passed away, during which 
 the Union troops fortified themselves at New- 
 bern, and extended their conquest to several im- 
 portant places in the vicinity. On Tuesday, the 
 9th of December, 1862, a division of the little 
 army received orders to put three days' rations 
 in their haversacks, and prepare for an immedi- 
 ate march; but where they were not informed; 
 neither was it supposed to be any of their busi- 
 ness to inquire. Blind, unquestioning obedi- 
 ence is the law of the army. The rising of 
 the sun on Thursday, the 11th, found these 
 troops vigorously on the move from Newbern 
 directly west, toward Goldsborough, along what 
 is called the Trent Road — a road running a few 
 miles west of the River Trent, and almost paral- 
 lel with it. The force consisted of four bri- 
 gades, composed of nineteen regiments. The 
 line of march was formed by two hundred cav- 
 alry in advance ; then followed the several regi- 
 ments of cavalry, infantry, and artillery, while 
 
A MILITARY ADVENTURE. 
 
 13 
 
 the rear was composed of one hundred and fifty 
 baggage wagons. The entire line, in easy march- 
 ing order, extended about five miles, filling the 
 whole road. 
 
 It was a splendid wintry morning, mild and 
 serene. As the vast array was beheld from an 
 eminence moving along the winding road, with 
 the fluttering of innumerable banners, and the 
 gleam of burnished arms, the sight inspired the 
 most phlegmatic with enthusiasm. The army 
 numbered in all thirteen hundred infantry, elev- 
 en hundred cavalry, with fifty-one pieces of 
 artillery. The troops that day marched eight- 
 een miles over a heavy, sandy road, with occa- 
 
 sional sloughs to wade, and, as night approached, 
 they prepared for their encampment in a large 
 plain of about three hundred acres, which they 
 found opened in the forest. 
 
 As the twilight faded away hundreds of camp- 
 fires, brilliant with the blaze of the resinous 
 pine, lighted up the scene with wondrous beau- 
 ty. The soldiers drank their hot coffee frcm 
 their tin cups, ate their frugal supper of hard 
 bread, and the camp resounded with jokes and 
 laughter as most of them threw themselves 
 down for a shelterless bivouac, with the sand 
 for a mattress, and a knapsack for a pillow. 
 Wearied with the long day's march the reign of 
 
u 
 
 HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 silence soon commenced. Many of the officers 
 were provided with rubber blankets, which they 
 spread upon the ground. Over that a woolen 
 blanket was spread. And then, tbree cuddling 
 together, with their feet to the fire, and with 
 their united three blankets and three over-coats 
 spread over them, enjoyed more luxurious slum- 
 ber than is usually found in ceiled chambers and 
 on beds of down. 
 
 At five o'clock the next morning, Friday, tbe 
 12th, the drum-beat — the reveille — roused all 
 from their slumbers. It was a bitter cold win- 
 ter's morning — so cold that the water in the can- 
 teens of the soldiers was found frozen. The 
 icy ground seemed solid as a rock. The fires, 
 from piles of pitch-pine, were immediately 
 brightly blazing, the ever-welcome coffee was 
 boiling, and after their breakfast of hard bread 
 the soldiers were again upon the move. March- 
 ing rapidly along a level country covered with 
 pine forests, and where few dwellings were found, 
 ut noon they reached a road turning nearly at 
 right angles to the north. This road led direct- 
 ly to Kingston, one of the most important towns 
 in North Carolina, situated on the northern 
 bank of the Neuse, about forty miles above 
 Newbern. The soldiers by this time had sup- 
 posed that Kingston was their destination. But 
 much to their surprise, they found that they 
 were not guided upon that road, but leaving it 
 on the right, pressed directly forward in a west- 
 erly course. The soldiers subsequently ascer- 
 tained, that which the officers already knew, 
 that half-way between this crossing and the 
 town of Kingston there was a stream called 
 Southwest Creek, where the rebels, in anticipa- 
 tion of an attack, had erected formidable in- 
 trenchments. 
 
