The National line on the 8th was in front of Jackson’s creek, at one point on which (Jackson’s Mills,) the rebels had their strongest position. Colonel Malloy with the First brigade, Second division, successfully opposed the enemy in the afternoon. No communication existed at this time between the First and Second divisions.
Between three and four o’clock, General Ruger came up and filled the interstice between the First and Second divisions. This gave a new life to the entire line, and Colonel Malloy made a charge upon the rebel rifle pits, partially regaining the ground he had formerly occupied. At this, night came on and the action ceased.
Thursday morning, the 9th, Malloy fully regained his original position and continued to hold it. The enemy charged upon him three times in the forenoon, and were each time easily repulsed, with some loss of life and a small loss of prisoners to them. The afternoon was mostly occupied with light skirmishing along the whole line. About two hundred rebel prisoners were taken during the day.
All through the evening of the 9th, and the night and morning of the 9th and 10th, the enemy were persistent in their attacks. They had evidently learned that Couch was coming up overland to join Cox. This, of course, necessitated a furious and speedy onset upon Cox, in order to annihilate him before Couch should arrive. But the wave was sent bounding back, time after time, and finally, on the morning of the 10th, as they attempted another flank movement, the Unionists took a large number of prisoners, which discouraged the enemy from further assaults.
On the morning of the 11th, General Couch’s troops came up and formed a junction with those of General Cox. The rebel troops then retired across the Neuse river.
On the 15th the Mayor of Kinston, with a delegation, came out and formally surrendered the city. The National troops immediately took possession of the place, and fortified themselves within and around it. The rebels had destroyed their ram Neuse, and as much material of war as they could, prior to their hasty retreat: but valuable captures of guns and ammunition were made by the National forces. The losses, on the Union side, in these engagements has been stated at about two thousand. The rebel loss was heavier. Two thousand rebel prisoners were captured. From Kinston, the rebels having fallen back, and concentrated to oppose Sherman at Bentonsville, General Schofield pushed on to Goldsboro’, which he entered on the 21st. Here the junction was effected between his troops and those of Sherman—as already stated—and from this point the advance was made, which ended the campaign in the Carolinas.
THE SIEGE OF PETERSBURG, VA.
The siege of Petersburg began with a desperate assault, on the evening of the 15th of June, made by Major-General Smith’s troops, against the first line of the rebel works, two miles from the city. This assault was followed up on the 16th, 17th and 18th, and resulted in the capture of the enemy’s outer line of works. The Ninth, Eighteenth, and Second corps were engaged, and the Union loss was very heavy—not far, indeed, from ten thousand men.
The charge on the afternoon of the 15th was made with great gallantry, by the troops under General Smith, many of whom were negroes. The Thirteenth New Hampshire, the Eighth Connecticut, and the Ninety-second and One hundred and eighteenth New York, also participated in this formidable action, which, prosecuted in the face of artillery fire, was excessively difficult and perilous.
On the 16th, the assault commenced at daybreak, General Birney taking the initiative, by driving the rebels out of two lines of rifle pits, and taking many prisoners. Colonel Eagan, of General Birney’s division, was wounded in this charge, as also were Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis, of the One hundred and tenth Pennsylvania regiment, and Lieutenant-Colonel Warner, of the Fortieth New York. About half-past five o’clock in the afternoon, the assault was followed up by a tremendous charge of Hancock’s men. The battle lasted three hours and was desperate and destructive. The Union line was formed thus: General Smith’s corps, the Eighteenth, was on the right; General Hancock’s, the Second, was in the centre, and General Burnside’s, the Ninth, on the left. All the troops fought well. Miller’s brigade, of the central division, especially distinguished itself. The Union loss was about two thousand, killed and wounded. At about eight o’clock the assault was suspended, the National forces holding the advanced position which they had conquered.