AKMY OPERATIONS. 



51 



secured a portion of the enemy's bridge across 

 Brunswick River, and passed a portion of his 

 troops to Eagle Island, and threatened to cross 

 the Cape Fear River above Wilmington. The 

 enemy immediately set fire to his steamers, 

 cotton, and military and naval stores, and 

 abandoned the city. Early the next morning, 

 Feb. 22d, Gen. Cox entered without opposition. 

 The force in front of Gen. Terry fell back, and 

 were pursued by him across Northeast River. 



The Federal losses in these operations were 

 about two hundred officers and men killed and 

 wounded. That of the enemy was estimated 

 at one thousand killed, wounded, and taken 

 prisoners. Fifteen heavy and fifteen light guns 

 were captured, with a large amount of ammu- 

 nition. . 



As Gen. Schofield had no rolling stock at 

 Wilmington, and was nearly destitute of wag- 

 ons, he was compelled to operate from New- 

 bern for the capture of Goldsboro. He had 

 already sent to that place about 5,000 men, and 

 ordered Gen. J. N. Palmer to move with as 

 little delay as possible upon Kinston, in order 

 to cover the workmen repairing the railroad. 

 Gen. Ruger's division of the 23d corps was 

 sent to reenforce Gen. Palmer, by way of More- 

 head City. As Gen. Palmer had not moved on 

 the 25th, Gen. Cox was ordered to take the com- 

 mand and push forward at once. At the same 

 time the division of Gen. Couch, which had 

 just arrived at Wilmington, was prepared as 

 rapidly as possible, together with the division 

 of Gen. Cox, then under Brig.-Gen. Reilly, to 

 join the column moving from Newbern by a, 

 land march from Wilmington. On March 6th 

 the two divisions were ready to move for Kins- 

 ton, and proceeded by way of Onslow and 

 Richlands. On the 8th Gen. Cox had advanced 

 to Wise's Forks, about one and a half miles be- 

 low Southwest Creek, behind which the force 

 of the enemy, consisting of Gen. Iloke's divis- 

 ion and a small "body of reserves, had retired. 

 Meanwhile Gen. Cox sent two regiments, under 

 Col. Uphani of the 15th Connecticut, to secure 

 the crossing of the creek on the Dover road. 

 But the enemy having been reenforced by a 

 portion of the old Army of Tennessee, recrossed 

 th"e creek above the Dover road, and came 

 down in the rear of Col. Upham's position, and 

 surprised and captured nearly his entire com- 

 mand, about seven hundred men. They then 

 advanced and endeavored to penetrate between 

 Gen. Carter's and Gen. Palmer's divisions, 

 occupying the Dover road and the railroad re- 

 spectively, but were checked by Gen. Ruger's 

 division, which was just arriving on the field. 

 Only light skirmishing took place, from which 

 the loss was small. As the enemy was equally 

 as strong as Gen. Cox, and receiving reenforce- 

 ments all the time, Gen. Cox intrenched his 

 force to await the arrival of Gen. Couch. On 

 the 9th the enemy pressed his lines strongly 

 without making an assault ; and on the 10th, 

 having received further reinforcements, and 

 perhaps heard of the approach of Gen. Couch's 



column, they made a heavy attack upon the 

 left and centre of Gen. Cox, but were decisively 

 repulsed with a heavy loss. They retired in 

 confusion, leaving their dead and wounded and 

 a large number of arms and intrenching tools. 

 During the night they fell back across the 

 Neuse and burned the bridge. The loss of 

 Gen. Cox was about 300 in killed and wound- 

 ed ; that of the enemy was estimated at 1,500 

 in killed, wounded, and prisoners. During the 

 night the column of Gen. Couch arrived. Gen. 

 Schofield was delayed in crossing the Neuse 

 until the 14th, for want of pontoons, when it 

 was effected without opposition. Meanwhile 

 the enemy Mad abandoned Kinston and moved 

 rapidly toward Smithfield, to join the force 

 under Gen. Johnston, to resist the advance of 

 Gen. Sherman from Fayetteville. After occu- 

 pying Kinston and repairing the bridge over 

 the Neuse and the railroad track, Gen. Scho- 

 field moved on the 20th toward Goldsboro, 

 which he entered on the evening of the 21st 

 with slight opposition from the enemy. 



Meanwhile Gen. Terry, with' a portion of the 

 command which had remained at Wilmington, 

 moved from that point on March 15th, reaching 

 ^Faison's depot on the 20th, and advanced to 

 Cox's bridge, securing the crossing of the Neuse 

 on the 22d. 



The columns of Gen. Sherman commenced 

 their march from Fayetteville on AVednesday, 

 March 15th. His plan was, that Gen. Kil- 

 patrick should move up the plank road to and 

 beyond Averysboro, a village on the Cape Fear 

 River, about forty miles south of Raleigh. 

 Four divisions of the left wing, with as few 

 wagons as possible, were to follow him; the 

 rest of the train, under the escort of the two 

 remaining divisions of the wing, were to take 

 a shorter and more direct road to Goldsboro. 

 In like manner Gen. Howard was to send his 

 trains well to the right, under a good escort, 

 toward Faison's depot and Goldsboro, and to 

 hold four divisions light and ready to go to the 

 aid of the left wing if it should be attacked 

 while in motion. The weather continued bad, 

 and the roads were almost impassable, requir- 

 ing repairs at almost every foot to admit the 

 passage of the wagons and artillery. 



Gen. Kilpatrick advanced, followed by Gen. 

 Slocum, who moved up the river or plank road 

 on the 15th to Kyle's landing. About three 

 miles beyond, at Taylor's Hole Creek, Gen. 

 Kilpatrick encountered the rear-guard of the 

 enemy, with which he skirmished heavily. At 

 his request Gen. Slocum sent forward a brigade 

 of infantry to hold a line of barricades. On 

 the next morning the column advanced in the 

 same order, and found the enemy in an in- 

 trenched position, with artillery, infantry, and 

 cavalry. They were in front of the point 

 where the road branched off toward Goldsboro 

 through Bentonville. It appeared that Gen. 

 Hardee, in retreating from FayetteviMe, had 

 halted in the narrow and swampy neck be- 

 tween the Cape Fear and South Rivers, in 