 General Foster, one of our most bold and 
 efficient officers, sagaciously sent forward a small 
 force of cavalry to deceive the rebels by the feint 
 of an attack upon their elaborate works at the 
 creek. At the same time the main body pressed 
 vigorously forward on the road toward Golds- 
 borough, and with the setting sun sought their 
 second night's bivouac, having effected a march 
 of nearly twenty miles. The wearied soldiers, 
 after a hurried meal, again threw themselves 
 on the frozen ground and slept soundly. Scarce- 
 ly had the morning dawned ere the beat of the 
 drum aroused the slumbering host. They re- 
 plenished their waning fires, in haste prepared 
 their breakfast of fragrant coffee with hard bread, 
 and at six o'clock the tramp of armed men and 
 the rumbling of carriage-wheels again resounded 
 through the solitudes of the forest. All day 
 long they continued their march, until about the 
 middle of the afternoon, when, having passed 
 several miles beyond Kingston, they came to 
 another cross-road, which at a very sharp angle 
 led back, in a northeasterly direction, toward 
 that city. 
 
 The head of the long column turned sharply 
 round and entered this road. By it they could 
 cross tbe Southwest Creek at a point farther up 
 the stream by a bridge which was feebly defend- 
 
 ed. The rebels, however, fearing this move- 
 ment, and yet not daring to vacate their in- 
 trenchments on the main road, had sent forward 
 a small force and burned the bridge. They had 
 also placed two 12-pounders on an eminence 
 on the north side of the creek, to prevent the 
 reconstruction of the bridge or the floating of 
 pontoons. Here the Union troops were brought 
 to a stand. While the advance of the column 
 waited for the artillery and the wagons to come 
 up, pioneers were sent forward, under strong 
 protection of artillery and musketry, to attempt 
 to rebuild the bridge. 
 
 The creek was here but a few rods wide, 
 with somewhat precipitous and densely-wooded 
 shores. The road from that point to Kingston, 
 a distance of about fourteen miles, ran all the 
 way through an almost unbroken forest. A few 
 pieces of Union artillery were sent ahead, to 
 engage the attention of the rebel battery, while 
 the Ninth New Jersey regiment secretly forded 
 the stream above and below*- and rushed upon 
 the hostile cannon from either flank so impetu- 
 ously and unexpectedly that guns, horses, and 
 men were all taken, almost before there was any 
 consciousness of danger. 
 
 It was Saturday night — the third day of the 
 expedition. Again the troops bivouacked in the 
 open air, but all night long working parties of 
 engineers and pioneers were busy rebuilding the 
 bridge. Before the dawn of Sunday it was com- 
 pleted, and at five o'clock the troops were again 
 upon the march. As before, a body of cavalry 
 led the advance along the narrow road, with 
 pine forests on either side. They frequently 
 encountered the pickets of the enemy, and in 
 slight skirmishes easily dispersed them. The 
 cavalry was followed by a strong body of artil- 
 lery, who shelled the woods wherever there was 
 any suspicion that the foe might be lurking. 
 
 It will be remembered that the line of the 
 army, filling the whole capacity of the road, oc- 
 cupied an extent of about five miles. At nine 
 o'clock in the morning those in the rear of this 
 long column heard the roar of artillery among 
 the advance, shot answering shot. It announced 
 that the enemy had been found, and it sent an 
 electric thrill through the eager host. Every 
 man pressed forward. The whole army soon 
 found themselves in a clearing of the woods of 
 about twenty acres, on the right-hand side of 
 the road. There was here opportunity for the 
 army to deploy and make ready for action. The 
 enemy were so effectually concealed in the woods 
 that not a man could be seen ; and their bat- 
 teries, commandingly posted under the protec- 
 tion of an apparently impassable swamp, were 
 constantly pitching their shells over the tree- 
 tops into the midst of our advancing troops. 
 Six Parrot guns were brought forward by the 
 patriots and placed in position to .return the 
 fire. It was a blind battle of invisible foes; but 
 the two hostile parties had discovered each oth- 
 er's position, and bloody scenes were "at hand. 
 
 The Ninety-second and Ninety-sixth New 
 York regiments filed into the woods on the left 
 
A MILITARY ADVENTUEE. 
 
