Year: 1863

ment ard has been in command of it ever since.
He is loved by all the officers and men of the
Regiment. The line officers of the Regiment
presented him sword and belt, costing forty
dollars, to show their respect for him. We new
cr had staff officer that received such COM
pliment. Well, l must come back to my sub
icct. 1t was wsttchful night We could hear
the cars running, bringing reinforcemonts, and
the moving of troops, The drums beating, and
the officers giving command, al night. In the
morning, when our major was paying his last
visit TO the picket line, he came out on the main
road to where was the advance ON lookout post,
as 1t is called, to know how the front was, when
fellow on horseback rode out of little branch
Of woods and fired at him, but luck had the
shot OF miss. One Of our boys returned the
fire. This opened the battle for Sunday, Dec.
a, and Che enemy came drumming and cheer


ing. The fight lasted six hours and a half be-
fore we drove them. The 103d Pennsylvania
Regiment, in our Brigade lost more men than
any of the force engaged. They made three
desperate charges through a swamp. They
ma lie a charge over the 18th Massachusetts
Regt. The latter are ashamed of their Off GERS
leaving another Regt. run over them. Col.
! Gray, of the Goth New York Regt., in our
Brigade, was shot dead, through the heart,
while crossing the brigade over the Neusc Riv-
or, into the town of Kinston. The devils had
the bridge all covered with rosin and turpentinc,
so if they would have to retreat, they could
burn it. They fired the bridge and threw their
loaded guns upon it, thinking, suppose, they
would get hot enough to go off by the time we
would get to the bridge; but they were fooled,
for we succeeded in putting the fire out before
the bridge was burned to hurt it, and threw
their guns in the river. We marched through
the town in pursuit of the retreating enemy, to
a distance of three miles on the other side,
where we encampcd again for the night. We
were halted in the town about an hour while
going through, you ought to have seen the boys
opening out the liquor stores, and rolling out
the apple-brandy, the only kind of liquor they
have. In our country it is called ''apple jack %
The next morning, instead of keeping on, we
were marched back over the bridge, on the left
bank of the Neuse River, when we completed
what they had attempted to do, viz: burn the
bridge. After that was done, we took the road
for White Hall. l almost forgot to tell about
the town Of Kingston. 1t is something larger
than Bedford and a very pretty place. On the
night of the 18th, while the main body was ly


ing in camp, battalion of cavalry, was sent
to destroy the bridge at White Hall, and an iron
clad gun-boat that was found out to be there


more than two thirds done. 1t was to be pla-
ted with heavy iron, so as to render it impervi-
Gus to heavy shot. The cavalry found that
there was heavy force there of South Caro-
lima troops, who had arrived little too late for
the Kinston fight. On the morning of the 10th
the infantry was "double quicked' up to the
scenc where another fight commenced. This
one lasted about three hours and half, in
which time we routed them. and put them to
flight We staid on the left bank of the Ncuse,


burned the bridge across it, and destroyed the
tine. This is the tar and turpentine country.
White Hall is nothing more than a large plan
tation. While this fight was going on, anoth-
er battalion of cavalry, with two guns, were
sent to Mount Olive Station, some seven miles
FROM Goldsboro', to cut the railroad at that
place. They reached it, cut the telegraph,
and destroyed the railroad at intermediate points
for distance of ten miles, and burnt half
mile of trestle work, three bridges and return
to the main body during the night. On the
morning of the 18th, we moved on the Colds
boro railroad bridge. While we were moving,
another force was sent to Tompkin's bridge,
| over the Neuse, below the railroad bridge to
destroy it, the main column pushing on we
found the Rebels one mile this side of the bridge
at Goldsboro', drawn up in line Of battle, avail


ting our arrival, with an open country before
them Our artillery was soon put in positi on,
and commenced shelling them, while the


infantry was pitched in upon them causing
them to fall back without much ceremony a
cross the river. On the opposite bank they had
their artillery planted, where as we advanced,
they opened out a general fire, together with
their infantry, all along the line. Added to
this they had an iron-cad railroad car, noun


ting two guns, protecting the bridge and road
within range. After three or four hours fight
ing General Foster gave orders to bum the
bridge. Two or three attempts were made, but
were unsuccessful, owing to the dreadful fire of
their sharp-shooters until they moved up q
couple of the large guns and shelled them out
! of the trees. While the fight was going on we