By the time the action had become tolerably heavy we heard the whistle of an approaching train, and soon after learned from prisoners that the rebel General Pettigrew had just arrived with reinforcements in the way of a big brigade.
One of our shells was seen to pass along a platform car, thereby creating so much confusion as to delay General Pettigrew from coming immediately into action. Having got range of the train, we threw the shells in so fast that in a little while it moved further off and out of range of our guns.
The object of General Foster's penetrating so far inland being to destroy this railroad bridge, he now gave orders to have it burned. Colonel Heckmann, who got the order, called for volunteers to carry into effect the general's desire. Many volunteered from the Seventeenth Massachusetts and Ninth New Jersey Regiments, so the Colonel selected some from each regiment to go and do the work. Several advances were made to fire, but our men were driven back. In one of the advances a former adjutant of the Seventeenth was dangerously wounded.
Finally, Lieutenant Graham, of the Rocket Battery, and now acting aid to Colonel Heckmann, and Wm. Lemons, a private in the Ninth New Jersey, advanced under the enemy's heavy firing, when Lieutenant Graham got near enough to, and did fire, the bridge.
As soon as we saw the bridge in flames the General gave orders to have the railroad track destroyed. Two Massachusetts regiments, who had been lying in reserve, stacked arms and rushed upon the track with yells and cheers, and did the work of destruction at short notice. The rails and ties were thoroughly destroyed by physical power and the effect of fire.
General Foster having successfully accomplished all his plans, and more, to-day determined to withdraw his forces from the field, and to fall back to the first convenient camping place for the night. The column was got in motion (each regiment cheering the General as it passed), and we had advanced a considerable distance (probably two miles), with the supply train, etc. in front. When the rebels, seeing the last brigade, Col. Lee's, about to move, and some distance from the artillery, took courage and rushed out of the woods on the other side of the railroad, and gave the rallying cry and yell that follows it. Immediately afterwards two South Carolina regiments, who had come from Franklin, fired a volley and then charged with the bayonet on Morrison's battery. The enemy were allowed to get rather close to the battery, when the guns opened on them with canister. Belger's battery put in a powerful cross fire, and Col. Lee's brigade wheeled into line and did excellent execution. The rebels made this bayonet charge with great dash and courage, but, notwithstanding, they were repulsed with great loss of life, and an amusing and astonishing precipitancy.
Of course, this latter movement on the part of the rebels had the effect of halting our column for several hours. Not knowing but that they might be in strong force this side of the river, we made every preparation to enter into a regular engagement. However after a renewed fight, lasting nearly two hours, we again silenced the enemy's fire, and pursued our retrograde movement. In the last fight the rebels opened from two batteries instead of one—their iron plated car—and brought into action their infantry on both sides of the river.
In the battle of this bridge the rebels had, as prisoners report, between eight and ten thousand troops engaged. We never had over one-third of our force engaged. About nine o'clock p. m. our army bivouacked for the night, between Whitehall and the Goldsboro railroad bridge.
While the battle was progressing at the bridge, Major Fitzsimmons with his battalions of the Third New York Cavalry made a dash against Dudley Station, on the line of the Wilmington railroad, five miles from the Goldsboro railroad bridge, took prisoners several rebel pickets, captured and destroyed a train of four cars, took up three miles of the railroad track, burned some trestle work, a bridge, and other little et ceteras, including a most complete destruction of the telegraph line, and joined the main column without loss to his command. The Major also repeated a similar experiment at Everett Station, on the line of the same railroad. Major Garrard with his battalion of the Third New York Cavalry went (while the main army was moving) early in the morning to Tompkins bridge, over the Neuse river. He took with him a section of Ransom's Twenty-third New York Artillery. On arriving in the vicinity of the bridge Captain Jacobs, with his company of cavalry, was ordered to charge down to it. He did so, found the bridge in flames, and received fire from the enemy. It will again be seen that the enemy was deceived in regard to a crossing of the Neuse. The Major immediately opened with his artillery, and at the same time despatched a messenger to inform General Foster with regards to his position, condition, etc. As soon as General Foster received the information he reinforced the Major with four pieces of artillery from Angel's battery and the Forty-third Massachusetts Regiment under command of Colonel Holbrook. After a fight of over two hours we silenced the enemy's heavy guns and musketry, and returned to the main column with a loss of one killed and four wounded. Before leaving, our forces could go anywhere in that neighborhood, along the banks of the river, without being fired at. The rebels had eight pieces of artillery and four regiments of infantry at this bridge. About 10 o'clock Allis' Flying artillery, and Companies G, A, and D, of the Third New York Cavalry, in attempting to join the main column from another direction, were attacked by two pieces of the rebel's artillery, and, as is supposed, about a regiment of rebel infantry. In less than fifteen minutes our artillery silenced that of the enemy.
During the engagement a chaplain of one of the Massachusetts regiments, who was on the field, seeing one of the men of Battery B, Third New York Artillery, being borne off wounded, said to him: "Were you supported by Divine inspiration?" "No!" was the reply, "we were supported by the Ninth New Jersey."