" upon their left flank, raking their position. The | their barbaric dialect, "come down here to fight we uns? We uns don't want to fight you uns.' One might as well attempt to explain one of the problems of Laplace to a New Zealand savage as to give one of these ignorant, debased, South Carolinian mean whites an idea of the questions involved in this civil war. fire of these guns was so concentrated and powerful that it cut a perfect path, two rods wide, for some distance through the forest. No flesh and blood could stand such a storm. The Union troops threw themselves on their faces and hugged the ground as their only protection. They could not move in any direction without the utmost peril. The North Carolinians generally appeared much less morally and intellectually degraded. Almost to a man they expressed regret at the existence of the war, and said they had no heart in it. They asserted that their State had been carried out of the Union by the vote of the Legislature against the vote and sentiment of the people. They were mostly conscripts, and were quite willing to be taken prisoners. They complained bitterly of the harsh treatment they had only food had consisted of Indian corn and bacon. Unshorn, uncombed, and unwashed, they presented an appearance of filth and savagery which scarcely any group of Digger Indians ever equaled. Many of them were very bitter against Jeff Davis, and told terrible tales of the despot While in this terrible situation they heard the well-known cheer of their comrades announcing triumph on the left. The Ninety-sixth and Ninety-second New York had come up, flanked and successfully charged the rebel battery. At that shout the Tenth Connecticut, Forty-fifth Massachusetts, and One Hundred and Third Pennsylvania sprang to their feet, and rushed to join their comrades in the charge. The reb-received from their own officers, and said their els waited not for the impetuous onslaught, but abandoning every thing, fled pell-mell for the bridge which crossed the Neuse, opposite Kingston, which was not far distant. The retreat of five hundred and fifty of the foe was cut off, and they were taken prisoners. The Union artillery came rushing up along the road, shell-ism which reigned in secessiondom. ing the fugitives in their flight. The rebels, in their consternation, had no chance to destroy the bridge, and the patriot troops, following closely upon their heels, crossed the river anders said that they had been dragged away from took possession of Kingston. The brunt of this their families without any process of law, and battle-and it was truly a heroic fight-was met without an hour's delay. The general aspect by the Forty-fifth Massachusetts, Tenth Con- of the region through which the army passed necticut, and One Hundred and Third Penn- testified to the truth of these statements. Wide sylvania, essentially aided by the Ninety-sixth fields remained uncultivated, and in not a few and Ninety-second New York. Five Union reg-cases ripened crops were left to perish unhariments drove six thousand rebels from their intrenchments. The rebel prisoners stated that they considered their position quite impregnable, for they had not supposed it possible for any advance to be made through the swamp. They had consequently massed their forces to block up the passage of the road. The first intimation they had of the position of the regiments who had dashed through the swamp was from the storm of bullets which swept their ranks. There was an old church near the range of the hostile batteries which was thoroughly riddled with shot. As our troops occupied the ground vacated by their foes they found sixteen dead bodies in the church. The prisoners confessed that they carried off as many dead bodies as they could, and had thrown them into the river to conceal their loss. Our troops found that the rigor of rebel conscription had stripped the country of every man capable of bearing arms. Many of the prison vested. Vast barns and granaries were left entirely empty. On the most extensive plantations but few signs of life were visible. A few aged negroes, too old to run away and too valueless to be removed, were loitering about, bewildered by the sudden and inexplicable change. Now and then a few women were found who had been left behind. They did not exhibit the ferocity which had been generally displayed by female rebels; they were generally anxious for the war to end on any terms, asserting that they were living under a reign of terror, and that they had more to fear from the rebel than from the Union troops. The retreating rebels had stripped the houses of most of their movable furniture and of all eatables. In the little dilapidated city of Kingston desolation and starvation reigned. The women and children who alone remained all look Most of the prisoners were South Carolinians.ed care-worn and hungry. Many of the poorer They were ferocious in their hate, declaring that class came rambling through the Union camp, they would fight forever. They said they had begging bread of the soldiers, and eagerly pickreceived orders from General Evans that morning up the fragments which our surfeited troops ing to give no quarter. They had not enter- had thrown away. The women, accustomed tained the idea that they could be beaten. Many of them were as ignorant as savages, having not the slightest conception of the cause of the war. They had been told that the Northern people had invaded the South from the brutal desire to rob them of their property and to cut their throats. "What for you uns," said they, in only to the brutal aspect and bearing of the Southern soldiers, expressed much surprise at the gentlemanly appearance and demeanor of the Northern troops. But three white men were found left in Kingston, and they were Union men who had hidden themselves from rebel rule. All the rest had been carried off, either voluntarily