| From the Richmond Dispatch |
| |
| January 1, 1863 |
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| Official report of the fight in North Carolina |
| Below will be found the highly interesting
report of Gen. G. W. Smith of the recent battles in the vicinity of
Kinston, N. C. This report furnishes a gratifying account of the
operations in that on, and gives assurance that little damage was
inflicted by the enemy a grand army of invasions: |
| Hdqrs, Goldsboro', N. C., Dec.29, 1862,
Gen. S. Cooper, Adj't and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.: |
| General, |
| I have the honor to enclose copies of the
reports of Brig-Gens. Evans, Robertson, and Clingman giving an account
of the various affairs with the enemy in this vicinity in their recent
bridge burning and pillaging expedition from Newbern. |
| Brig-Gen. Evans, with two thousand (2,000)
men, held them in check at Southwest Creek, beyond Kinston, on the
13th, and, on the 14th, delayed their advance for some time, and
succeeded in withdrawing his force, with small loss, to the left bank
of the Neuse river, at Kinston. He held them at bay until the 16th,
when they advanced on the opposite side of the river and made an
attack at Whitehall bridge, about eighteen (18 miles below
Goldsboro'), in which they were driven back by Gen. Robertson with
slight loss. |
| Small reinforcement survived from
Petersburg and Wilmington on the 15th, one regiment of which was in
position to cover the railroad bridge over the Neuse {on
the Wilmington & Weldon RR}, near this place. A battalion
of artillery which had made a successful retreat from the works of the
obstructions below Kinston, after the enemy occupied the latter point
in force, was stationed on this side of the river, at the railroad
bridge, and about a half mile above at the county bridge On the 16th a
regiment arrived from Wilmington, and one from Petersburg, both of
which were sent to the right bank of the river, and placed under Gen.
command, to protect the two bridges. |
| On the morning of the 17th, having no
cavalry, and being unable to obtain information by other means, I
directed Lieut. Col. Stevens, of the Engineers, with two brigades and
five pieces of artillery, to make a reconnaissance, for the purpose of
ascertaining the position and numbers of the enemy, Gen. Evans's
brigade had then reached Goldsboro', by rail,
and, remaining on board, only awaited the of the track and watering of
the engines to move by rail to the
position already occupied by Gen. Clingman with his three regiments,
about one mile and a half beyond the railroad bridge. The capacity of
the water tanks being inadequate for the transportation accumulated
here at that time, the cars were delayed until after 12 o'clk for want
of water, pending which, the enemy appeared in forces before Gen.
Clingman's 3 regiments, and he withdrew across the county bridge to
this side of the river. The artillery of the enemy was playing upon
the railroad bridge; and Evans's brigade had at last to move forward
by the county road, and cross, if at all, the bridge a half mile above
the railroad. |
| About two o'clock in the afternoon one
bold and daring incendiary succeeded in reaching the bridge, and
covered by the wing wall of the abutment, lighted a fire which soon
destroyed the superstructure, leaving the masonry abutments. At that
time reinforcements, which I had ordered from Richmond, were hourly
expected. |
| It was very important for us now to save
the county bridge, the only means remaining of crossing the river in
this vicinity. Evans's and Clingman's brigade were ordered to cross,
supported by Pelligrew's brigade, and the Mississippi brigade, just
coming in was ordered to move forward at once. |
| The enemy were driven back from their
position on the line of the railroad; but on account of the lateness
of hour the nature of the ground, and the fact that our artillery
cavalry, and a large portion of the reinforcements had not yet
arrived, it was not advisable to attack their strong second position
that evening. |
| During the night the enemy made a hurried
retreat to their fortifications and gunboats, moving with such
celerity that it was useless to attempt pursuit with any other arm
than cavalry, of which at that time, unfortunately, we had none. |
| I passed over the railroad from the Neuse
bridge to Wilmington on the 24th, and returned, last night. The bridge
in fast being prepared. At present we are subjected to the temporary
inconvenience of trans-shipment across the county bridges; but in a
few days this will be remedied, and everything restored to the former
condition. |
| I regret that this grand army of invasion
did not remain in the interior long enough for us to get at them. As
it is, they burned the superstructure of two bridges, which cost
originally loss than ten thousand dollars, and can be replaced at
once, and have utterly failed to attempt to take advantage of the
temporary and partial interruption of one railroad line for the
purpose of striking a declared blow at any important point before we
could thoroughly re-establish our communication with it. |
| ***** |
| Our loss is reported at seventy-one killed
and two hundred and sixty-eight wounded, and about four hundred
missing. Most of the latter were taken prisoners at Kinston bridge,
and have since been returned paroled. |
| I am, General, very respectfully, your ob't ser't, |
| G. W. Smith |
| Major General Commanding |
|