From the report of Maj.-Gen. J. G. Foster, to the Joint Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War. Copied from the report of that Committee, printed by the Government, supplement, part 2, page 11, of General Foster’s report:
“Expedition to Goldsboro, North Carolina, in December, 1862.”
“General Burnside having moved the army of the Potomac towards the Rappahannock with the intention of crossing, I was ordered by Major-General Halleck, general-in-chief of the armies of the United States, to advance with my whole available force and destroy the railroad bridge at Goldsboro, and as much of the track as possible; the movement to be made simultaneous with the crossing at Fredericksburg. Accordingly, having been reinforced by one brigade from Major-General Dix’s corps at Fortress Monroe, I advanced from Newbern on the 12th of December, 1862, with four brigades and forty pieces of artillery, in all about twelve thousand men. After removing the obstructions placed in the roads of the retreating rebels, I pushed a cavalry force directly toward Kinston, which surprised the main picket guard of the enemy and drove it in. Under cover of this feint the main body was moved rapidly by the left so as to strike Southwest Creek at the most westerly of the four bridges that cross it. As anticipated this bridge was found weakly guarded. While occupying this guard in front a regiment was thrown across the creek on a milldam, which by a vigorous and unexpected charge captured the artillery guarding the bridge, and thus opened it to our advance. This was late at night. At daylight on the following morning we advanced upon Kinston. The enemy was encountered in a chosen position on the south side of the Neuse River, where the road crossed a swamp closely filled with thick undergrowth. The enemy occupied a ridge just beyond the swamp. For over two hours our attack failed to dislodge the enemy. Finally, after strong demonstrations on both flanks, a decisive effort was made in the centre, in which one of my best regiments, the Tenth Connecticut Volunteers, gallantly charged through the enemy’s line and seized and held the bridge over the Neuse, in the rear. The enemy then broke. A part retreated rapidly up the south bank of the Neuse; the remainder were captured. We crossed the river at once and occupied Kinston. General Evans rapidly retreated, with the garrison of the defences of the town, up the north bank of the river, closely pursued by our cavalry. We captured during the day seven hundred prisoners, nine pieces of artillery, four heavy guns, and a large quantity of ammunition, which being stored in houses in the town, we could only partially destroy without destroying the town. The information obtained at Kinston went to show that General Burnside had been repulsed at Fredericksburg; that General Lee had telegraphed Gen. G. W. Smith, at Goldsboro; that he could send him thirty thousand men, if necessary, to resist our advance; and that strong defences had been constructed at Mosely Hall and other points where the road crosses difficult streams. Believing, however, that by deceiving the enemy and rapid marching, the object of the expedition could be attained, I determined to go on. As a feint, the army was pushed out a few miles on the Goldsboro road and encamped. At daylight it retraced its steps, crossed the river, burnt the bridge behind it, and rapidly marched up the south bank. At Whitehall a sharp affair took place. A rebel gunboat was being built at that point and a considerable force was there to defend it and prevent our crossing. Every attempt to cross infantry to burn the boat failed. All the artillery was then opened and soon completely riddled the vessel. It served also to give the impression that an attempt to force a crossing was made. Leaving a few men to keep up that impression, the main body marched rapidly up the river and reached the railroad bridge as the smoke was seen ascending from the Mount Olive station, which the cavalry had destroyed. The enemy was not prepared for us; their force was scattered; large numbers had been detached towards Whitehall and Kinston. The brigade on the south side at the bridge was soon whipped and driven from the field. The bridge was burned despite the efforts of the force collecting on the north bank; and before any considerable concentration could be made to disturb us, we had destroyed several miles of the track. As the column moved off on its return, having accomplished its purpose, a brigade made an attack on our rear guard, which repulsed it with severe loss. After that no attack was made and the column returned quietly to Newbern. The force in the department of North Carolina was now increased and constituted by the President, the Eighteenth Army Corps, under my command.”
While General Foster’s report is a most excellent one, still it must be remembered that it is a report made from the standpoint of the whole expedition, and deals little with particulars only as seen in battles. It remains for the writer of the Third Regiment to state the part taken by that regiment in the expedition.
