ARMY OPERATIONS. 



45 



dered the 6th New Hampshire to form in a 

 line on the left of the road and support the 

 four pieces of artillery, while the 51st Penn- 

 sylvania and 21st Massachusetts filed to the 

 right and passed over to the edge of the wood 

 to turn the enemy's flank, and the New York 

 regiments supported them. The effect of these 

 movements, and the sharp firing that ensued, 

 caused the enemy soon to retire in a rapid 

 manner. The force rested until evening, and 

 then withdrew to their boats. The Federal loss 

 was fourteen killed and ninety-six wounded, 

 and two taken prisoners. The Federal force 

 remained on the field for seven hours, buried 

 their dead, and transported all the wounded 

 except fourteen, so severely wounded that they 

 could not be moved, but who were comfortably 

 provided for and left in charge of a surgeon 

 and chaplain. ''In obedience to orders," says 

 Gen. Burnside, " Gen. Eeno then returned 

 to his fleet and embarked his men." Ten or 

 fifteen prisoners were taken, most of whom 

 belonged to the 3d Georgia regiment. The 

 loss of the Confederate force was unknown ; 

 thirty killed and wounded were left on the 

 field. They reported one regiment and three 

 pieces of artillery as the entire force engaged. 



On the 23d of April, a naval expedition con- 

 sisting of the gunboats Lockwood, Whitehead, 

 and Putnam, under Lieut. Flosser, was sent 

 to obstruct the entrance of the Dismal Swamp 

 canal. This was done by means of sinking a 

 schooner, and filling the canal with brush, 

 stumps, rails, and earth, and trunks of trees. 



On the 6th of June, a sharp engagement oc- 

 curred eight miles from "Washington near Pac- 

 tolus, between a Confederate force under Col. 

 Singleterry and the 24th Massachusetts under 

 Capt. Potter. This latter officer had been sta- 

 tioned at Washington with a small force, and 

 hearing of the gathering of the enemy, obtain- 

 ed reinforcements, and successfully attacked 

 them. Seven were killed and eleven wounded 

 on the Federal side. 



Some other military movements, to be here- 

 after stated, took place during the succeeding 

 months. This portion of North Carolina was 

 held by the Union forces throughout the year. 

 Its ports were closed to imports for the Con- 

 federate States, and its commerce ceased en- 

 tirely. (See NORTH CAROLINA.) The principal 

 part of the forces under Gen. Bnrnside were 

 subsequently brought to Newport News, where 

 they remained in transports until the Army of 

 the Potomac returned to Alexandria. They 

 then united with it under Gen. Pope. 



This expedition in its outfit, vigor of action, 

 and complete achievements, showed that it was 

 commanded by an experienced, judicious, and 

 able officer. It was necessarily confined in 

 its operations to the shores of the country, 

 where it could act in concert with the gunboats. 

 Public expectation had looked forward to see 

 it penetrate the State of North Carolina, and 

 occupy the eastern line of railroad connecting 

 the Southern States with Richmond. It never 



was strong enough to entertain such a thought. 

 Brave old North Carolina has always had a 

 high reputation for soldiers. Her white pop- 

 tlation is over six hundred thousand, and her 

 militia must have been nearly one sixth of this 

 number. Gen. Burnside's military force was 

 about sixteen thousand strong. His expedition 

 had not been in the field four months, when 

 the Government found itself entirely without 

 soldiers who could be sent to reenforce him. 



The achievements of the military and naval 

 expedition to the coast of South Carolina and 

 Georgia, should be described in this connection. 

 For an account of its outfit, departure, and oc- 

 cupation of Hilton Head and adjacent islands, 

 see ANNUAL CYCLOPEDIA, 1861 EXPEDITIONS. 

 Undoubtedly there was a double object in this 

 expedition. On the one hand it was designed 

 to seize and hold as large a district of the coast 

 as might be practicable, and on the other pre- 

 pare a base for future operations against Charles- 

 ton and Savannah, South Carolina, and the 

 great State of Georgia. The point designed for 

 its headquarters, and for the base of future op- 

 erations, was occupied at once. The first labor 

 was to prepare Port Royal for the purposes in 

 view. Immense cargoes of commissary stores, 

 ordnance, and means of transportation were 

 landed from the large ocean steamers which 

 accompanied the expedition. Extensive ware- 

 houses were erected for the preservation of the 

 stores; while for the security of the depot 

 whence supplies were to be drawn for all por- 

 tions of the command, and to enable as many 

 troops as possible to be spared for distant oper- 

 ations, long lines of defence had to be construct- 

 ed. While the works were pushed forward 

 reconnoissances were made in every direction 

 to ascertain the position and strength of the 

 enemy, to learn the depth of water in the nu- 

 merous creeks and inlets, and remove all ob- 

 structions that might have bpen placed in im- 

 portant channels of communication. 



At the beginning of the year it was observed 

 to be the design of the enemy to shut up the 

 Federal troops in Port Royal Island, by placing 

 obstructions in Coosaw river and Whale Branch, 

 by constructing batteries at Port Royal Ferry, 

 at Seabrook. and at or near Boyd Creek, and 

 by accumulating men in the vicinity so as to 

 be able to throw a force of twenty-five hundred 

 or three thousand upon any of these points, 

 at a short notice. It was determined to arrest 

 their designs peremptorily, and in such a man- 

 ner as would serve a subsequent purpose. 

 Commander E. R. P. Rodgers had charge of 

 the naval force of the expedition, consisting of 

 the gunboats Ottawa, Lieut. Stevens, Pembina, 

 Lieut. Bankhead, and four armed boats of the 

 Wabash, carrying howitzers, and under the 

 command of Lieuts. Upsher, Lane. Irwin. and 

 Master Kempff, which were to enter the Coo- 

 saw by Beaufort river ; and the gunboat Seneca, 

 Lieut. Ammen, and tug boat Ellen, Master 

 Budd, which were to move up Beaufort river, 

 and approach the batteries at Seabrook and 



