, 1862-01-29
NENBERN. AND NECSE RIVER

On Pamlico Sound thc Neusc river is next
TO Cape Fear, tile largest nayigablc stream in
North Carolina. It is nayigable for steamboats,
from its mouth, wl1icl. is ut the lower part of
Pa1nlieo Sound, to Naynesborougl, N. G., Il
distance of more than ono hundred plilcs.
Gollshorough, near Wasncsborough, OIL the
river, is point ut which tho railroads from
Wilmington on the Cape Fear, and from New
bern on the Ncusc rivers converge From
NeN bern the Atlantic and North Carolina rail-
road stretches through about iifty-tiye OR sixty
miles Of level country to Go,dsborough, which
is upon tic Wilmington and Weldon r,1road
the direct line OF communication between
Eastern Virginia and the southern scal'oard
cities; and from Goldsborough it is but
fcrty-cight miles by tl1c North Caroliua
rsilroaa to Raleigh, the capital Of that State,
but which possesses at least equal importance
rs thc point through Which the secondary and
ibtlirtc; communication Of tho Southern set-
hoard States with Eastern Virginia is lscpt III;
This is effected hy til: connection by railroad
ot Charlotte, tue western terminus Of the
North Carolina road with tue Coluu.5;. branch
Of the South Carolina railroad, and the con-
1cction Of Raleigh with Petersburg, Virginia,
by Tie Raleigh and CASTOR railroad. Ii, then,
i competent force he landed at Newborn, and
pushed rapidly aud boldly into the interior,
GuldsboTough might be seized, and thus the
principal rebcl line Of communication would
he cut OFT. This accomplished, the satnc spirit
and decision Of movement might place Raleigh
in our hands and thus the second and last av-
cntlr would lie etfcctual1y closed. The harbor
Of Ncwbern has water enough for any vessel
that VIC would desire to send on such an cy-
petition; and at our last adyieos there lad
been no Notifications thrown up near it. To
check by military force the passage Of such an
expedition as VIC have had in mini from New
bern to Goldsborough would cost the lnsur-
gent leaders such 4 loss from their main body
in Virginia as would expose them to n fatal
ADVANCE Of Gen. Mcclellan.
THE CITY OF WILMINGTON.
Tie uneasiness Of the rebels in the vicinity
Of Wilmington, just below the Southern verge
Of The above map, the terminus Of the rail-
road, is doubtless well founded, for it is not
unlikely that it may receive share Of tho at
tentions Of the expedition. Wilmington, the
capital Of New Hanover county, n c., is sit
uated on the left bank Of Cape Fear River
just below the entrance Of its northeast
brunch. thirty-f0ur miles from the sea, one
hundred and thirty-fiye miles southeast from
Raleigh, one hundred and eighty miles north
east from Charleston, and four hundred and
sixteen miles from Washington. It is the
largest and most commercial place in the State,
the business and population having been
greatly increased by the construction Of tue
Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad, which e1-
ttnds north to Weldon, on the Roanoke river,
Of travel North and South. Another rlilroad
Was not long since opened from Washington
to Manchester, in South Carolina, where it
connects with the Camden Branch Railroad.
The length Of tlis line is 15,j miles. In 1860
Wilmington had 1858 inhabitants.