 15 
 
 of the road, to charge the rebel batteries on their 
 right flank. The Ninth New York plunged into 
 the woods on the right of the road, to advance 
 upon the batteries under shelter of the thicket 
 between the road and the swamp. The Forty- 
 fifth Massachusetts rushed boldly into the swamp 
 itself, and toiling onward through a tangled net- 
 work of roots and stumps, and up to their knees 
 in mire, sought to traverse it, that they might 
 attack the batteries on their left flank. The 
 swamp was densely covered with huge old trees, 
 whose gnarled roots were twisted in all possible 
 contortions beneath the ooze and slime of the 
 bog. But a few moments elapsed before the 
 whole forest was alive with the rattle of mus- 
 
 ketry, for the heads of each of these divisions 
 had met the foe. Our troops, keeping up a 
 constant fire, steadily advanced, driving the reb- 
 els before them — who were fighting, Indian- 
 fashion, behind stumps and trees. 
 
 At length the Forty-fifth Massachusetts, who 
 had penetrated the swamp, forced their way 
 through it, and ascended a little knoll beyond 
 covered with shrub oaks. But they had hardly 
 formed in line before a shower of bullets came 
 rattling in among them, a rebel battery having 
 got their precise range. The Tenth Connecti- 
 cut and One Hundred and Third Pennsylvania 
 came up at the same moment, having followed 
 through the swamp. The rebel guns opened 
 
16 
 
 HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 upon their left flank, raking their position. The 
 fire of these guns was so concentrated and pow- 
 erful that it cut a perfect path, two rods wide, 
 for some distance through the forest. No flesh 
 and blood could stand such a storm. The Union 
 troops threw themselves on their faces and 
 hugged the ground as their only protection. 
 They could not move in any direction without 
 the utmost peril. 
 
 While in this terrible situation they heard the 
 well-known cheer of their comrades announcing 
 triumph on the left. The Ninety-sixth and 
 Ninety-second New York had come up, flanked 
 and successfully charged the rebel battery. At 
 that shout the Tenth Connecticut, Forty-fifth 
 Massachusetts, and One Hundred and Third 
 Pennsylvania sprang to their feet, and rushed 
 to join their comrades in the charge. The reb- 
 els waited not for the impetuous onslaught, but 
 abandoning every thing, fled pell-mell for the 
 bridge which crossed the Neuse, opposite Kings- 
 ton, which was not far distant. The retreat of 
 five hundred and fifty of the foe was cut off, 
 and they were taken prisoners. The Union 
 artillery came rushing up along the road, shell- 
 ing the fugitives in their flight. The rebels, in 
 their consternation, had no chance to destroy 
 the bridge, and the patriot troops, following 
 closely upon their heels, crossed the river and 
 took possession of Kingston. The brunt of this 
 battle — and it was truly a heroic fight — was met 
 by the Forty -fifth Massachusetts, Tenth Con- 
 necticut, and One Hundred and Third Penn- 
 sylvania, essentially aided by the Ninety-sixth 
 and Ninety-second New York. Five Union reg- 
 iments drove six thousand rebels from their iu- 
 trenchments. 
 
 The rebel prisoners stated that they consid- 
 ered their position quite impregnable, for they 
 had not supposed it possible for any advance to 
 be made through the swamp. They had con- 
 sequently massed their forces to block up the 
 passage of the road. The first intimation they 
 had of the position of the regiments who had 
 dashed through the swamp was from the storm 
 of bullets which swept their ranks. There was 
 an old church near the range of the hostile bat- 
 teries which was thoroughly riddled with shot. 
 As our troops occupied the ground vacated by 
 their foes they found sixteen dead bodies in the 
 church. The prisoners confessed that they car- 
 ried off as many dead bodies as they could, and 
 had thrown them into the river to conceal their 
 loss. 
 
 Most of the prisoners were South Carolinians. 
 They were ferocious in their hate, declaring that 
 they would fight forever. They said they had 
 received orders from General Evans that morn- 
 ing to give no quarter. They had not enter- 
 tained the idea that they could be beaten. Many 
 of them were as ignorant as savages, having not 
 the slightest conception of the cause of the war. 
 They had been told that the Northern people 
 had invaded the South from the brutal desire 
 to rob them of their property and to cut their 
 throats. "What for you uns," said they, in 
 
 their barbaric dialect, " come down here to fight 
 we uns ? We uns don't want to fight you uns." 
 One might as well attempt to explain one of the 
 problems of Laplace to a New Zealand savage 
 as to give one of these ignorant, debased, South 
 Carolinian mean whites an idea of the questions 
 involved in this civil war. 
 
