Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1862-12-10
Correspondence Of the Enquirer.
!, :, CAMP NEAR KINsTON, N. c. y


/ 81 CAMP NEAR KINsTON, N. c, ~,
,..,.,ls,.c,.,:,4 80, December l, 1862
Dear Enquirsrs:: As many Of, Jour read
ers will be interested in hearing from the
18th Regiment, ! have concluded to con-
sumo few: idle moments 10 giving you .
few notes. Our Brigade vas detached from
the Division Of General McLaws.' at Cui.
pepper CHI. about the 5th Of November
/ last, and ordered sou.hward, a direction
which was rendered peculiarly attractive
from the fact, that; from Gordousville to
Richmond, our soldiers passed through'a
terrible snow storm, many being on plat.
form cars, and but scantily clothed, -.
40 The announcement was made by our
General that we were ordered to ''the coast"
and the sanguioe, dispositions Of our men
interpreted his meaning to be, "the coast
of our own loved State" but in that we
were disappointed. On arriving at Weldon,
North Carolina, We we're ordered to leave
the cars, and after remaining there q day,
marched to Halifax Coust House, about 8
miles, where we remained two days, then
=
took the cars for. Tarboro', distant about IS
miles, where we remained about three days.
In the meantime, General Foster, the Yam.
kee commander from Newbern, bad taken
the back track aud rendered our longer
stay in Tarboro' unnecessary. / would here
state that We we're agreeably surprised to
find, one of the most fertile sections Of couu.
try We have ever seen, and evidences of
much wealth. Tarboro' is a beautiful place;
it is situated on the Tar River, and con-
taius more 6ue residences, beautiful gar
i3cns, and bospitable inbabitapts than any
other place of its size We have yet seen
the same may be said Of Halifax, though a
much smaller place. I had almost forgot
ten to mention that at Tarboro, there is
now building a very superior 'gun boat"
which we hope to hear much good from 10
future. After leaving Farboro', we took to
the cars, and came to Goldsboro, then took
the Newbern Road aud came to the Town
Of Kiuston on the 18th of November; here
We left the cars again and marched five
miles down the Trent road, and bivouacked
Kinston is the seat of Justice Of Lenoir
county, located on the banks of the Neuse
River, thirty Eve miles above Newbern. 1t
is beautiful place, we'll laid out---has q
number Of foe residences aud is in the Gen.
ire Of small but wealthy country. The
Neuse River is navigable for small boats as
high as: Smith6eld, 20 miles from Raleigh.
The channel for boats at Kiuston is usually
G to 7 feet water; at times greater depth.
9 Our present camp is in Jones county, on
the South side Of the Neuse. We are par
tally, supplied with tents and are receiving
.s q
some shoes, blankets, &c. We learn that
the Yankees are in heavy force at Newberu
below US; but we cannot think they will
attemrt q movement up the river soon.-
They are carrying out their hel'ish procla-
nations upon all the citizens within their
lines as is attested to Us here every day, BY
hundreds of persons who are leaving their
homes and property aud seeking an asylum
iu the interior. They report the Yankee
commander requiring all persons to enlist
for the Union, take tie oath, or leave, and
this is the cause of the ceaselcss rumbiiug
of carts &C. up the different roads from the
unfortunate town, Ncwberu. These refu-
gees report outrages which I forbear to
mention. Our regiment is improving rap
idly in health and numbers ; We have $50
men for duty, our Brigade about 20O0.-
Our General, Evans, commands this depart
meut. There is one Brigade of North Ca
rolina troops and force of Cavalry what
our whole force is, 1 am unable to state,
but believe it sufficient to repol any force
likely to come up the Neuse river.
There is considerable anxiety manifested
by our soldiers in regard to our "tescrve
Corps" We understand the cold fellows"
are quite indignant at the idea of being
thought unfit to select their own officers
We think they should have been entitled,
and believe they would have made as good
selections as the "Council." The "Coun.
Gil" seems to have had morbid desire to
create something whereby they could con-
fer farors, create expense to the State, and
produce US goud results. In the appoint.
meut of officers they have ignored the
choices of the veteran soldiers of Virginia,
squandered money upon sinccurcs and Wis
| ;onarv nrniects. while other States have