The New York herald., 1862-12-19
IMPORTANT FROM NORTH CAROLINA.
The Reported Repulss Of tho Union Forces
Under Gen. Foster at Kinston.
>>>>>~~~~r~~~>~~~~.~~~S~
Shstshss Of tAs Rebtl General Evans and the
Union General Foster.
fHH OBJECTS OF THR XPRDlTl0N.
Description Of the intermediate
Country.
Destruction sf Plymouth and sketch
Of the Place,
Ac.s &C.. &c.
7HB OBJECTS or THB EXPEDITION.

10 General C0oPRR, Adjuant General, &C., Kscnmond:-
General Foster attacked Kinst0n, N. G., yesterday
with 10 900 men and nine gunboats.
fought them hours, and have driven them back 70
his gunboats.
ais army Is stin in my front.
N. G. EVANS, Major General Commanding.
the above may be relied upon, It would appear that
the Union forces have met with check in this
vicinity at Fredericksburg although perhaps not quite
bloody When last heard from at Newbern by scouts
Ac., the rebels had at Kingston but parts OF five
regiments and two batteries OF artillery, with six
ether guns mounted In earthworks Other reports,
however, by way Of SUFFOLK and Norfolk, stated
that General Evans, with forty thousand men, had
recently been despatched TO this part Of North Caro-
na 70 resist the expected advance Of General Banks,
who supposed to be about march upon Richmond
by way Of North Carolina There Is but little doubt tina
The rebels had series Of fortihcatons similar those a.
fredericksburg but perhaps not quite 20 strong The
ported force at Godsboro as known at Newborn by in
formation from scouts, 1t this same time but very
Insignificant.
Il would appear that large fsroe, under General
Evans, had really been thrown upon this line Of
operations the above despatch shows that 900 men
repulsed after ten hours fighting, which could
hardly have the case had the number been a. small
- when the Union scouts reported them. .H
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNION FORCES.
Taking the rebel despatch basis, surmisc that
Massachusetts, troops with the addition Of Gen. Vessels
brigade which had been detached from Gen. Peck Gen.
Dsdeys artillery force COL Mix's Third New York caval
" and Col Hickmans Ninth New Jersey Volunteers.
Gen. Foster before he started from Newborn organized
special provost marshas corps guard, giving the
chief ocer Of that corps discretionary powers shoot
down any discovered piaging or In any other way
eating disgracsfully.
WHO IS GENERAL EVANS?
Dr,gader General Nathan George Evans 10 native Of
sosah Carolina. He entered the Military Academy in
lsll and graduated At West Point the soth Of June
Iels, standing No 80 class Of thirty eight members
last but two In his class nnd the names Of Genera,
Baford and others Of the Union army stouewa jackson
end others in the rebel service. He appointed TO
second eutenancy the First United States Dragons In
July lS4S and transferred TO the Second dragons
N September. 1s49. In March, 1855, he became first
lieutenant OF tho Second cavalry and was promoted
sapaincy In the following year. which position he held
under Major Van Don when the latter commanded ths
psdion against the Comanches In 1885, winning no little
distinction his bravery the battle Of
paign Wichita village, in Texas His connection with
- rebss cotenporaneous with the secession Of South
Carolina by whose Governor he appointed adjutant
general OF tho regular forces Of the State He subse
Soenty appointed brigader general and in conjunction
With Generals Jackson and Cocke commanded the left
engagement he In immediate command Of brigade
ssmposed Of wheats battalion Colonel Hays Seventh
louisiana Volunteers and the Warrington artillery He
so commanded the forces at Edwards Ferry during the
nsmorable massacre Of Balls Bluff October a. 1861
- since been promoted 70 major generalsnip He
esteemed by the rebels - an able general, and
paacsd in this command resist the expected assault Of
General Banks in Nsrth Carona-t being considered one
& The most important defences Of Richmond.
nAyoR oxNxRAL JOHN O. POSTER.
Nasor General John G. Foster commanding the First
brigade, was BON in New Hampshire in 1924. He On
trsd Ne Military Academy In 1s42 graduated the
ssA Of June, ls4s standing number -four In bis class
which We and the names Of Major Generals George B.
nocsnAz j. H. Reno. D. N. Couch c. c. Gilbert, BrieAdsr
0sasras D. stursis, Geo. stensman, jas Cakes, j. NJ
Palmer O. H. Goraoa; Colones Rush. AAiton and others
= ths Union army. He was. the LIST 4 July, lsls
Drevsssd second lieutenant Of engineers In the same
ssrpe win ~ rebel General Gwtavus W. Smith and
Gseeral Mcclellan. o. the 10th o August ls47 hs was
Srsvsed rst lieutenant for gallant and meritorious
- n ths battles Of CoAtreras and Cherususco his bre
vss being awarded in August, ls4s. He with The
ssormng party engaged "a Nolino del Rey, in which
susagemeat he was severely wounded, and for his
enllant and msriserous conduct while in this bat
~ 10 was brsvettsd captain, his commission
Ssiag awarded september 1, ls4s. and bearing date
O0pt1xnO0f .,
eDserins at the Military Academy during 1884, and IN
April of that year made full nrst lieutenant Of
sngnsers On the LIST of July, 1850, he made full
captain He also Of the brave few who long
end calamity defended Fort Sumter against the robe
sodiery Of South Carolina. After his return from that
or he was actively engaged In the superintendent Of
shs fortincatioos ~ Sandy Hook. and there showed
forth some Of hin engineering qualifications. He also
supsrntsnded n the time Of It's construction the work on
Bogus land North Carolina known Fort Macon In con
sderaton of his military capacity and experience be was
created BY the President brgadie general OF volunteers
end attached 70 IL famous Burnside expedition He wa
IN North Carolina - the time when General Parke the
military commander Of the expedition that succeeded in
he retakng Of Fort Macon reduced that work. on the
ssh OF Apr 1852 and also assisted At the taking OF
Roanoke Island Newbsrn, Beaufort, &c when General
Burnside let North Carolina in August 1862 made
Into separate department from the Ninth army corps
end given into the charge Of General Foster who been
made major general, with commission dating from
yuy 10 1852 General Fosters forces made the success
ul advance upon Hamilton N c. which was occupied on
chs 4th Of November, 1891 In this last advance upon
Knston We have yet 70 ieapn from Union sources
whether II be repulse or not but judging from his
former actions, u viii only be % frsm Overwhelming
opposition.
THE OBJECT OF THE EXPEDITION
viii be seen reference to the map that the obec,
Of this expedition was TO take possession Of Godsboro
which junction Of tho railroads running 70 Rich
mond on the north, Raleigh the north OF west, VIII
mington and Charleston the south, and Newbern on
the south Of As the fortihcatons Rnston pre
vented the gunboats from ascending the Mouse river
higher than that point, and also prevented the Union
troops from marching along the turnpike railroad 70
coldsboro, became necessary 10 reduce them before
proceeding further and led 70 the action described in
tbs abo,s despatch