The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-03-27
BATTLE or NEWBERN.

The following are additional particu
lars Of the battle of Newbern: , '..., p
Com. Rowan was in command OF the
feet of gunboats, and had sunken YES
sells, torpedoes, and other rebel obstruc
tons, to overcome and pass, but eur
mounted all. with but slight damage tC
only two Of his fifteen vessels.
Two brigs or barks aud nineteen
schooners were sunk by the rebels
above two rebel batteries. r.r o...
The latter we're silenced, the sunker
vessels passed, aud our flag hOisted over
the silenced batteries as our force wen
along. rsH.r-l. i1i '11l "A Fafl
This was on Wednesday afternoon
and night closed in. Friday morning a
heavy fog set in, but lifted, when oui
boats passed up safely, and silenced
Fort Thompson, with its two heavy col.
umbiods. Then Fort Ellis, with nine
guns, was captured after pretty brisk
fighting, but the rebels soon fed in O
panic, and our flag waved over another
fort. .... r.'r... ... ..# r..
Only one fort was left to be engaged
and Newbern would be at the mercy oi
our troops. This was Fort Long
But the rebels having enough of the
boats offered but little, if any resistance
and fed. The rebels then fred large
number of scows, filed with rosin and
turpentine, intending to float them
down and burn our gunboats, but they
got stuck, and burned away furious.
ly.7era.- r-s r...r.'se| ,.f.-.fa
The gunboats then shelled the depot
and track, but our troops had crossed
and white flag was hoisted. Our ma
Wy did not lose a man.
Operations on the land were briefly
as follows: Our troops landed twelve
miles below Newbern, Gen. Reuo's brig
ado in the advance Of the troops
being SO anxious to land that nearly
every regiment jumped into the water
and waded ashore, and the whole divi-
sion was ashore in less than two
hours.
After marching two miles they found
a deserted rebel camp, with fires burn.
ing and hot rebel breakfasts untasted -
A brcastwork only was passed, and the
division bivouacked for the night, and
early in the morning skirmiShing be.
gan. Fosters brigade, comprising the
Massachusetts 24th, 25th, 26th and 23d
with the 10th Connecticut in reserve,
were in line and engaged 20 gun bat.
terry of the rebels, on their left flank
who showered grape, canister, and shell
upon them; also heavy musketry from
their infantry.
The second brigade, comprising the
2lst Massachusetts,, 5lst New York, 51st
Pennsylvania and 9th New Jersey, en-
gagged them on the right, and the third
brigade took position in front. The
first brigade bore the brunt of the bat.
tie, and the 9th Massachusetts soon
had Major Stevenson and Lieutenant
Horton wounded, and the 23d Massa
chusetts lost Lieut.. Col. Merritt by a
cannon ball carrying away one side Of
his body. The Tenth Connecticut
were ordered to support the Twenty,
seventh Massachusetts, which had suf-
tered severely. -...
The third brigadel together with the
second, executed flank movement,
and the order to charge bayonets was
given. A hand TO hand fight ensued of
the most desperate character, when our
troops drove the rebels out at the poin
of the bayonet, charging them out Ol
sight. ...- ...... ...-
The rebels took possession of a rail,
road train and fed from Newbern, burn
ing bridges, the Washington House,
some private dwellings,, and a, number
of whiskey and turpentine distilleries.
Slaves had commenced pillaging, but
we're stopped. '-' ..'"0
A number of Unionists were found
in the city. T .Hae.U rer .5
Gen. Burnside thinks the landing
and march as great victory as the
fight, and praises heartily the men,
lie sums up thus: "Owing to tho diff.
fcult nature of the landing, our men
were forced to wade ashore waist deep
through mnd to point twelve
miles distant, bivouac on low marsh '
ground in a rain storm for tho night,
engage the enemy at daylight in the
morning, fighting them for four hours
amid a dense fog that prevented them
from seeing the position Of the enemy.
aud finally advancing rapidly over bad
roads upon the city.
The following is Gen. Burnside's
congratulatory address to his troops:
' GENERAL ORDER, No. III
# sHEADQUARrERs, DEP'T N. Gu
Dr. aI ID NEwBERN, March is. 8 ( .a
The General commanding congratu
lates his troops on their brilliant, and
hardwon victory of the 18th. Their
courage, their patience, their endura n CO
Of fatigue. oxposureland toll, can not be
too highly praised; after atedious ma rch.
dragging their howitzers by hand
through swamps aud thiokets; after a
sleepless night, passed ia u drenchinc
rain, they met the enemy in his chose \
position, found%iim protected BY strong
eArthworks, mounting many and heavy
guns, and in an open 6eld themselves
they conquered. With such soldiers
an advance is victory, The General
commanding directs, with peculiar
pride, as a well deserved tribute 10
valor in this second victory Orthe ex
pOdition, that each regiment engaged
shall inscribe on its banner tho mem,
orable name, "Newbern." .-
BY command Of Brig g General A. E
burnside LEWIS RICHMOND,
.v .ol, Lsa l..3 Adjutant GoHeralo #.
Gen. Burnside's official report Of tbs
battle ! states our loss at ninety on,