 The North Carolinians generally appeared 
 much less morally and intellectually degraded. 
 Almost to a man they expressed regret at the 
 existence of the war, and said they had no heart 
 in it. They asserted that their State had been 
 carried out of the Union by the vote of the Leg- 
 islature against the vote and sentiment of the 
 people. They were mostly conscripts, and were 
 quite willing to be taken prisoners. They com - 
 plained bitterly of the harsh treatment they had 
 received from their own officers, and said their 
 only food had consisted of Indian corn and ba- 
 con. Unshorn, uncombed, and unwashed, they 
 presented an appearance of filth and savagery 
 which scarcely any group of Digger Indians ever 
 equaled. Many of them were very bitter against 
 Jeff Davis, and told terrible tales of the despot- 
 ism which reigned in secessiondom. 
 
 Our troops found that the rigor of rebel con- 
 scription had stripped the country of every man 
 capable of bearing arms. Many of the prison- 
 ers said that they had been dragged away from 
 their families without any process of law, and 
 without an hour's delay. The general aspect 
 of the region through which the army passed 
 testified to the truth of these statements. Wide 
 fields remained uncultivated, and in not a few 
 cases ripened crops were left to perish unhar- 
 vested. Vast barns and granaries were left en- 
 tirely empty. On the most extensive planta- 
 tions but few signs of life were visible. A few 
 aged negroes, too old to run away and too val- 
 ueless to be removed, were loitering about, be- 
 wildered by the sudden and inexplicable change. 
 Now and then a few women were found who 
 had been left behind. They did not exhibit 
 the ferocity which had been generally displayed 
 by female rebels ; they were generally anxious 
 for the war to end on any terms, asserting that 
 they were living under a reign of terror, and 
 that they had more to fear from the rebel than 
 from the Union troops. 
 
 The retreating rebels had stripped the houses 
 of most of their movable furniture and of all 
 eatables. In the little dilapidated city of Kings- 
 ton desolation and starvation reigned. The wo- 
 men and children who alone remained all look- 
 ed care-worn and hungry. Many of the poorer 
 class came rambling through the Union camp, 
 begging bread of the soldiers, and eagerly pick- 
 ing up the fragments which our surfeited troops 
 had thrown away. The women, accustomed 
 only to the brutal aspect and bearing of the 
 Southern soldiers, expressed much surprise at 
 the gentlemanly appearance and demeanor of 
 the Northern troops. But three white men 
 were found left in Kingston, and they were 
 Union men who had hidden themselves from 
 rebel rule. All the rest had been carried off, 
 
A MILITARY ADVENTURE. 
 
 17 
 
 either voluntarily or involuntarily, by the reb- 
 els. 
 
 The battle of Kingston was fought on Sun- 
 day. These were strange scenes for our Puri- 
 tan boys, who had been trained in the Sabbath- 
 schools and churches of the North. The vic- 
 torious Union troops passed over the bridge into 
 Kingston, and encamped in a large field on the 
 north side of the village, built their fires, boiled 
 their coffee, and sat down to review the labors 
 of the day. The Massachusetts Forty-fifth lost 
 18 killed, and had 50 wounded. Large num- 
 bers had bullet-holes through their hats and 
 part of their clothing. The Tenth Connecticut 
 met with a still more severe loss, as did also the 
 One Hundred and Third Pennsylvania and the 
 Ninety-sixth New York. The rebels lost, in 
 addition to the prisoners we have mentioned, 
 eleven pieces of artillery, a large quantity of 
 small-arms and ammunrtion, and an immense 
 depot of provisions, which they set on fire to 
 prevent it from falling into the Union hands. 
 The battle in the swamp lasted four hours. A 
 young soldier of the Massachusetts Forty-fifth, 
 who had never before been under fire, thus 
 graphically describes his sensations in a letter 
 to his friends : 
 