or involuntarily, by the rebels. In the heroic and brilliant battle at Roanoke the company lost 23 out of 56 men. Young Perkins, for his chivalric bravery, was soon promoted to the First Lieutenancy in Company A, Tenth Connecticut Volunteers. At the battle of Kingston all the enthusiasm of his soul was called into requisition. While his regiment was in full pursuit of the rebels, retreating by the bridge across the Neuse, Lieutenant Perkins pressing eagerly on, reckless of all danger, had just exclaimed to a comrade, "Isn't this glo and fell dead. The chaplain of the regiment, the Rev. Mr. Stone, of Boston, in a letter to his bereaved father, wrote: The battle of Kingston was fought on Sunday. These were strange scenes for our Puritan boys, who had been trained in the Sabbathschools and churches of the North. The victorious Union troops passed over the bridge into Kingston, and encamped in a large field on the north side of the village, built their fires, boiled their coffee, and sat down to review the labors of the day. The Massachusetts Forty-fifth lost 18 killed, and had 50 wounded. Large num-rious?" when he was struck by a Minié ball bers had bullet-holes through their hats and part of their clothing. The Tenth Connecticut met with a still more severe loss, as did also the One Hundred and Third Pennsylvania and the Ninety-sixth New York. The rebels lost, in addition to the prisoners we have mentioned, eleven pieces of artillery, a large quantity of small-arms and ammunition, and an immense dépôt of provisions, which they set on fire to prevent it from falling into the Union hands. The battle in the swamp lasted four hours. A young soldier of the Massachusetts Forty-fifth, who had never before been under fire, thus graphically describes his sensations in a letter to his friends: "When we first filed into the woods I would have given all I was worth to have been once more safely at home. But after the first shot was fired I could not restrain myself. I had no thought of any personal danger. The balls would whistle and hum all over our heads, and every now and then a shell would explode and cover us with mud, and too often with blood. But it seemed to me as though something told me not to fear. I said one little short prayer for myself, thought of each one of you, imagined I heard the sweet church bells of Framingham, and shut my eyes for an instant and saw you all. It could have been but an instant, and then I thought of nothing but pushing the rebels out of the swamp. As we drove the rebels before us I can not describe the exultation we felt that we had helped win a victory for the Stars and the Stripes. But the sad times were at night, when we missed from the camp-fires the faces of those whom we had learned to love, or when we went back to the woods to bury the dead or to save the wounded." Among the many who fell at the battle of Kingston meriting especial honor we have space to mention but one-Lieutenant William Perkins. His case illustrates that of many others of our noblest young men who left all the endearments of home to peril life in defense of our country. This young man was the second one from his native town, New London, Connecticut, to volunteer. His older brother was the first. With honor he passed through the disaster at Bull Run. At Roanoke Island he was the second man to jump upon the shore. Captain Leggett, of Company H, Tenth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers, to which company young Perkins belonged, was the first. VOL. XXX.-No. 175.-B "Your son was a universal favorite in the regiment. We all loved him for his manly qualities, his generous heart, his kindness of manner, and his winning ways. We were proud of his soldierly bearing and of his courageous deportment." His letters to his friends showed the conscientiousness with which he had entered upon this strife for civil and religious liberty, and his deep sense of dependence upon God. Such were the victims who, by hundreds and by thousands, were immolated by the demon of slavery upon her blood-stained altars. Earth may be searched in vain for a crime more enormous than that which plunged our once peaceful and happy land into all the horrors of civil war to perpetuate and extend the outrage of human bondage. Early the next morning-Monday the 15ththe army recommenced its march. Filing rapidly again back across the bridge they pressed along a road which skirted the southern banks of the Neuse, toward Whitehall, which was directly west upon the river, at the distance of about 20 miles. It required nearly five hours— from daylight until 11 o'clock-for the whole army to defile across the narrow bridge. They then, to prevent pursuit and the harassment of their rear, smeared the bridge over with tar and set it on fire. The structure, of wood, 20 rods long and 40 feet above the water, was speedily enveloped in rushing billows of flame, and disappeared in smoke and ashes. Such a long line of troops, with its ponderous artillery and heavily-laden wagons, necessarily moves slow. But by vigorously pushing forward they traveled seventeen miles that day, and again bivouacked by the road-side, about three miles from Whitehall. The weary soldiers did not need beds of down to enable them to sleep soundly that night. Tuesday, 16th, at 5 o'clock in the morning the troops were again upon the march. They had been in motion scarcely an hour when the roar of battle was again heard at the head of the column. The cavalry and one battery were in the advance. As they were approaching the little village of Whitehall, which is on the south bank of the stream, they found that the enemy had stationed themselves on the opposite side of the river, having destroyed the bridge, and were strongly posted, with ten guns in battery on the opposite bank. The guns were protect trated. ed by long lines of rifle-pits. A brief but spir- | large a number of guns