Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-12-22
THE VICTORY INNORTH CAROLINA,

General Foster was fighting and defeating
the rebels under General Evans at Kins-
ton. We have already spoken of the cap
ture Of this place on the Neuse river and
its Importance as being SO near the i'm
pOrtant railroad point of GOldsborO, to-
ward which place General Foster advanced
Immediately after capturing KinstOn.
The expedition from Newbern to Kins-
ton started on the 11th inst. That after
noon the enemy's pickets were encountered
and driven in, fifteen miles from New
bern. On the 18th friday the march was
resumed and some skirmishing occurred
during the day, the column resting at
night about eleven miles from Kinston.
Of the operations Of Saturday and Sun
day, we take the following report from the
correspondence of the New York Herald,
dated on the 18th CMOndsy,);
"On Saturday morning at seven o'clock
the line of march was resumed
toward Kinston at a slow pace, as the
enemy were beginning to appear in some
force in front to point where the White
hall and main Kinston roads unite, about
seven miles from Kinston. This point was
reached at about eleven o'clock on Satur-
day morning, and then it was expected
that the rebels would offer battle, as it was
9 strong position. Our troops were formed
in line of battle in an open field on the
left Of the road which ran to Whitehall, in
front Of a wood, which it was supposed
covered the enemy's main force. A small
creek ran across the road five hundred
yards TO the right and front Of our line of
battle, over which was bridge, which the
rebels had destroyed, and out Of the debris
of which they had erected q breastWork
and planted two six-pounders, rifed,
sweeping the road.
Morrison's battery was put forward to
the right of the road, and, taking a posi-
tion on a small hill two hundred and fifty
yards from the rebel battery, opened FIRE.
The enemy hotly replied with grape and
canister, sweeping the road, but doing no
damage. Morrison continued to shell the
battery and the woods on either side for
nearly an hour, when the enemy began to
retire Just as the enemy were about re-
firing the Ninth New Jersey were deploy-
and, advancing under fire, they crossed the
creek on a mill dam, Aanked the rebel bat
terry, and takingit by storm, captured a
rihed six-pounder, and several prisoners.
The rebels retreated hastily and succeeded
in saving the other six-pounder, but left
six killed and wounded Three hours
were consumed in the reconstruction Of the
| bridge. When completed the infantry and
artillery crossed and marched towards
Kinston, about three and half miles, and
halted for the night, in line of battle, with
strong pickets out. The enemy made but
feeble resistance TO the advance of our
forces, Mi1's cavalry driving them like
chaf before them. The night passed qui-
etly, little affair between pickets, without
result breaking the monotony of the
night.
On Sunday morning at daybreak, Mix's
cavalry and Vessels brigade began to ad-
vance, feeling their way cautiously W the
road about two miles, when the enemy's
piekets were met and driven back through
q piece of woods about three-quarters of
mile, when they retired upon the main
body of the enemy, six thousand strong
under the command Of igadier-General
Evans, Of Balls Bluff notoriety. His force
consisted Of three regiments Of South Car
olina infantry; the balance Of artillery,
cavalry and infantry, was made up of
NaEth Carolina trnops- Here our advance
halted, and the artillery was ordered to
the front, and at half past ten the artillery
opened on the enemy. The rebels were
found to be drawn up in line Of battle on
q ground partially wooded and covered
with dense underbrush, with their artil-
lery in the centre and on either flank
They formed their line nearly in the shape
Of q triangle, with the base toward our
forces. Our line was formed with the 9th
New Jersey on the right, WesselIs brig
ade in the centre and left Behind, in
second line, was the 23d Massachusetts
regiment, on the right the 44th and 18th
Massachusetts, regiments, and other regi-
ments of Emory's brigade, Stevenson and
Lees brigades being held in reserve. Our
artillery was placed in position on the
right, centre and left Of the line. The
battle was begun by the artillery at half
past ten, and continued uninterruptedly
until about half past one o'clock, when the
enemy commenced to retreat. But short
time elapsed altar the artillery duel had
begun before the infantry got to work in
earnest, and the musketry became very
rapid and hot. The fight was quite lively
until one o'clock, but not at very close
quarters, when the rebels began to fall
back, and the 9th New Jersey were thrown
out as skirmishers, and WesselPs brigade
pushed forward in pursuit. Our batteries
were then thrown around to the right of
the road, and fired upon the retreating reb-
els, but with little effect The enemy fell
back hastily nearly mile, and crossed
the bridge leading into Kinston, the 9Th
New Jersey following closely in pursuit
As the last rebel regiment crossed the
bridge, the rebels applied the match to il,
and, as it had been prepared for the pur-
pose, the FIRE soon gained some headway;
but the 9th New Jersey came up in time
to extinguish the fire before it had done
much damage.
After crossing the bridge Que rebel brig
ade retrested in the direction Of GoldsborO'
and the other in the direction Of Snow
Hill, on the road to Weldon. Gen. Evans,
with ms DOUUh coroffrI tr55E1zi =vtEvu.t-a
towards Goldsboro', our artillery throwing
shells on the retreating columns.
"0ur division Immediately crossed the
bridge and occupied Kinston, the rebels on
their retreat burning quanLiIy Of colloni
q locomotive and some cars Our troops
held the town until yesterday morning,
when they left the town and moved for
ward in a northerly direction, after burn
ing the bridge over the Neuse river. We
captured on the battle field four hundred
prisoners, eleven pieces Of artillery on this
side Of the bridge and three on the other,
making fourteen guns in all taken from
them. A large number of small arms,
perhaps eight hundred, were taken. Our
loss was one hundred and sixty killed and
wounded. That of the enemy about one
hundred and twenty-five, as they were
more protected. The only officers killed on
our side were Colonel Gray, of the Ninety