 "When we first filed into the woods I would 
 have given all I was worth to have been once 
 more safely at home. But after the first shot 
 was fired I could not restrain myself. I had 
 no thought of any personal danger. The balls 
 would whistle and hum all over our heads, and 
 every now and then a shell would explode and 
 cover us with mud, and too often with blood. 
 But it seemed to me as though something told 
 me not to fear. I said one little short prayer 
 for myself, thought of each one of you, imag- 
 ined I heard the sweet church bells of Framing- 
 ham, and shut my eyes for an instant and saw 
 you all. It could have been but an instant, 
 and then I thought of nothing but pushing the 
 rebels out of the swamp. As we drove the 
 rebels before us I can not describe the exulta- 
 tion we felt that we had helped win a victory 
 for the Stars and the Stripes. But the sad 
 times were at night, when we missed from the 
 camp-fires the faces of those whom we had 
 learned to love, or when we went back to the 
 woods to bury the dead or to save the wound- 
 ed." 
 
 Among the many who fell at the battle of 
 Kingston meriting especial honor we have space 
 to mention but one — Lieutenant William Per- 
 kins. His case illustrates that of many others 
 of our noblest young men who left all the en- 
 dearments of home to peril life in defense of 
 our country. This young man was the second 
 one from his native town, New London, Con- 
 necticut, to volunteer. His older brother was 
 the first. With honor he passed through the 
 disaster at Bull Run. At Roanoke Island he 
 was the second man to jump upon the shore. 
 Captain Leggett, of Company H, Tenth Regi- 
 ment Connecticut Volunteers, to which com- 
 pany young Perkins belonged, was the first. 
 Vol. XXX.— No. 175.— B 
 
 In the heroic and brilliant battle at Roanoke 
 the company lost 23 out of 56 men. Young 
 Perkins, for his chivalric bravery, was soon pro- 
 moted to the First Lieutenancy in Company A, 
 Tenth Connecticut Volunteers. At the battle 
 of Kingston all the enthusiasm of his soul was 
 called into requisition. While his regiment was 
 in full pursuit of the rebels, retreating by the 
 bridge across the Neuse, Lieutenant Perkins 
 pressing eagerly on, reckless of all danger, had 
 just exclaimed to a comrade, " Isn't this glo- 
 rious?" when he was struck by a Minie' ball 
 and fell dead. The chaplain of the regiment, 
 the Rev. Mr. Stone, of Boston, in a letter to his 
 bereaved father, wrote : 
 
 "Your son was a universal favorite in the regiment. 
 We all loved him for his manly qualities, his generous 
 heart, his kindness of manner, and his winning ways. 
 We were proud of his soldierly bearing and of his cour- 
 ageous deportment." 
 
 His letters to his friends showed the consci- 
 entiousness with which he had entered upon 
 this strife for civil and religious liberty, and his 
 deep sense of dependence upon God. Such 
 were the victims who, by hundreds and by thou- 
 sands, were immolated by the demon of slavery 
 upon her blood-stained altars. Earth may be 
 searched in vain for a crime more enormous 
 than that which plunged our once peaceful and 
 happy land into all the horrors of civil war to 
 perpetuate and extend the outrage of human 
 bondage. 
 
 Early the next morning — Monday the 15th — 
 the army recommenced its march. Filing rap- 
 idly again back across the bridge they pressed 
 along a road which skirted the southern banks 
 of the Neuse, toward Whitehall, which was di- 
 rectly west upon the river, at the distance of 
 about 20 miles. It required nearly five hours — 
 from daylight until 11 o'clock — for the whole 
 army to defile across the narrow bridge. They 
 then, to prevent pursuit and the harassment of 
 their rear, smeared the bridge over with tar and 
 set it on fire. The structure, of wood, 20 rods 
 long and 40 feet above the water, was speedily 
 enveloped in rushing billows of flame, and dis- 
 appeared in smoke and ashes. Such a long 
 line of troops, with its ponderous artillery and 
 heavily-laden wagons, necessarily moves slow. 
 But by vigorously pushing forward they traveled 
 seventeen miles that day, and again bivouacked 
 by the road-side, about three miles from White- 
 hall. The weary soldiers did not need beds of 
 down to enable them to sleep soundly that night. 
 
