Year: 1862

mer going before up the railroad track


and the latter by the county road. The


march to Newbern was quite unobstructed,


the enemy having apparently all he could


do to get away from u.s. and early in the


afternoon our forces reached the bank of


the river Immediately opposit the city.
Long before we came in sight of it, how


ever, dense volumes of smoke were seen


rising in that direction, and the suspicion


that the place had been fired by the enemy
was fully realized when its steeples and
houses were in view. Newhern had been
fired i'll seven different places, and if the


wind had not mercifully subsidized there


would hardly have been a house left stand
ing by nightfall. The splendid railroad
bridge, $50 yards long, had also been set
on fire by scow load of turpentine which
had drifted against it, and the great struc-
ture was wraptin one grand sheet of flame.
Preparations were Immediately made by
, Gen. Foster to cross his forces, and this
was accomplished by the assistance of a
light draft sternwheel steamer which had
been captured with four or five small side
3 wheel boats by the naval gunboats, which
: by this time were quite up to the city
2 wharyes.


( To the eastward Of the city a very
t large rebel camp, with barracks and tents,
was found deserted and taken possession
Of Stragglers from different regiments
5 wandered through the city, and some acts


of depreciation were committed, but strong
Provost Guard was called out all liquor
e casks were STAYED in, and by midnight
f the streets of the city were as quiet as if
a one army had not just fled from it in one
!, direction, and another entered it from the
a other.


: The great majority of the inhabitants
a had left town, doubtless under the impress
c sion that the whole was to be given up to
). the flames the stores were closed without
e exception, and if it had not been for the
n negroes and few whites one might have
n thought some dreadful plague was raging
:, in the city. The Washington Hotel and
# Market House were the principal build.
e ings burned, and the number of private
e residences will not probably exceed doz
n en-. The nefarious plan of the Rebel mil
h itary officers and political demagogues was
n resisted by the better class of citizens
" but to no purpose. The hotel was free
d by hot-headed Secessionist lawyer, who
It applied the torch at an angle in the court
: yard, with his own hands. The railroat
n bridge was fred. by accident; but toll
d bridge the only remaining means of tran
st sit for vehicles and pedestrians, from shor,
l. to shore, was about being set on fire, wheI
e the incendiaries were fred upon from {
n navy boat and driven off.


e Newbern is very ancient place, but it,


appearance is made more venerable by tn,
It lichens and MOSES which cover most O
IS the houses. The streets are wide anC


mostly bordered by large trees. Their
= are one or two large churches, some banks
t, a theater, and two or three newspaper of
'r fees made it one of my first duties tt
'f 60 to the office Of the scurrilous Nesobey7
g Progress, in search of Southern exchanges
l. but found nothing but beggarly accoun
80 of empty lockers, the contents having al
lie ready been appropriated by struggling sol
r diers or mischievous negroes. On table
|. however, was lying gilt penholder, will
le and ebony handle. 1t may be interestin!
e. to the editor to know that, as a piece o
r retributive justice, his pen-holder is in m,
n. hand at this moment of writing. If w
d should have a couple of days to spare, i
IN is not improbable that one number a
r least of a good sound Union paper ma,
a. be issued from the office of The Neyber,
e. Progress.





ut FRENCH SKETCH OF THE PRESIDENT