Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-03-19
The FAN OF Newbern.


account Of this unfortunate disaster to our beloved
particulars which can be relied on, we fnd that
much yet remains unknown. What we state as
true, comes from undoubted sources; ruu,ors can
not be relied on. ts.-e sss-s
As early as Tuesday afternoon, the 18th instant,
it is said ten or twelve vessels of the enemy were
reported in the river fifteen miles below Newbern.
On Wednesday the number was increased to fifty,
some say seventy-fve. On Wednesday evening or
Thursday morning it is reported that the Yankees
assembled Slocumb's Creek, burnt DR.. Masters fine
MILL and destroyed the railroad at Croatan ana the
military preparations which had been made "a
point nearly midway between Newbern and Caro-
lima City Here, we believe, Capt Evans cavalry
had been stationed as picket who were driven off
by superior force, two of his men said to have been
wounded by the shells. The enemy effected land
ing on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning
of some Is or 10000 troops, either on Slocumbs or
Otter creek, but we are inclined to think it
the former. Previous to landing. the whole region
thoroughly shelled below batteries forcing
Col. Sinclair with his regiment, sent to prevent
landing, to retire to the entertainments within four
or five miles of Newborn. The Smelling was kept
up all day Thursday below the batteries. We have
no information that any of the batteries except
Fort Thompson fired a shot, as vessel came in
range until Friday, when all of them below Fort
Thompson had been out. thanked and rendered pow
erless by the enemy in the rear. Thus showing the
miserable and ruinous engineering as well as bad
generalshp, with which Eastern North Carolina has
been literally crushed.
The breastworks, where it was intended to give
the enemy battle, extended from Fort Thompson
westward some two or three miles across the rail
road, to impossible swamp. Fort Thompson
had several heavy guns covering its rear and COM
manding the entertainments on the side the enemy
was to approach-the fort and entertainments be-
ing four or five miles below Newbern. To defend
the entertainments Gen. Branch had Coils. Sloan'S,
Lees, Campbell's, Snclars, and the Craven (mtia)
regiments, besides others from Wayne Lenoir and
Johnston, east of the railroad, and Coils. Vance's
and Avery's on the west, Col. Avery being in the
rear of Col. Vance; though one account is that Col
Avery had been assigned the position at the railroad
that being really the post of honor and of most im
mrnent danger. Besides these, Col SpruilIs cav
airy were stationed in the rear, except that the
| companies of Capts. Hayes and Cole We learn, had
| been dSmounted and placed in the trenches to aid
the infantry The artillery companies of Captains
Brern and Latham were assigned positions at some
points on the line Of which we are not advised.
| But strange to say the break in the line Of en-
trenchments at the railroad entirely unprotect-
ed either by artillery infantry. We learn that
Col. Thompson, the engineer, commenced on Thurs
day morning to place cannon at that point but did
not succeed in getting them in position; hence, at
the railroad there was no impeachment whatever to
the enemy.
| One of our nformantS was ordered to the field on
| Thursday, being member of the Craven regiment
| of the militia. His regiment strange to say, the
militia placed nearest the Railroad, being how
! ever, no nearer than two or three hundred yards.
This was really the most exposed and dangerous
part of the ground Col. Vance occupied position
west of the railroad the swamp, but too Gar
from the railroad to afford it any protection to
watch the advance of the enemy through the break.
| The gentleman above alluded to states that during
the day on Thursday he heard that some ten of our
| pickets below had been driven in or taken. What
| arrangements were made for scouts or picket duty
| in the nelghborhood of the enemy Thursday
night, he did not know or bear. The troops, how
ever, went to sleep that night not surprising that
! the enemy was or would be before next day within
| miles of them. Next morning he arose early, and
with friend Colonel of one of our regiments went
! to a spring to wash While washing they heard
the discharge of musketry-they Immediately ran
to their positions, the Colonel to his command, and
our friend to his position the right of the militia
regiment, being one of the nearest to the railroad.
They ascertaned that in their absence the line had
been formed and the order was given for the men
! to discharge THEN pieces and load. Whether any
one officer private, knew that the enemy at
that very time within 500 yards of our entrench-
meGts, is not known. Another account is, that at Z
o'clock, three OF the enemys officers rode up within
| 2 or 800 yards of our lines, and calmly surveyed
our entertainments, and Immediately disappeared.
In few moments after their disappearance, and
the discharge of our musketry, the enemy's artIl-
lery opened upon lines, and at once the engage
ment began on both sides along the line.
Our informant says that soon after taking his po-
sition casting his eye over his right shoulder, he
saw large number of armed men creeping in quick
time by the railroad into our trenches. lie direct
ed the attention of his commander to it, who re.
marked that he thought it must be Col. Avery S
men, who had been assigned that position. But
almost Immediately the bullets came whistling over
| their heads, and he discovered the "stars and
stripes rolled up, when the militia ordered to
| fire. They continued to load and fire, and in a
short tine he discovered the militia falling back
Whether they were ordered to do so or not he does
not know, as he heard no order of any kind from
an oficer-no ore to rally or encourage the men.
The Athens Guards, of which he was member,
seemed disposed to stand firmly, and he thinks if
the men could have heard rallying cry from any
! quarter they would have stood His company with
few others the last of the militia to fall back
from the entertainments, and soon he heard the