 Tuesday, 16th, at 5 o'clock in the morning 
 the troops were again upon the march. They 
 had been in motion scarcely an hour when the 
 roar of battle was again heard at the head of the 
 column. The cavalry and one battery were in 
 the advance. As they were approaching the 
 little village of Whitehall, which is on the south 
 bank of the stream, they found that the enemy 
 had stationed themselves on the opposite side 
 of the river, having destroyed the bridge, and 
 were strongly posted, with ten guns in battery 
 on the opposite bank. The guns were protect- 
 
18 
 
 HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 ed by long lines of rifle-pits. A brief but spir- 
 ited conflict here ensued. As soon as our ad- 
 vance-guard appeared in sight the rebels opened 
 upon them from their batteries on the opposite 
 side of the river. When the Forty-fifth Massa- 
 chusetts, which in that day's march led the main 
 body of the army, came within reach of the reb- 
 el fire, six batteries, containing 36 guns, were 
 immediately brought into' position, and opened 
 a deadly fire upon the guns of the rebels, 10 in 
 number, upon the opposite side of the river. 
 These guns, on both sides, were loaded and fired 
 with such rapidity that it is said that there 
 were, in all, more than a hundred discharges 
 each minute. It is seldom, in battle, that so 
 
 large a number of guns are so closely concen- 
 trated. 
 
 The field of action was mostly a level plain, 
 with a few slight undulations. It was neces- 
 sary to place the Union infantry in positions to 
 protect their batteries from sudden charges by 
 the foe. The Massachusetts Forty-fifth found 
 itself stationed exactly in the range between one 
 of our batteries and the guns of the rebels. The 
 balls and shells from both parties went directly 
 over their heads, so near that were the men to 
 stand erect every head would soon be swept 
 away. As they lay flat upon the ground they 
 could feel the motion of every ball, and the 
 windage would often take away their breath. 
 
A MILITARY ADVENTURE. 
 
 19 
 
 Occasionally a shell would explode near them, 
 covering them with dirt. It was a very awk- 
 ward position to occupy, and General Foster 
 soon changed it. To attain a new position there 
 was a Virginia rail fence to be crossed. As one 
 of the men put his hand on a top rail to spring 
 over a shell struck the rail from beneath him, 
 plunged him headlong but unharmed into a 
 ditch, and knocked down and severely wounded 
 with a splinter another man. Almost at the 
 same moment another shell fell and exploded 
 in their ranks, wounding four men. In the 
 midst of such a fire as this, strange to say, many 
 of the Forty-fifth Massachusetts fell soundly 
 asleep. They were so utterly exhausted by the 
 march of two days, the battle in the swamp, and 
 the sleeplessness of the intervening night in 
 standing guard, that even the deafening roar of 
 battle and the greatest peril of wounds and death 
 could not keep them awake. 
 
 The conflict at Whitehall lasted about an 
 hour and a half, one brigade only of the Union 
 troops being called into action. It was found 
 on almost all occasions that our artillery prac- 
 tice was far superior to that of the rebels. Not 
 unfrequently the Union batteries would take 
 position in an open field and silence a rebel bat- 
 tery carefully intrenched, of the same number 
 of guns. While this artillery battle was raging 
 the main body of the army moved rapidly along 
 the road, at a little distance from the river, to 
 gain the stream at a point which the rebel guns 
 did not command. While thus moving a shell 
 fell into the ranks of the Forty-fourth Massa- 
 chusetts, instantly killing four men. The pa- 
 triot batteries at length silenced the rebel can- 
 non, and our troops, advancing to the river, de- 
 stroyed two gun-boats which the rebels were 
 building there. The village of Whitehall, which 
 stood between the hostile batteries, was literally 
 knocked to pieces. The dense woods which 
 fringed the opposite bank of the stream were 
 mown down by our deadly fire as the scythe 
 mows the grass. For a quarter of a mile back 
 from the river, and for half a mile up and down 
 the banks, scarcely a tree was left standing. 
 
