| From the Wilmington Journal |
| December 29, 1862 |
| |
| Goldsboro', N. C. |
| December 27th, 1862 |
| |
| Messrs. Editors, |
| Having seen several erroneous
accounts of the burning of Neuse Bridge {on the
Wilmington & Weldon RR}, 3 miles South of Goldsboro' in the
action of the 17th inst., I am desirous of presenting to the public a
true statement of the affair. |
| As Commander of the Wilmington
& Weldon Rail Road Guards, I had 32 of my men under my charge on
that occasion, and we were there after all had left the bridge. It was
not fired by the hands of any person, it was fired on the top within
20 feet of the Southern end, by the bursting of a shell thereon by the
enemy. I will observe that these shells are furnished with a cap and
explode when the cap comes in contact with any hard substance, hence
the explosion took place immediately when it came in contact with the
roof of the bridge. |
| I remained until the roof was
falling in, when I received orders to form my Company and march in the
rear of the artillery, which I did, and subsequently returned to the
bridge to my first position, under a heavy fire. I saw the trestle
fall in and soon the firing ceased. Three out of the six men who are
said to have fired the bridge, fell by the fire of my men and none of
them got within 50 years of the bridge. |
| J. J. Bradbury |
| Capt. W. & W. R. R. Guards |
|