The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-03-22
Great Battle in North
Carolina!
REBELS TOTALLY DEFEATED.
Newborn Taken /!
THE .ARTYLLERT C.aP.
TURED!

BALTIMORE, March l6.-The steamer Comm0-
dore arrived this morning direct from the Burn
side expedition, and reports the capture of New
bern, North Carolina, the defeat Of the enemy,
and the capture Of large quantity Of artillery.
after bard fought battle.
Our loss at Newbern is about 90 killed and
400 wounded. Our men displayed great bravery.
A bearer Of dispatches from Gen. Burnside
left Immediately for Washington.
1t Ia reported that We took 800 prisoners.
Some reports make our loss so or 60 and $50
to 800 wounded.
The fight took place on Friday last.
There are rumors that one OF our Brigadier
Generals was killed-considered unreliable:
Especial to N. Y. Times.]
BALrMoRE, March 1s.-The enemy's works.
six miles below Newbern, were attacked on Fri
day morning last. They were defended by q
force Of ten thousand, having twenty-one guns
posted behind formidable batteries, over two
miles long. The fight was one Of the most des-
great steadiness and courage, and after nearly
four hours hard fighting, drove the rebels from
all their positions, capturing three light bate
res of field artillery, forty-six heavy siege guns,
large stores of field ammunition, 5000 stand of
small arms, and 200 prisoners, including one
Colonel, three Captains, and four Lieutenants.
The enemy left large number of dead on the
field. They escaped by cars to Goldsborough,
burning the bridges over the Trent and Cler-
mont, and fred the city Of Nswbern. No extern
sve damage was done to the place.
We lost about one hundred killed, and four
hundred wounded, mostly of the New England
regiments.
Rev. O. N. Benton was among the killed. and
Major Legi6del, blst N. Y volunteers, MORALLY
wounded. Lieut.. Col. Morrill, of the 23d Massa-
chusetts, and Adjutant Faustens of the 2lst
Massachusetts, Infantry were also killed.
Sergt. Major D. II. johnson, of the Esd Mas
sachusetts regiment, came as passenger by stea-
mer Commodore, and from him we gather the
following interesting particulars:
Our troops under Gen. Burnside, landed on
Thursday evening near the mouth of Swan
Creek, on the west side Of Neuse River, fifteen
the vessels did not participate in the fight.
Early on Friday morning the fight commenc.
ed Our troops advanced along the country
road running PARALLEL with the Neuse river, but
mile or two in the rear, the road was skirted
on the west side by railroad and dense swamp.
All along the river side were series of batter
les which were taken by our troops one after
another, after some bloody hand to hand con-
tests.
Our troops were divided into three brigades,
under Generals Reno, Foster and Parks.
Gradually the enemy deserted their guns un.
til we reached line of earth works running
across the road from the river to the swamp on
the west, distance of some two miles. These
earth works were very strong. They were loca.
ted about two miles south Of Newbern, and be-
low them and the city ran the river. The coun-
Try roads and the Railroad both passed through
these works, and crossed the Neuse by bridge.
In front of these works the rebels had felled a
large number of trees, forming an almost i'm
penetrabe a"attis where the flying rebels were
ready to make Tor a while desperate stand.
Our men fought until their ammunition was
spent, when an order to charge bayonet was
given. The works were finally taken at the
point OF the bayonet, the enemy flying and leay-
ing everything behind. In their retreat the
rebels burnt the bridges over the Neuse, con.
Meeting with both the country road and r R.
As they had their trains of cars in their rear
just across the bridges, they, of course, were
able to carry of their wounded and dead Their
loss is therefore, not certainly known, but il
must have been considerable.
1t was in front of the last foItiica,ion that ouI
| greatest loss was sustained. The force of the
rebels is supposed to have been about 5000
| We captured number of prisoners including
| Col. Avery, who cursed his soldiers as towards
| just as the battle terminated the fog lifted
| aud enabled our gunboats, which had been wait
ing for An opportunity to participate in the fight
to come up the river, and our troops were fur.
nished with means of transportation across the
Trent to Newbern. The rebels attempted to
FIRE the town in their retreat but were prevent.
ed by the citizens, who extinguished the flames
as fast as they were started by the soldiers
None OF our Generals or staff officers we're kill.
ed or wounded. We captured from thirty to
fifty cannon. Officers of the rebels left their
baggage behind and the men threw away every.
thing. The fight terminated at three p. M, on
Friday, when our troops remained masters of the
EaIi