Today in History:

188 Series I Volume XVIII- Serial 26 - Suffolk

Page 188 NORTH CAROLINA AND S. E. VIRGINIA. Chapter XXX.

side. At half 1 o'clock the regiments left them camps, and at twenty minutes of 6 the command bivouacked 3 1/2 miles this side of Mill Creek. The ground and road being very bad and wet for 3 miles forward and the moon being absent made it impracticable to go farther. We found a picket of the enemy 2 miles in front, and our own picket, a mile in front, reports three shots fired into it in the night.

We advanced at daylight to-day. We approached Mill Creek as if to find it occupied. Meeting no opposition we took possession of the opposite bank at 8 a.m. I pushed on at once with the infantry to Pollocksville and there learned that Robertson with his cavalry left that place yesterday at 1 o'clock p.m., going to Kinston.

Having a picket on the Trent, this side of Mill Creek, I communicated by it with the gunboat North Star, the captain of which placed himself under my orders. This was prior to the advance from Mill Creek. I directed the boat to proceed to Pollocksville, where she arrived soon after the troops, when I ordered her to return to New Berne.

Satisfied that the enemy were beyond reach and that no troops were left in that vicinity, I marched my command back to their quarters at New Berne.

The One hundred and fifty-eighth Pennsylvania Militia was detailed last evening for the advance guard in the morning, and Colonel McKibbin commanded it, although after being detailed his horse had fallen upon him and fractured the fibula of one of his legs. He returned in the gunboat from Pollocksville. He expressed himself as ably seconded in the duties of the morning by Lieutenant-Colonel Troxel and Major Hale, of his regiment.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HENRY PRINCE,

Brigadier-General Volunteers, Commanding.

Lieutenant Colonel SOUTHARD HOFFMAN,

A. A. G., Hdqrs. Eighteenth Army Corps, New Berne.


Numbers 7. Report of Major General Daniel H. Hill, C. S. Army, commanding Expedition.

GOLDSBOROUGH, N. C., March 16, 1863.-10 p.m.

Have just this moment arrived from below. Our expedition was partly successful. I went with Daniel's brigade on the lower Trent road to New Berne, and sent Robertson around on the upper Trent road to cut the railroad. Pettigrew was to bombard the shipping and barracks from the other side. The result was highly satisfactory on our road.

On Friday we drove them to their first line of works at Deep Gully, 8 miles from New Berne. This was a very strong position naturally, and strengthened by earthworks. It was defended by five companies and two pieces of artillery. General Daniel in person charged it and captured it with four companies. We held it that night and I sent an order to Robertson to cut the railroad the next day.

At daylight Saturday morning the Yankees made a feeble attempt at a recapture of Deep Gully. General Pettigrew opened at the same time, but I soon discovered that he had been repulsed, as the firing was plainly that of the heavy guns of a gunboat. After repulsing the


Page 188 NORTH CAROLINA AND S. E. VIRGINIA. Chapter XXX.