are so closely concenited conflict here ensued. As soon as our advance-guard appeared in sight the rebels opened upon them from their batteries on the opposite side of the river. When the Forty-fifth Massachusetts, which in that day's march led the main body of the army, came within reach of the rebel fire, six batteries, containing 36 guns, were immediately brought into position, and opened a deadly fire upon the guns of the rebels, 10 in number, upon the opposite side of the river. These guns, on both sides, were loaded and fired with such rapidity that it is said that there were, in all, more than a hundred discharges each minute. It is seldom, in battle, that so The field of action was mostly a level plain, with a few slight undulations. It was necessary to place the Union infantry in positions to protect their batteries from sudden charges by the foe. The Massachusetts Forty-fifth found itself stationed exactly in the range between one of our batteries and the guns of the rebels. The balls and shells from both parties went directly over their heads, so near that were the men to stand erect every head would soon be swept away. As they lay flat upon the ground they could feel the motion of every ball, and the windage would often take away their breath. AN AWKWARD POSITION. Butler ran up the bank to the flaming bridge, seized a brand, and was making for the boats, when several rebels rushed from their sheltered hiding-places and endeavored to seize him. Quick as thought he turned, plunged again into the river, and through a shower of bullets returned safely to his comrades. The batteries were then brought to bear upon the boats, and with solid shot and shell they were nearly demolished, though the flames, could the torch have been applied, would more effectually have done the work. Occasionally a shell would explode near them, and pushed boldly for the opposite shore. Evcovering them with dirt. It was a very awk-ery gun was brought into action throwing grape ward position to occupy, and General Foster and canister to distract the foe. soon changed it. To attain a new position there was a Virginia rail fence to be crossed. As one of the men put his hand on a top rail to spring over a shell struck the rail from beneath him, plunged him headlong but unharmed into a ditch, and knocked down and severely wounded with a splinter another man. Almost at the same moment another shell fell and exploded in their ranks, wounding four men. In the midst of such a fire as this, strange to say, many of the Forty-fifth Massachusetts fell soundly asleep. They were so utterly exhausted by the march of two days, the battle in the swamp, and the sleeplessness of the intervening night in standing guard, that even the deafening roar of battle and the greatest peril of wounds and death could not keep them awake. The conflict at Whitehall lasted about an hour and a half, one brigade only of the Union troops being called into action. It was found on almost all occasions that our artillery practice was far superior to that of the rebels. Not unfrequently the Union batteries would take position in an open field and silence a rebel battery carefully intrenched, of the same number of guns. While this artillery battle was raging the main body of the army moved rapidly along the road, at a little distance from the river, to gain the stream at a point which the rebel guns did not command. While thus moving a shell fell into the ranks of the Forty-fourth Massachusetts, instantly killing four men. The patriot batteries at length silenced the rebel cannon, and our troops, advancing to the river, destroyed two gun-boats which the rebels were building there. The village of Whitehall, which stood between the hostile batteries, was literally knocked to pieces. The dense woods which fringed the opposite bank of the stream were mown down by our deadly fire as the scythe mows the grass. For a quarter of a mile back from the river, and for half a mile up and down the banks, scarcely a tree was left standing. One principal object in visiting Whitehall was to destroy the two gun-boats of which we have spoken as being there upon the stocks. As the enemy were in force upon the opposite bank our troops could not in a body cross. It was now night. The boats must be destroyed, and the army must be speedily again on its way to ac complish an enterprise still more important. Two thousand barrels of turpentine were seized, piled in an immense heap on the river's bank, and set on fire. Such a bonfire mortal eyes have seldom seen. Vast sheets of billowy flame flashed their forked tongues to the clouds. The whole region for miles around was lighted up. Every movement of the enemy was revealed, and their positions were mercilessly shelled. Still there were no means of reaching the boats but to call for volunteers to swim the stream and apply the torch. A private named Butler came forward, plunged into the wintry wave, The shell is a terrible and remorseless engine of destruction. Nothing can be imagined more demoniac than the yell with which they swoop through the air. It is heard the moment the shell leaves the gun, and with the larger size, now often used, is so shrill and piercing that even if a quarter of a mile distant it seems directly upon you. Many of these massive bolts are hurled with such velocity that if they pass within ten feet of one's head they produce a vacuum which takes away the breath; and as it whirs by the scream grows fainter and fainter till it expires in a thundering explosion. The noise which these shells make is indescribable. There is nothing with which to compare it. It can only be imagined by those by whom it has been heard. Having dispersed the rebels at Whitehall, our victorious little army, under their vigorous leader General Foster, without crossing the river, and with scarcely an hour's delay, pressed forward toward the west, still