 One principal object in visiting Whitehall was 
 to destroy the two gun-boats of which we have 
 spoken as being there upon the stocks. As the 
 enemy were in force upon the opposite bank our 
 troops could not in a body cross. It was now 
 night. The boats must be destroyed, and the 
 army must be speedily again on its way to ac- 
 complish an enterprise still more important. 
 Two thousand barrels of turpentine were seized, 
 piled in an immense heap on the river's bank, 
 and set on fire. Such a bonfire mortal eyes 
 have seldom seen. Vast sheets of billowy flame 
 Hashed their forked tongues to the clouds. The 
 whole region for miles around was lighted up. 
 Every movement of the enemy was revealed, 
 and their positions were mercilessly shelled. 
 Still there were no means of reaching the boats 
 but to call for volunteers to swim the stream 
 and apply the torch. A private named Butler 
 came forward, plunged into the wintry wave, 
 
 and pushed boldly for the opposite shore. Ev- 
 ery gun was brought into action throwing grape 
 and canister to distract the foe. 
 
 Butler ran tip the bank to the flaming bridge, 
 seized a brand, and was making for the boats, 
 when several rebels rushed from their sheltered 
 hiding-places and endeavored to seize him. 
 Quick as thought he turned, plunged again 
 into the river, and through a shower of bullets 
 returned safely to his comrades. The batteries 
 were then brought to bear upon the boats, and 
 with solid shot and shell they were nearly de- 
 molished, though the flames, could the torch 
 have been applied, would more effectually have 
 done the work. 
 
 The shell is a terrible and remorseless engine 
 of destruction. Nothing can be imagined more 
 demoniac than the yell with which they swoop 
 through the air. It is heard the moment the 
 shell leaves the gun, and with the larger size, 
 now often used, is so shrill and piercing that 
 even if a quarter of a mile distant it seems di- 
 rectly upon you. Many of these massive bolts 
 are hurled with such velocity that if they pass 
 within ten feet of one's head they produce a 
 vacuum which takes away the breath ; and as it 
 whirs by the scream grows fainter and fainter 
 till it expires in a thundering explosion. The 
 noise which these shells make is indescribable. 
 There is nothing with which to compare it. It 
 can only be imagined by those by whom it has 
 been heard. 
 
 Having dispersed the rebels at Whitehall, our 
 victorious little army, under their vigorous leader 
 General Foster, without crossing the river, and 
 with scarcely an hour's delay, pressed forward 
 toward the west, still ascending the banks of the 
 Neuse. Night overtook them twelve miles be- 
 yond Whitehall. Here they found their sixth 
 encampment. Scarcely had the dawn of Wednes- 
 day morning the 17th appeared ere the troops 
 were again in motion. A party of cavalry had 
 been sent in advance by a cross road on Monday 
 to a place called Mount Olive, twenty miles 
 south of Goldsborough, to destroy as much as 
 possible of the railroad there and a long trestle 
 railroad bridge. This enterprise the intrepid 
 cavalry had successfully accomplished. They 
 now returned to the main body, having ridden 
 seventy miles in twenty-four hours. 
 
 The great object of this whole military expe- 
 dition was to destroy the railroad running south 
 from Goldsborough, which was the principal line 
 of northern communication for the rebels. Like 
 most villages in a slave-holding country Golds- 
 borough is an insignificant hamlet, not import- 
 ant enough even to be noticed in a general 
 gazetteer. It is but little more than a railroad 
 station, where the Wilmington and Weldon road 
 crosses the Atlantic and North Carolina track. 
 There was a costly high-bridge an eighth of a mile 
 long, which here crossed the river, which had been 
 a long time in process of construction. It was an 
 important object of the expedition to destroy this 
 bridge. The rebels, fully appreciating its import- 
 ance, made a vigorous stand for its defense. But 
 
20 
 
 HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 General Foster on this expedition as much out- 
 generaled the rebel officers in strategy and tac- 
 tics as his soldiers out-fought the rebel rank and 
 file in the open field. At 11 o'clock, Wednes- 
 day morning, our soldiers were within five miles 
 of the bridge. The rebels were found there in 
 force, and the battle was renewed. A few miles 
 below the railroad viaduct there was a small 
 stream called Sleepy Creek, where there was a 
 common road bridge across the Neuse. A por- 
 tion of the army was sent down to this bridge to 
 make a feint, with as much noise as possible, of 
 crossing at that point. 
 
