Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-03-28
TIE CAPTURE OLE NEwRERN.

befr, NOTtn Aafolluh. ne account gives
detailed statement Of the advance from Roam.
oko Island to New bern. up TO the m rning o.
the l4th, the day on which the place was
captured, and then proceeds
THE BATTLE.
II wasnow about half past o'clock (on the morn
ing Of the l4h) and sharp firing ahead denoted mat
OUT administers had encountered the enemy. Rapidly
foruing The different regiments assumed their positions
in their brigades and the division marched TO the attack
Gen burnside rode forward the battery breast
woke hove In SIGHT across wide field, shot fred
ei s,ynck within ten feet Of the General and his staff
hut not exploding, bounced along the ground pashng
Gen Porter whose brigade had advanced by the stage
road rapidly found his regiments 10 line Of battle in the
fringe of woods skrnR the edge u the field before the
breastvorks the Twenty fourth Massachusetts Colonel
Massachusetts Colonel Upton, neat with its lef, resting
O, the road the Twenty ninth Massachusetts, Colonel
lie next, with right resting the road and the Iwcn
ty-thrd Massachusetts,, Colonel Kurt on ne brigade
len with the Tenth Connecticut In reserve. To support
this line against the eighteen OF twenty guns o. tng enc
mys battery, our forces had only few pieces o. Hsry
The rest the way, but did not reach the field in
to participate in the fight The disposition Of
artillery IN support OF Gen roster poslqn was as
follows On the extreme right Executive officer Nc
Cooks battery n boat howitzers from the navy manned
by Louts. McCook, Hammond, Daniels, and ltlotson,
with marines and a detachment Of the Union Coast
Guard In the center, and near the road, l2pounder
steel gun from the Cossack. manned by Capt Bennett
his second mate, Mr. Stroud captain Of the gum and
20 thc ships On the left Captain Daytons bat
terry from the transport Highlander
After the first fire the en- my run their flag dehanty
the ramparts and opened very brsky with round
shot. grape, canister and she'll Their infantry were
stretched the entire length Of the work between the
river and the railroad and kept up an ncessant fire with
muskctry.
When il had taken up its position, and leaving them
gagged lei the operations u the Second and
Third brgades, under Generals Reno and Patke.
The Second brigade consisting " the 2st Mass Lieut.
Col Clark 5lst \. y Col. Fcrrin; 6lst Penn, Col.
IlartsJun and oh New Jersey, took ths railroad and
proceeded along the enemys right hank IL Is somewhat
remarkable that the manwuvres u the battle were nearly
the those of the fsht A. Roanoke Island The
point which the ntrUnchmcnts crossed the railroad was
strongly defended by s'rcs Of redoubts and rife pits
while subsequent examination revealed the fact that
beyond these rcdoubis the breastWork was continued
nearly IN Ia and half making the entire length Of the
dccnscs about three miles The operations Of our forces
however confined to that only between the river
The Third brigade. under Gen Parke took up post
ton the front, between the first and second brgades
Such the disposition Of our troops. The engage
mcnt regularly opeted about o'clock when the first
brigade bore the hrunt Of the battle Gen. Foster rode
farcssly along giving his ORDERS and several times
exposed the hottest OF the Are His aids too shared
the Danger aud Of them, Lieut. Pendleton narrowly
escaped injury. If not DEATH from bullet which passed
through his coat sleeve just grazing The arm The Mass
2}th, Inc right had regret the w0unding OF
two II their officers Maj Stevenson and ADJ, Horton,
the ffmer by ball IN the leg the later oal m the
shoulder Early IN the engagement the Mass 23d lost
Lieut. Col Murrt, who was struck by cannon ball
which carried away side Of his body and aceratcd his
fltm a. a horrible manner
rhe proportion Of officers killed and wounded during
the entire fight quite large. The twenty seventh
Massachusetts seemed for to be ex-
posed TO the FIRE Of the enemy and with ammunition
feuded and a large loss were Withdrawn The Tenth
Connecticut until now in reserve ordered to their
support, aud they fell back took their place moving
30 the front with great alaerty and opening fire with Wig
The Tenth finally compelled 10 retire through
wa OF ammunition, and the Eleventh Connecticut took
their place To the First brigade belongs The credit Of
having CALAMITY and atteutycy engaged the battery
while the Second and Third executed the brilliant man
nnvre Of dankng the rig T. Of which have now
20 sneak.
When It became evident that the First brigade was
capable Of carrying on the fight in 'front.' the Third which
hsd peen supporting H. was ordered, WIN We exception
OF the Eleventh Connecticut TO support inc second IN
the flank movement. Accordingly the Eight Connect
cut, Fourth Rhode Island and Fifth Rhode Island reg
ments withdrew short distance into the woods and de
filing 10 the left upon the railroad aud going
forward in the Of the Third brigade.
