Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-01-05
w AR NEW 81
From the Fayetteville Observer.
From the North Carolina Soldiers.
BELOW KINsToN. Deer 25.


survey OF the Yankee side of the battle
field at White Hall, in the county of
Wayne. | give you the benefit of my
observations, not so much in the character
of news--for you have long since heard Of
it-as the historical interest which belongs
to every struggle on our SOIL Tn doing
this mean not to disparsge the impor-
tance of the engagement at Kinston or
GoldsboroHgh,-far from it considering |
the disparity of numbers, the thorough |
appointment and equipment of the Yam
kee army, the little time afforded Us Cor
meeting it, our men did we'll and bravelv, |
and it is certain Gen Foster took little by |
the motion. l speak of the battle at
White Hall because am. more familiar
with its details, and what | say is every
way reliable.
On the evening of the 18th Deer Brig.
Gen. Robertson was ordered by General
Evans to proceed from Mosely Hall, on
the Atlantic Road above Kinston, to White
Hall, to burn the bridge across the Neuse
at that point and dispute the passage of
the enemy to protect the right of Gen
Evans then falling back from Kinston and
resting on Falling creek. The mission
was an important one. With this view
Col. Leaventhorpe's 18th N. G. Reg't,
portions of Col. P. G. Evans and Col.
Ferebee's Regis, the 31st N. G. Regt
(Col. Jordan) and section of Artillery
(from Moore's Battalion) under It, Nc
Cleese, were posted. on the North bank of
the Neuse, and scarcely had the torch
been applied to the bridge when the enc
my's cavalry appeared aud his artillery
commenced shelling the woods and firing
into a gunboat then in process of con-
struction. Several of the Yankees took
off their clothes and attempted to swim
sS-Ss-Eivcr .Ass~s-is-~ ssae.s- Szrss~l@ss.
but were driven back by our sharp shoot
ers. From the force displayed, in the
opinion of Gen. Robertson, it Was the evi-
dent design of the enemy to cross this
bridge with the double purpose of flank
ing Gen. Evans and taking Goldsboro' in
the rear, which was prevented by the
timely and prompt action of Gen. RS COM
mand.
About 9 A, M. of the 16th,a brisk
picket fire commenced and the 8lst Reg't
and the artillery were posted as favorabIy
as the ground would permit, and the lat
ter ordered to fire both solid shot anc
shell. Owing to the nsrrowness of the
enemy's front, Leayenthorpe's Reg't anc
the portions of Evans's and Ferebee'
Reg'ts were held in reserve, as no more
could then be actively engaged. The en-
emy occupied a range of hills overlook
ing the lowgrounds of the Neuse and hac
the advantage of position, and from no
less than "a pieces, Judging from the po-
sitons of the guns as they appeared afte
the fight, poured into the 3lst Reg't
fire so terrible that the llth, COL Leven-
thorpe, was ordered up, held their groun
for hours, and won for themselves tn
well merited compliment of Gen. Robert
son, that no veteran soldiers ever Tough
better or inflicted more terrible loss on a
enemy, considering the numbers engaged
Three times they drove the yankee can
noneers from their guns aud as often pre-
vented their infantry from forming in the
front. Firmly they held their groun
until despite their numbers the enem
left the field, with loss of 126 killed an
many wounded, besides artillery horses,
which as many as Is were left dead upc
the field The reserves of Coils. Eva
and Ferebee were exposed to a fire whiC
officers familiar with such scenes at Nj
nassa. and before Richmond pronounce
the most terrific they had ever know
converging, as itwas, from all parts of Il
field upon the narrow bounds of our p
sition. Our loss was only 10 killed al
AZ wounded.
In our ride over the field it required
garrulous cicerone to direct our steps,
the empty ammunition chests, dead horse
pools OF, blood, and hard by the new ma,
graves of the foe, sufficiently attested Il
accuracy of our shots and the persiste
daring of our men. Cruel aud reveng
ful as the Yankees is towards US, they a
scarcely more considerate of their o'
men. Into shallow trenches they pa
their dead, like sardines, head and he
alternately, with scarcely earth enough
hide their manged forms.
Gen. Foster thought we bad at VIII
Hall 1s or 90 pieces of artillery, so
teld my informant; we had only tWo
FOUNDERS, but they were served with en-
gy and deadly effect. z.
The officers and men all speak in ter
OF high regard of Gen. R. for his cooln
and encouraging presence at all points
the field. He had the reputation of be
one of the best drill officers in the old
my and his appointment to Ashby's &C
msnd showed in what estimation our