Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-03-21
The War News.
Another Burnside viotoryl


ture Of Newbefn, N. c., the defeat Of the
enemy and the capture Of large quantity
of artillery, after hard 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,
tk ftti SECOND DISPATCH
1t is reported We took 800 prisouers.--
Some reports make our loss so or 90 killed
and 26o 10 800 wounded.
Tho fight took place on Friday last.
There are rumors that ono Of our Briga-
dier Generals was killed-considered unre-
liable.
LArER.--BALrIMoR March 1s. The
enemy's works, six miles below Newberne,
were attacked on Friday morning last
They were defended by = force 10000
strong, having 81 guns posted behind form
idablc batteries, over two miles long. The
fight was ono of the most desperate Of tho
| war.
Our troops behaved with great steadiness
and courage, and after nearly four hours
hard lighting, drove the rebels from all
their positions, capturing three batteries of
field artillery, 46 heavy siege guns, large
stores of fixed ammunition, 5000 stand of
small arms and 200 prisoners, including
one Colonel, three Captains and four Lieu
| tenants. t
The enemy left largo number of dead
on the field They escaped by cars to
Goldsborougb, burning the bridges over
the Trent aud Claremont, and firing the
city of Newberne. No extensive damage
was done to the place.
We lost about 100 killed aud 400 wound
ed, mostly of the New England Regiments.
Rev. o. NJ. Benton was among the killed,
and Major Legander, of the 55th New
York Volunteers, was mortally wounded.
Lieutenant Colonel Merritt, of the 23d
Massachusetts, and adjutant F. A. Stearns,
of the 2lst Massachusetts, were also killed.
BALTIMORE, March ls.-Sergeant Major
D. H. johnson, of the 23d Massachusetts
regiment, came passenger by the steamer
Commodore. From him we gather the
following interesting particulars:
Our troops, under Gen. Burnside, landed
on Thursday evening near the mouth of
Swan Greek, on tho west side of Neuse
river, fifteen miles below Newbern. Ow-
ing to dense fog the naval vessels did not
participate in the fight.
Early on Friday morning the fight COM
menced. 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 tho west side by
! nd al
the river side were series of batteries,
which were taken by our troops, one after
another, after some bloody hand to hand
contests. Our troops were divided into
three brigades, under Generals Reno, Fos-
ter and Parks. We advanced gradually,
the enemy deserting their guns, until we
reached line of earthworks extending
across the road from tho river to the swamp
on the west, q distance of some two miles.
These earthworks were very strong, They
were located about two miles south of New
bern, and between there and the city ran
the river Trent. The country road and
the railroad both passed through these
works, aud crossed into the city by bridges.
In front of these works the rebels had felled
large number of trees, forming an almost
impenetrable abattis. Here the flying reb-
els were rallied and made for a while a
desperate stand.
Our men fought until all their ammuni-
tion was spent, when an order to charge
bayonets was given, and the works were
fually taken at the point Of the bayonet,
the enemy flying and leaving everything
behind them. In their retreat the rebels
burnt the bridges communicating with the
town over both the country road and the
railroad. As they had their trains of cars
10 their rear just across the bridges, they
of course were able TO carry off their wound.
ed and dead. Their loss is therefore not
certainly known, but it must have been
severe.
Before our troops reached this last work
they encountered another which was desert
ed before they came up. 1t was in front of
this last fortfication that our greatest loss
was sustained.
The force of the rebels is supposed TO
have been about 5000.
We captured number of prisoners, in
cluding Col. Oveny, who cursed his soldiers
as towards.
Just as the battle terminated the fog
lifted and enabled our gunboats, which had
been waiting for an opportunity to partici-
pate in the fight, to come up the river, and
our troops were furnished with means OF
transportation across the Trent to Newbern
The rebels tried to FIRE the town on their
retreat, but were prevented by the citizens,
who extinguished the flames as fast as they
were started by the soldiers.
None Of our Generals or staff officers
were killed or wounded.
We captured from 40 to so cannon.
The officers Of the rebels left their bag
gage behind, and tho men threw away
everything.
The fight terminated at 8 p. N. on Fri
day, when our troops remained masters of
the field.
WHAT THE FLEET DID.
Commodore Rowan was in command of
the fleet Of gun-boats, and had sunken yes-
sells, torpedoes, aud other rebel distractions
to overcome and pass but surmounted all
with but slight damage to only two of his
Is vessels. Two briggs, barks, and 10
schooners were sunk by the rebels above
two of their batteries. Tho latter were ST.
lenced, the sunken vessels passed, aud our
flag hoisted over tho silenced batteries as
| - f.-o. .....t IL q