 The rebels, deceived by the supposition that it 
 was our main object to seize the railroad June-, 
 tion at Goldsborough, had assembled a large 
 force at this bridge, superior to our own, to guard 
 the passage. General Foster adroitly compelled 
 them to divide their force between this upper 
 and lower point, and kept the river between him 
 and the foe to prevent being overwhelmed by 
 any sudden assault. To prevent the Union 
 troops from crossing the river the rebels made 
 their first stand at Kingston. Here, as we have 
 mentioned, the rebels drove them back and de- 
 stroyed the bridge. They next made a stand 
 at Whitehall, destroying the bridge themselves. 
 Here the patriots silenced their batteries and de- 
 stroyed two of their gun-boats. The rebels then 
 drew back their forces to the vicinity of Golds- 
 borough, and established themselves at the two 
 bridges of which we have spoken, five miles apart. 
 While a part of our troops followed down Sleepy 
 Creek to the bridge the main body moved on to 
 the railroad bridge, the object of the expedition. 
 
 General Foster had no wish to cross either of 
 these bridges. He was well aware that there 
 was a sufficient force of rebels on the other side, 
 gathered from Wilmington, Weldon, Raleigh, 
 and even Virginia, to overwhelm the force at 
 his disposal. The assault commenced at both 
 bridges at the same time. From 11 o'clock in 
 the morning until 3 o'clock in the afternoon 
 there was the continuous roar of battle. The 
 rebels had taken position on the south side of 
 the railroad bridge. They were, however, soon 
 driven in confusion from their position and 
 across the bridge, and the bridge was utterly de- 
 stroyed. The flames consumed its frame," and 
 its buttresses were demolished bv shot and shell. 
 
 The great object of the expedition having been 
 thus effectually accomplished, the army imme- 
 diately commenced its return. The rebels now 
 began to comprehend the true posture of affairs. 
 They had assembled in such force as vastly 
 to outnumber the patriots. But there was a 
 wide and rapid river, with all the bridges de- 
 stroyed, flowing between them. In this emerg- 
 ence the rebels went back, ascending the river 
 about five miles, and crossed in the vicinity of 
 Waynesborough. Then marching down the 
 southern bank of the stream, they vigorously 
 set out in pursuit of our leisurely retiring col- 
 umns. They overtook the patriot rear-guard in 
 the vicinity of Sleepy Creek. As the rebels 
 came on in solid mass the patriot batteries, in 
 good position, remained quiet until they were 
 within three hundred yards, and then, with 
 double-shotted guns, they poured in so tremen- 
 dous a A r olley that no mortal strength or valor 
 could breast it. Three times the rebel ranks 
 were broken by the awful carnage, and three 
 times they rallied anew to the onset. Finally 
 they broke beyond recovery, and fled in wildest 
 confusion back among the forests and the hills. 
 Some prisoners who were taken said that they 
 lost in this terrific storm of war, which lasted 
 but a few moments, eight hundred men. It was 
 a very bold attempt of infantry to storm batteries 
 up to the muzzles of their guns. 
 
 The patriots now retired unmolested, and en- 
 camped Wednesday night on the same spot where 
 they had encamped the night before. The next 
 morning, at 4 o'clock, they were again upon the 
 march, and thus they tramped along, singing 
 songs of victon r , until 6 o'clock Satui-day night, 
 when they encamped about six miles from New- 
 bern. The Sabbath morning sun rose cloud- 
 less over the North Carolina pines. The day 
 was mild and beautiful, as though nature had no 
 voice or feature in harmony with the discord of 
 war. The patriot troops resumed their march 
 with waving banners and pealing bugles, and 
 thus rejoicingly re-entered the camp from which 
 they had marched but ten days before. They 
 marched into their encampment to the dear old 
 tune of "Home, Sweet Home." The distance 
 these iron men had traveled, over often the worst 
 of roads, and through a series of battles, was 
 about two hundred miles. 
 
 BATTLE OF KINGSTON. 
 
UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
 00032742961 
 
 FOR USE ONLY IN 
 THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION