Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-12-22
GEN. FOSTERS EXPEDITION.
The victory at Kinston.

L II - I o T at IA n s
The New York Herald of Saturday has severa
letters from kinston, N. c., and one from New
bern, giving an account of the march of Gen.
Fosters expedition, and of the battle that re.
suited in the capture of Kinston. From these
letters we compile the following account of
the march from Newbern, the skirmishing on
the way, and the general engagement in which
the rebels were routed:-
Gen. Fosters expedition left Newbern Thurs
day morning, Dec. IL. Among his troops were
the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York
regiments composing Gen. VESSELS brigade,
which had come to Newborn from Suffolk.
There was also organized force of contra
bands to aid in clearing the roads, repairing the
bridges, and doing any other useful work At 3
P. NJ. on Thursday the advance encountered the
rebel pickets and took three prisoners They
found the road blockaded by feled trees at a
place where it went through a swamp, and the
expedition was obliged to encamp for the night
Detachments of troops, aided by the contra
bands, cleared the road; and, during the night,
the New Jersey ninth went through the swamp
and took position on the other side, after Skin
mish with the rebels
The next day, Friday, the whole expedition
moving towards kinston, on the advance, came
upon rebel cavalry and an ambush of rebel in
tantry, which were charged and dispersed bv a
portion of the New York Sd cavalry, the rebels
losing several men killed and wounded and
seven taken prisoners. There was another
skIrmlsh that day, and more rebels were captured
The march towards Knston was conducted in
the following order:-The 9th New JERSEY had
the extreme advance; next came the brigade
with Monisons artillery; next came the brigade
under Col. Am0ry, consisting of the Massachu-
sets regiments, among which were the 17th 23d
doth and DIST; then came the brigade under Col
Lee, also consisting of Massachusetts regiments:
then followed the brigade under Col Stevenson,
in which, we believe, is the Massachusetts 25th
The artillery, consisting of New York, Rhode
Island and other batteries, was commanded by
Col. Laddie, and the New York 81 cavalry. used
as scouts, under Lieut.. Col. Mix
On the following morning. Saturday, Dec 10,
our troops, being eleven miles from Kinston,
moved AT daylight, and made feints on several
roads, but found rebel troops at all points. Alta
place on the way called Southwest Creek, there
was a rebel earthwork, mounting four guns. The
bridge there was partially destroyed Here there
was a sharp fight in which the troops engaged on
our side were the third New York cavalry, the
ninth New Jersey infantry, and several batteries
OF artillery. The rebels were routed and their
WORKS were taken. The contrabands were again
useful in repairing the bridge. Meanwhile, the
New Jersey 9th forded the stream, moved on,
and had another fight with the rebels storming
their battery, and capturing rilcd six-pounder,
aud several prisoners. VESSELS brigade now
joined the New Jersey 9th with battery, and the
whole moving on, had another fight with two or
tnree regiments of rebels who held good posi-
ton about five and half miles from Kinston,
Inc rebels Were beaten Some of our men were
wounded in this fight
On Sunday, the l4th, there was another adj
vance, which brought our men to the main rebel
position, near Kinston, and led to a general en-
gagement, the New Jersey ninth acting as Skin
mshers in the woods on each side of the road,
being the first in it The S5th Pennsylvania
came 10 their assistance. Then the whole of
VESSELS brigade followed, with artillery; and
after them went in Col Amory's brigade of Mas
sachusetts regiments, the other brigades acting
as a reserve. This fight took place near the
Neuse river, where there was a long fortfcarOn
on the opposite side, with II strong force of reb-
els. One of the letters says =
ION Sunday morning at daybreak Mix's cav
airy and Wessells brigade felt their way eau
tiously up the road about two miles, AMI drove
the rebel pickets through the woods TO their
main body. Here our advance halted, The ar
tiery was ordered to the front, and opened on
the enemy about haf-past ten. The rebels were
drawn up in line Of battle on ground partly
wooded and covered with dense underbrush
They formed their line in the shape of a triangle
with the base towards our forces. Our line was
formed with the 9th New Jersey on the right
ana WesselIs brigade III the center and left.
Cen Amory's brigade, consisting of the Massa-
chusets 23d, 45th, and other Massachusetts regi-
menus, formed second line behind this. The
Drlgades under Lee and Stevenson were held in
reserve. A short time after the artillery duel
began the infantry got TO work in earnest, and
the musketry fire was rapid and hot The fight
was lively until one O'clock, but not AZ very close
quarters, when the rebels began TO fall back
pursued by the New Jersey 9th and VESSELS
brigade. The rebels went hastily and crossed
the bridge into Kinslon. The last rebel regiment
fired the bridge; but the New Jersey 9th extin.
guished the fire, and our troops Immediately oc.
cupied Kinston. The Connecticut 10th did some
brave and successful work, driving the rebels
through the place, who then fed in the direction
of Goldsbor0."
After crossing the river, Capt Cole OF the New
York cavalry went down TO the rebel works on
that side and captured seven pieces of artillery,
including one eight inch coumbiad. The gun.