Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-04-30
Burnside's Official Report of the Capture Oh
sy NeWbern, NOrth.Carolin8., :

NEWDERN, March 10, 1907 y --fg
GEN. THOMAS, Adjutdnt General u. s. army:
GENERAL: have the honor to report that after
enbarking the troops with which INTENDED to at
tack Nevbern, in CONJUNCTION with the naval force,
on the morning Of the 18th, rendezvous was made
at Hatteras Inlet
Flag. Officer Goldsberough having been ordered to
Hampton Roads, the naval feet was left in command
of Commodore Rowan. &c., --
Early on The morning Of the 18th, the entire force
started for 4wbern and that night anchored off the
mouth of fim's Creek, some Is miles from New
bern, whs2 SJad DECIDED to make landing.
The lang commenced at o'clock the next
morning. aer cover of the naval feet, and was ef-
fected with the greatest enthusiasm by the troops.
Many, tooimpatient for the boats, leaped into the
water and waded waist deep to the shore, and then,
after a toilsome march through the mud, the head
Of the column marched within mile and half of
the enemy's stronghold at P. NJ, distance Of
twelve miles from the point Of landing where We
livouacked for the night, the rear of the column
coming up with the boat howitzes about o'clock
next morning, the detention being caused 10y the
shocking condition of the roads, consequent upon
the heavy rain that had fallen during that day and
the whole of the night, the men often wading knee
deep in mud and requiring whole regiment tc
drag the eight pieces which had been landed from
the navy and our own vessels.
By signals agreed upon, the naval vessels, with
the armed vessels of my force informed Of our
progress and were thereby enabled to assist much
in our march by Smelling the road in advance.
At daylight on the morning of the l4th ordered
an advance Of the entire division, will be understood
by the ipclosed pencfsketch Gen. Fosters gade
was ordered up the main county road 10 attack the
enemy's left, Gen. Reno up the railroad to attack
their right, and Gen. Parke to follow Gen. Foster,
and attack the enemy in 'front.' with instructions to
support either or both brgades
must deter, for want of time, detailed account
of the action. 1t enough to say that after
gagement of four hours, we succeeded in carrying
q continuous line of field work of over mile in
length, protected on the river flank by a battery
of thirteen heavy guns, and on the opposite flank
by a line of redoubts of over half mi.e in length
for ritiemen and field pieces, in midst of swamps
and dense forests, which line of work defended
by eight gments of infantry five hundred cavalry,
and three batteries OF field artillery Of guns each
The position was finally carried by mos! gallant
charge of our men, which enabled US to gam the
rear of all the batteries between this point and New
bern, which was done by rapid advance of the
entire force up the main road and railroad the naval
fleet meantime pushing its way up the river, throw
ing their shot irto the forts in front of us.
The enemy, after retrea.ing in great confusion
Qhrowns away blankets, knapsacks arms, &C.
across the railroad bridge and county bridge,
burned the former, and destroyed the draw of the
latter, thus preventing further pursuit. and causing
detention in occupying the town by our military
force but the naval force had arrived the wharves
and commanded it by their guns.
an once advanced Gen. Fosters brigade to take
possession of the town by means of the naval vessels
which Commodore Rowan had kindly volunteered
for the purpose
The city was sent on freby the retreating Rebels
in many places, but, owing to the exertions cf the
naval Officers, the relnang citizens we're induced to
aid in extingllshng the flames, so that but little
harm has been done.
Many Of the citizens are now returning, and we
are now in quiet possession of the city. We have
captured the printing press and shall at once issue
daily sheet
By this victory cur combined force have captured
eight batteries, containing forty-six heavy guns;
three batteries of light artillery OF six guns each
making in all sixty four guns two steamboats,, and
number of sailing vessels wagons, horses, large
quantity of ammunition, commssary and quarter
masters stores, forage and the entire camp cYupage
of the Rebel troops, large quantity of ro>in, tur-
pentine, cotton etc, and over two hundred pri-
soners.
Our loss thus far as asccrtaned will amount to
81 killed and i66 wounded many Of them ,nortay.
Among these are some of our most gallant officers
and men, The Rebel loss Is severe, bu: not so great
own, being ciiectualy covered by their works.
Too much praise cannot be awarded to the officers
and men for their untiring exertion and unceasing
patience in accomplishing this work. The etfectng
Of the landing and the approach to within mile
and half Of the enemy works on the 18Th, con-
slider as great = victory as the engagement Of the
14th Owing to the difficult nature of the landing,
our were forced to wade ashore waist deep,
march through mud to point twelve miles distant,
bivouac in low, marshy gr0hnd, in rain storm, for
the night engage the enemy at daylight in the
ing fighting them for four hours amid dense fog
that prevented them from seeing the position of the
enemy, and finally advancing rapidly over bad roads
upon the city. In the midst of all this not conf
,>io;,, hn,rT fta Tfpp oulp To
complish their work. Every brigade and in fact
every regiment and can almost say every officer
and man of the force landed, was in the engage
ment.
The men arc all in good spirits and under the cir
cumstances are in good health l beg to say to
the General Commanding that l have under my
command division that can be relied upon in any
emergency
A more detailed report will be forwarded as sooa
as | receive the brigade returns. The Brigader-
Generals having been in the midst of their regiments
while under fire, will be able to give me minute
accounts.
| beg to say to the General Commanding the
army that have endeavored to carry out the very
minute instructions given me by him before leaving
Annapolis and thus far events have been singulary
coincdent with his anticpatlons. 1 only hope
that we may in future be able to carry out in
detail the remaining plans of the campaign the
only thing have to regret is the delay caused by
the elements.
l desire again to bear testimony to the gallantry
of our naval fleet, and express my thanks to Com
mandcr Rowan and the officers under him for their
hearty and cheerful cooperation in the movement
their assistance was timely and of great service in
the accomplishment of our undertaking.
I omitted to mention that there was a large
arrival of re-enforecnents Of tae enemy in Newborn
during the engagement whAh fetreated with the
remainder of the army by thu cars and the country
roads, 1ze
l have the honor, General r.s-
To be your obea sserv't,
A. LBURNsIDE,
Brig Gen. Command,k Department N. G.
ST. enclose the names 6killed and wounded
as far as received The Sd brigade being so far DIS
tant it is impossible to communicate with in time