ascending the banks of the Neuse. Night overtook them twelve miles beyond Whitehall. Here they found their sixth encampment. Scarcely had the dawn of Wednesday morning the 17th appeared ere the troops were again in motion. A party of cavalry had been sent in advance by a cross road on Monday to a place called Mount Olive, twenty miles south of Goldsborough, to destroy as much as possible of the railroad there and a long trestle railroad bridge. This enterprise the intrepid cavalry had successfully accomplished. They now returned to the main body, having ridden seventy miles in twenty-four hours. The great object of this whole military expedition was to destroy the railroad running south from Goldsborough, which was the principal line of northern communication for the rebels. Like most villages in a slave-holding country Goldsborough is an insignificant hamlet, not important enough even to be noticed in a general gazetteer. It is but little more than a railroad station, where the Wilmington and Weldon road crosses the Atlantic and North Carolina track. There was a costly high-bridge an eighth of a mile long, which here crossed the river, which had been a long time in process of construction. It was an important object of the expedition to destroy this bridge. The rebels, fully appreciating its importance, made a vigorous stand for its defense. But General Foster on this expedition as much outgeneraled the rebel officers in strategy and tactics as his soldiers out-fought the rebel rank and file in the open field. At 11 o'clock, Wednesday morning, our soldiers were within five miles of the bridge. The rebels were found there in force, and the battle was renewed. A few miles below the railroad viaduct there was a small stream called Sleepy Creek, where there was a common road bridge across the Neuse. A portion of the army was sent down to this bridge to make a feint, with as much noise as possible, of crossing at that point. The great object of the expedition having been thus effectually accomplished, the army immediately commenced its return. The rebels now began to comprehend the true posture of affairs. They had assembled in such force as vastly to outnumber the patriots. But there was a wide and rapid river, with all the bridges destroyed, flowing between them. In this emergence the rebels went back, ascending the river about five miles, and crossed in the vicinity of Waynesborough. Then marching down the southern bank of the stream, they vigorously set out in pursuit of our leisurely retiring columns. They overtook the patriot rear-guard in the vicinity of Sleepy Creek. As the rebels came on in solid mass the patriot batteries, in good position, remained quiet until they were within three hundred yards, and then, with double-shotted guns, they poured in so tremendous a volley that no mortal strength or valor could breast it. Three times the rebel ranks were broken by the awful carnage, and three times they rallied anew to the onset. Finally they broke beyond recovery, and fled in wildest confusion back among the forests and the hills. Some prisoners who were taken said that they lost in this terrific storm of war, which lasted but a few moments, eight hundred men. It was a very bold attempt of infantry to storm batteries The rebels, deceived by the supposition that it was our main object to seize the railroad junction at Goldsborough, had assembled a large force at this bridge, superior to our own, to guard the passage. General Foster adroitly compelled them to divide their force between this upper and lower point, and kept the river between him and the foe to prevent being overwhelmed by any sudden assault. To prevent the Union troops from crossing the river the rebels made their first stand at Kingston. Here, as we have mentioned, the rebels drove them back and destroyed the bridge. They next made a stand at Whitehall, destroying the bridge themselves. Here the patriots silenced their batteries and destroyed two of their gun-boats. The rebels then drew back their forces to the vicinity of Golds-up to the muzzles of their guns. borough, and established themselves at the two bridges of which we have spoken, five miles apart. While a part of our troops followed down Sleepy Creek to the bridge the main body moved on to the railroad bridge, the object of the expedition. General Foster had no wish to cross either of these bridges. He was well aware that there was a sufficient force of rebels on the other side, gathered from Wilmington, Weldon, Raleigh, and even Virginia, to overwhelm the force at his disposal. The assault commenced at both bridges at the same time. From 11 o'clock in the morning until 3 o'clock in the afternoon there was the continuous roar of battle. The rebels had taken position on the south side of the railroad bridge. They were, however, soon driven in confusion from their position and across the bridge, and the bridge was utterly destroyed. The flames consumed its frame, and its buttresses were demolished by shot and shell. The patriots now retired unmolested, and encamped Wednesday night on the same spot where they had encamped the night before. The next morning, at 4 o'clock, they were again upon the march, and thus they tramped along, singing songs of victory, until 6 o'clock Saturday night, when they encamped about six miles from Newbern. The Sabbath morning sun rose cloudless over the North Carolina pines. The day was mild and beautiful, as though nature had no voice or feature in harmony with the discord of war. The patriot troops resumed their march with waving banners and pealing bugles, and thus rejoicingly re-entered the camp from which they had marched but ten days before. They marched into their encampment to the dear old tune of "Home, Sweet Home." The distance these iron men had traveled, over often the worst of roads, and through a series of battles, was about two hundred miles. |
