, 1862-03-22

THE EEEMY ENGAGED

THE EEEMY ENGAGED. +
The rebel forces engaged were the-S$
7h h Tesn3 Icg \; G E. e;f,d G1h T. F., ce%Res g.
5st1 1sth do NC; s. T., Got. :; F; sREuill-
Sas Sc % % % % I Se1: ::d;1 3o5a s1es1* soaes'
81 81 g. Ss Nc 8 ,el' 81 81 & S|'fs3s IT,
u. BEsm's battery 1ightartfllery, si1 guns, Cap
Branch artillery, SIX guns, Captain Latham.
Light artillery, SIX guns, Captain Harding.
These batteries were captured with ill their
caissous, limbers, etc.,. comglete, and with
supplies Of ammunition ,j1 T. the batteries The
flying mad1y over the field as our troops en-
tered the work.
TEE REBEL WORKS.
The work itselfis formidable place. It con
slsts OF hreastWork about = mile Long, from
the river to the railroad, lankeG on the left by
water battery, five Of the heavy, guns Of
which, are mounted on, pivot and can be
tie oreastwor. o Il Tie point ' Whsra atsht6 t6g
county road crosses, the work Is q redonbt in
advance Of the op- ming, and around which the
road curves. At the railroad were found two
heavy siege guns, with their carriages and am
munit!on On q platform car, which Ii xas the
intention to mount so as to sweep the rail
road for two miles. Another day would have
given them time to mount thesa guns, and it
would be three days fight to carry the work.
Behind the railroad Nas the line Of redoubts
crowning the crests Of q number Of n&1ges, be-
were built Of logs with the earth piled up from
the outside, and were about four feet high.
They presented front and two lankiug faces,
ard the gorge is about twenty-five yards wide.
There were thirteen Of these.
The water battery mounted twelve guns.
Five 0fhf.r hoffpriaE m, f11a
doDed by the rebels. These batteries, with
two 2gun forts at Newbern, mounted forty
six heavy 32pounder guns, some Of which
we're rlfed 32pounder=- Stores Of small arms
we're found in different barracks aud camps,
and flung On the ground to expedite the re-
ammunition for small arms and artillery to q
considerable anount vas found In the bat
terics.
a rehel captain, while engaged In blowing
up one Of the magazines, had his leg broken
by filling timber.
AS ne approached Newbern by the railroad,
our entire force having taken that route to
approach the city, struggling parties Of rebols
wcre picked up. They we're exhausted and
footsore like onr own soldiers, but had not the
Hush OF victory to sustain them.
THE CITY ON FIRE.
When about three miles from Newbern, VIC
could seea dense cloud Of smoke oyerhauging
LIE city. LII IGuEla A&tl UfEQ Wilt SGF
| eral places. Intelligence from our advance
! said the railroad bridge and the Claremont
bridge, where the country road crosses the
Trent, were enveloped in flames, haEing been
| fired by the rctrcating rebels, after they had
| crossed On nearer approach three immense
outline was distinctly marked on the black
| cloud beyond. These columns Of smoke
| arose from three points at which the rebels
had fired the city. One was from large dis.
tillery, and the others were from blocks of
buildings about the eeutre Of the town.
| On our arrival at the bank Of the river VIC
| found the bridges had fallen; the supports
t having been consumed. Tie railroad bridge
vas q fine tressle work bridge built on brieh
piers, at point where the river Ii three-quar'
terE Of q mile wide.
OCCUPATION OF EEHEERN.
Gen. Foster crossed to the city aud found il
deserted by tic greater portion Of the white
inhabitants, and the negroes holding carni
| val in the houses Wherc they once had served
The General determined to occupy the towr
with his brigade, i'll order to prevent furthe
destruction to property.
Two small steamers which the rebels lcf
urdestro5cd il their precipitate flight, wcr1
taken possession Of by the General, and hi
entire column was fe.ried across before dark
The rebels fired tile bridges about on
o'clock, and two hours afterwards our troop
| crossed in the steamers and small boats. Sey
erof Of our gunboats lad effected the passag
OF The river up to kewbern, but not in tim
strnction Of the bridge.
The city was entirely enye1oped in the smok
OF the burning. bridges and buildings. Ne
groes, male and female, trooped through tn
streets, talking loudly, entering desertc
houses and coming out with every descHptio
Of fplundcr. White faces appeared furtiyely q
tue half closed doors and windows aud sui
timely disappeared The gloom Of ruin an
despair hung on eye y tblDgnEl it was lett f
us to bring orlief out Of this chaos. A fe
Of the inhabitants had hauled out their iii
engine and endeaEored to arrest the progre;
Of the fames. Their efforts were incnactua
as each block that was fired WIS totally cor
sumed. Fortunately the air was still and Il
| flames wefe confined to the blocks in ~lic
they originated. Otherwise the city wou]
hare been utterly destroyed.
On the arrival Of the soldiers, the negro
became less clamorous- Our men We
fatigued with the terrible labors Of the pa
two days, and flushed with the victory ths
had achieved, rushed into the houses th
were found vacant. which fact was acccptt
US evidence Of the dis1oyalty of the owne
The search for food was first vigorously pro
eeuted, and the securing Of trophies can
| next in order.
The marines from the transports and me
ofWar were the most successful aud tho leu
!, | serupuIous in this latter search.
Officers 1oragipg for the comforts Of Ii
were stro1ling about for some time, a
: finally secured quarters in the deserted houst
The furniture had been removed from maj
| houses, but some were found Ii readiness
be vacated, the furniture being packed a.
left on the floor. Some very comfortat
quarters were secured in 4 house with a tol,
able good stock Of wines and liquors, and
: well supplied larder.
OUR Loss.
: Our loss, as thus far ascertained, II
y amount to III killed and 468 wounded, ma
y ofthem mortally Among the wounded 0
! many Of our most gallant officers and men.
. The re1'el loss is severe, but not SO GIT
as ours, the enemy having been edectua
a covered by their works
s REBEL ToRrEDoEs.
1 The fleet in coming up to the city pass
channel Of the Neusc- The schooners viii
/ were euDk in the main channel, Compelled O
d vessels to take the inner channel in viii
u chesx1tx t1e, ,fJtse pointing down the stream
been sunk. They consisted Of beams point
sna ned sae"'ied 5er r bdS 5son s$ 4h
I; in order to anchor. them, leavi
c surface Of the water. One Of these pierc
l, tie aide Of the Alice Price, just above
a water line, penetrating her 1imhers aud III:
| ing an aperture that would have sunk lef
is lew minutes if it had been under tie va
l. line.
il In the city number Of boiler iron cyl
= dezs, about two feet long aud ten inches
g diameter, were found, stored with arms a
u equipments OF various kinds. These r.
1 supposed to be the torpedoes with which
J. rebels meant to destroy our leet. None
= been laid in the river.
= - TBS FLEET AT TIE CITY.
o On Sunday morning our entire fleet :
Z anchored near the city, and some Of our 6
boats advanced up the Neuse some dista'
[e | 10 prevent surprise by tne1epes uomdol
Is hOro. The railroad can be commanded BY
Il gunboats a considerable distance above NJ
I. bern.
el ------------
FROM SAVANNAH, TENN
L. ......
1e Gen. Grant Ass4nes CeHmand