On Dec. 11, 1862, at six A. M., in a dense fog, the Third Regiment formed line on the left of General Lee’s brigade, the third brigade in the column. No secrets were withheld from the boys. Everyone knew that a march was before them, that fighting was expected and hardships were anticipated, yet every officer and man cheerfully responded to the order, “March!”
The obstacles mentioned by General Foster in his report were great trees felled across the road for several hundred yards, and it was impossible to pass until such obstacles were removed. This was soon accomplished by our “Black Pioneer Brigade.” Another obstacle was that nearly every bridge which crossed creeks and rivers was guarded by rebel pickets, who fired the bridges just before they retreated, making it impossible for either infantry or artillery to pass until the bridges were rebuilt, save in a few instances where the rivers were fordable. Over some parts of the march great turpentine trees were on fire, which falling across the road made marching that way quite dangerous; yet through fire and water the expedition made twelve miles the first day, notwithstanding our skirmishers were in constant action with the rebel pickets. Never were men more glad than the Third Regiment when ordered to bivouac for the night, and never was mattress or feather bed more acceptable than “Mother Earth” to the boys that night. Both fires and loud talking were forbidden. All save the men on picket duty slept; slept like tired children.
Friday the Third was detailed to guard the baggage train, which it faithfully did until twelve at night. All this day our advance were face to face with the rebel pickets, which in some instances showed stubborn resistance; in others but a semblance of resistance, but always burned the bridges they were defending before retiring towards Kinston. These men seemed to be possessed more with the spirit of burning than with the spirit of patriotism.
Consulting the sketch map you will find that when the column had passed Muscleshell Creek and Resolution Bayou the army had taken the Trent road (the most direct road from Newbern to Kinston) until near Bear Creek. It was from this point that General Foster “pushed a cavalry force directly toward Kinston, which surprised the main picket guard of the enemy and drove it in, into its fortified position south of Kinston. Under cover of this feint the main body was moved rapidly by the left so as to strike Southwest Creek at the most westerly of the four bridges that cross it. As anticipated this bridge was found weakly guarded. While occupying this guard in front a regiment was thrown across the creek on a milldam, which by a vigorous and unexpected charge captured the artillery guarding the bridge, and thus opened it to our advance.” It has been learned on good authority that the regiment which made the above mentioned charge was the Ninth New Jersey. This bit of information can be found in the Adjutant-General’s report of Massachusetts in the report of the Twenty-third Massachusetts Regiment and reads like this: “The Ninth New Jersey crossed through the old mill, charged the enemy, captured two pieces of artillery, and the rebels retreated.” General Foster says, “this was late at night.” “At daylight the following morning (Sunday) we advanced upon Kinston.” It should be remembered that the column after passing Wine Creek abandoned the main road leading to Kinston, took an unfrequented turpentine road through the woods, and came upon the right flank of the Confederate army, which was in line on the opposite side of the swamp, where their batteries were posted to resist our advance on Kinston. The road through this swamp was as straight as an arrow and covered with water nearly a foot deep. The position of the Third Regiment on the opposite side of the swamp was near the hospital and the sight of the dead and wounded was anything but reassuring, as they were carried to the rear; yet when the order was given “Forward!” not a man flinched, and the Third Regiment went through the swamp on the double-quick. The first brigade having turned the rebels’ right, and captured a battery and several hundred prisoners there was little left for the Third to do but to join in the shout of victory, view the prisoners, sympathize with the wounded in the Old Baptist Church, view the dead in the woods, and march into Kinston. As we marched over the beautiful bridge which spans the Neuse River, we saw the wise generalship of General Foster in coming upon Kinston through the swamp instead of the main road, where the rebels had erected earthworks and mounted guns, which would command the road for more than two miles.
Our place of bivouac in Kinston was on the park, which was enclosed by a rail fence, five rails high. Captain Grant, of Company C, Third Regiment, being officer of the day, gave strict orders that only the topmost rails should be taken. This order was so strictly obeyed that in the morning not a vestige of the fence remained; each man had taken only the top rail.
Words fail to describe the things seen on that park the next morning, feather and straw beds, mattresses, pillows, sheets, and bed clothes of nearly all kinds and description, china tea-sets, bottles of perfumery, and almost everything in the housekeeping line. Tobacco and cigars could be had without the asking. Feathers were seen all over the ground, indicating that someone had been engaged in the poultry business on an immense scale during the night.