This portion Of the field Of operations immediate
y under the command Of General Reno. and to him
allotted the task Of the flank movement already referred
TO, and which he so brilliantly and successfully accom-
II may be web here to state tina, when the idea of flank
ing entertained it not known that the line Of in
r,nchmcnt extended beyond, IL it did, much beyond
the railroad. When the troops attempted the movement
consequently Of reting in the rear they discovered not
Of rrdoubt and rife pits which defended the immediate
vicinity Of the track Our attack in front had so far
been confined to the right the river, where Of
the water batteries had reversed its guns and was assist
ing in the defence Of the breastwok by enhadnR or,
more properly; diagonal hre upon our troops Inc
great body OF the enemy was consequently here posted
aud the flank movement resisting in perfect
surprise though they rapidly reinforced the redoubt as
Having drawn out in line Of battle the sesond brigade
returned the FIRE Of the enemy vigorously Who from the
rife pits and behind the screening eyes Of the redoubts
were picking off with deadly certainty every
shot Eu we have 20 boast Of our shapshooters also
many rebel in the same rife pits and behind the in
trcncimcus, whose death wound was in the head amply
Atast the words was given to charge and the Massa-
chusctt Twenty first, which the left, succeeded
u getting four companies within the enemys position
The Now York Fifty hrst, which the right Of the
Massa .husotts Twenty first, supported the movement,
white the Ninth New Jersey, FiNyfrst Ponnsy lvatia,
Eighth Connecticut and Fourth Rhode Island assaled
the work points. The four companies Of the
Massachusetts, Twenty first were far in advance Of the
others into the intrcnchment and driving the rebels be-
fore them, had attempted to the guns. when
pulsed by strong reinforcement OF the enemy who
suddenly charged from little rayne hollow just in
the rear aud with their overwhelming numbers drove
them out making few prisoners Our repulse was
hnt momentary. Reforming the Massachusetts Twenty
FIRST New York Fhy-frs Fourth Rhode Island and the
Ninth New jersey, with the fihh Rhode Island in
serve, returned TO the assault and after another gallant
charge. another desperate resistance Of the enemy,
hand hand contest the ramparts the entrench
ment, in which forces at time actually reversed
its purpose and used 1t hreaswork for their pro-
tection while they kept the rebels at bay inside hey
drove the enemy out and the point OF the oayonet
chased them back out Of sight. The victory won
with the loss Of nearly seventy killed and two hundred
aud fifty wounded heavy when il is taken into
consideration that the two bfgadcs only six regiments
aud one battalion wore engaged. The Are Of the enemy
was terrible and embraced all the varieties Of missile -
Gen. Reno and Gen Parke admirably conducted the
whole mannuvrng, and with their aids and staff were
exposed TO no uncomfortable danger.
When the word to charge given the left the I
cheers with which il received card over the
right, and instantly the First brigade emerged from its
position along the edge Of the woods and dashng
tho fields assailed the enemy at the very muzzos Of their
guns But the retreat Of their forces the flank had
inspired all with pAnic and they most ingloTiousy fed
leaving their cannon unspked number of horses the
cassons, and the uueNpended ammunition They CON I
trived however, to lear of the greater portion Of their
killed and wounded, that tits impossible to form
approximate estimate Of their loss, though
fall far short Of our own.
The loss Of the first brigade is nearly thirty killed and
two hundred wounded which, when added TO that OF the
Second and bird brigades given above, will give sotal
loss tide in round numbers OF one hundrcdified
and four hundred and fifty wounded
About three hundred prisoners taken, the honor
Of which achevmtnt belongs 10 Lieut. Hammond, Of the
gunbost Heizel, who serving Of the guns Of
Lieut. McCOoks naval battery. They formed portion +
Of South Carolina regiment under command OF Colonel
Avery, who among those taken handsome blue .
and white Gag captured with them IL is made Of
silk beautifully fringed, and bearing the inscription
Our cause-it is Just then Conquer mustl' An
other flag among the trophies Of the capture one
made Of black bunting, with the words in gold Victory
Death e.
Company Y, Capt O'Nel, Of the Twenty -fhh Massa-
chusetts Regiment captured two large rebel Flags the
battery, and some three others found in va
Tous places.
Much praise is due the Fifth Rhode Island Regiment
first battallon) Major Wright, for the gallant manner
n which il acted during the fight II was s FIRST time
under fire, opportunity having been afforded 10 It To
participate in the at Roanoke Island
TIE crews fom many Of the large Runboats partcpa-
ed u the fight shore Lieut. Oscar Eastmond Of the
"a.