Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1862-03-27

- Eeersonal Communic afions, when admissi
BILE; OF limited OF hnmnr ,o
ortruss viii be at from 70 10 cents per
The Fight at Newbern.
q, Col. w. f. Martin, Who reached this
city yesterday afternoon, reports having had
conversation with Hon. Mr.. Dortch, iu
Goldsboro, yesterday, in which the follow
ing account was given Of the fight at New
bern: Il
The enemy landed about 1000 men be.
low Newbern, and by this means cut of
the lower battery from communicating: with
the entrenchments and making the aban,
donmens of this battery military necessi-
ty. They shortly after began their attack
upon the second battery, which was also
abandoned, and then advanced upon the
shore battery, which was situated at the
head fthe entrenchment. Here our forces
made stand and the fight began. This
battery was arranged so as to fire both upon
the land and river, and contained two 81.
Founders. These, together with the light
artillery, did good service,
By some means--that of treachery be-
yond doubt--the enemy were informed OF
the exact locality occupied by our militia
about TOO in number-and upon this
point they made their fercest attack. The
militia stood their ground pretty we'll for
awhile-indeed, as well as could be expec-
ted of militia-but finally gave way, which
had its effect upon the volunteers. The
latter, however, finally rallied again.
20 The enemy did not use their gun-boats
at all against the batteries for some reason,
but simply followed up as they were 81
fenced. Distractions had been placed in
the river to prevent their progress, leaving
only very narrow channel for our own
vessels to pass, and it was thought that
they. would come in contact with them
but to the surprise Of all, they avoided; them
and came directly up in the channel which
had been left opeu-thus giving the am-
plest evidence that they had been inform
ed Of what had been done by us. 1t is
supposed that they obtained this informa-
tion from couple OF negroes who escaped
to them the day before the fight.
- Our men having rallied, were doing ter.
rible execution with the two 32!pounders,
while Col. Campbelps 7th North Carolina
Regiment made brilliant charge. The
enemy could not stand the charge, but
broke and fell back, but afterwards rallied
and we're reinforced By numbers greatly
superior to our own, and Col. Campbell
was driven back into the entrenchments.
The fight continued for some time. FL:
nally the Federals possessed themselves of
the point occupied by our militia, and then
the, order was given for our men to retreat,
and the cavalry detailed to cover the retreat
At first, the retreat was made In good or
der, but panic occurring among the cav
airy, the regiments became somewhat dis
organized. The cavalry having passed
over the bridge, burned it, and thus cut
off the retreat of two regiments and forced
them to retreat into Jones County. This,
we presume, gave rise to the statement
that they had been captured by the enemy.
After the gun.boats had passed the bat
teries and the obstruction in the river, they
lay alongside the wharves and threw she'll
into the town. These shells were directed
at the cars filled with non-combatants-
women and ehildren-not soldier among
them-and this fact, it is stated by those
who ought to know, the Federals were not
ignorant of.
Our forces numbered about forty-two
hundred, including the militia, and were
commanded by Gen. Branch. Of this nun-
Der, some eighty were killed and one or
two hundred wounded. The number Of
prisoners taken is not known as yet, but is
certainly not very large. All the horses
were killed at two batteries of light artille-
ry, and all the gunners. The wounded
were all recovered, and have been removed
to Goldsboro, where they are represented
as being we'll cared for.
Our informant assures US that all the
cotton, naval stores and provisions at New
bern were fired before the place was evac-
uated, and their entire destruction is al
most known with certainty.
Mr.. Dorsch conversed with a couple of
the citizens of Newbern who left there at
ter Burnside had taken possession, who
stated that the Yankees represent their loss
as exceedingly great-one of them estlma.
ting it at over six thousand. A Federal
officer who was captured by Col. Csmpbells
Regiment corroborates the statement OF
heavy loss on their side, and that our bat
terry did terrible havoc, and that up to the
time of the retreat of the militia they were
whipped-NortoM Day Book, 18th.
The Town OF NEwBERN -Newbern is
the capital Of Craven County, and is situa,
ted at the confluence of the Neuse and
Trent Rivers, 100 miles South east of Ral-
eigh. 1t was, for many years, the capital
of the State. The Neuse River, which is
only two miles wide at Newbern, is navi-
gable for vessels the greater part of the
year. Newbern had a considerable trade
before the war, and contained about 6,O0O
inhabitants.
The taking of Newbern throws Beaufort
and Morehead City, distant about ~ miles
into the enemy's possession.
Beaufort is the capital of Carteret Coun