General Foster’s column left New Bern, North Carolina, at 8:00 AM on the morning of December 11, 1862, taking the Trent Road on a raid that would take him through Kinston, and White Hall on route to the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad bridge over the Neuse River 3 miles south of the town of Goldsboro. His four brigades were led by General Henry Wessells (on loan from General Peck’s division), Colonel Thomas Amory, Colonel Thomas Stevenson, and Colonel Horace Lee.

They traveled 14 miles on the first day while removing felled trees from the road left there by Confederates to delay their march. On the 12th they encountered skirmishers prior to arriving at the Vine Swamp. At this point Foster states he deviated off the main road several times to avoid obstructions in an attempt to confuse the Confederates as to his ultimate destination. This may be true but an approach from the south was a much better strategic choice as well. On the map below to the right (east) of Kinston you can see a 12-mile long line of entrenchments, which sits on the western bank of Southwest Creek, which protected the city from an attack from that direction. If Foster took a different approach from New Bern he would have struck that line close to its center. Instead, he chose to approach the city traveling north on the Wilmington Road via Woodington (near the bottom center) and cross the creek near Hines Mill. Here he could more easily flank the end of the line of entrenchments on the far Confederate right. In addition, he could use the milldam to his advantage to cross.

The news of the Federal advance reached Kinston on the 12th. Confederate commander Brigadier General Nathan “Shanks” Evans was in Greenville that day inspecting the troops. Colonel James Radcliffe was in command at Kinston. He moved his 61st NC, as well as the 17th, 22nd and 23rd SC, and six guns south of town to the fortifications on Southwest Creek. The bridge over the creek on the Wilmington Road was burned and his troops prepared for an attack. On the morning of the 13th Captain Cole and the 3rd NY Cavalry arrived there to find the bridge destroyed and the Confederates waiting for them on the opposite bank. A section of Battery B 3rd NY Artillery under Lieutenant Day shelled the earthwork as did the other 2 sections of the Battery. The 9th NJ soon arrived and Foster ordered Companies C, H and G to cross the creek on the right while the remainder of the regiment were ordered to cross 0.5-1.0 mile upstream at the Hines Mill dam. General Wessells ordered the 85th PA led by Colonel Howell to ford the creek a half mile downstream by using felled trees. Confederate General Evans had arrived back from Greenville and assumed command sending Colonel Radcliffe to command the left wing. Union Colonel Howell on the right sent Companies B and D across first as skirmishers under Captain Hooker. Those men engaged the Confederate gun in the center of the road and drove the gunners away. In their zeal they chased the fleeing Rebels up the road. In the meantime the remainder of the 9th NJ under Colonel Heckman had crossed at the milldam on the left and come in behind the Confederate earthworks which they found abandoned. They continued to the road and proceeded north encountering the abandoned 6-pounder which they seized, much to Colonel Howell’s chagrin as he wanted credit for capturing the cannon. The Confederates under attack on both flanks pulled back. A section of the earthworks still exists here (First Battle of Kinston Driving Tour stop #7- the driving tour will be covered in a subsequent post), with a 1200-foot line located north of Albrittons Road and east of US 258. The line continues on the east side of US 258 for another 700 feet. This section appears to contain a redan designed for artillery. South of Albritton Road and west of US 258 there exists about 2000 feet of the milldam and pilings associated with the mill (on private property). The original Wilmington Road roadbed is west of 258 and about 15-20 feet wide. Fighting continued up the Wilmington Road. Evans and his men would camp for the night in a field near the intersection of present day Central Avenue and the Wilmington Road, shown below (1st Battle of Kinston Driving Tour Stop #8).

They would move to a second defensive line one mile south of the Neuse River early the next morning. The Union column spent the night camped on both sides of the creek. The 23rd MA crossed at the milldam and were on the north side of the creek along with the 9th NJ and 85th PA. Two other actions took place on the 13th, in the first three companies of Union Cavalry under Major Garrard were sent about 10 miles up the road toward White Hall to ensure it was clear, which it was.

The second action involved the United States Navy. Lieutenant Colonel Horace Manchester led a reconnaissance mission up the Neuse River toward Kinston from New Bern. The steamers Allison, Port Royal, Ocean Wave, Wilson and North State left Willis’ Landing at 4:00 PM on the 12th. They anchored at Lee’s Landing 20 miles upstream that evening. On the 13th, 2 miles below Kinston at a turn in the river, they came under fire from a 10-gun battery at Camp Pool. The battery was manned by Companies B, G, and H of the 1st NC Artillery under Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Pool. The Port Royal, Ocean Wave and Wilson backed away from the battery down the river. The North State was further downstream. The Allison returned fire with her Parrott gun. The firing was short lived because it commenced at sunset and it soon turned dark. The Allison was hit three times. One shot took the tip off the pilot house, another passed through the roof and smokestack and a third cut away some fender and light work. By daylight the next day the water level in the river had fallen 19 inches and the Ocean Wave had grounded but it was pulled off the bottom by another ship and the vessels sailed downstream 5 miles. The Confederates disputed the trip back along the shoreline, but all 5 steamers made it back to New Bern. Camp Pool was located just east of where Tower Hill Road makes an abrupt turn north. Obstructions were placed in the Neuse River near hear to narrow the channel and force ships closer to the battery. Earthworks consisting of a 50-yard semicircular work with a 50-yard infantry trench, and several gun emplacements still exist along the north bank of the Neuse River on private property.

On the morning of the 14th General Evans had positioned a small force where the Upper Trent Road (modern-day Highway 58) crossed Southwest Creek about 2 miles southeast of the main Confederate line. An abandoned post-war church known as Patterson’s Chapel sits near the site currently. A company of the 3rd NY Cavalry accompanied by a 3-inch Parrott from the 24th NY Independent Artillery (Captain Lee’s Battery, under Lieutenant Cady) skirmished with the enemy. The Confederates had burned the bridge making crossing difficult. After an hour-long fight the Rebels fell back to their main line. Two companies of infantry arrived after the fighting ended and aided in the repair of the bridge. The men then rejoined the main column. According to the report of Captain Ferris Jacobs, Jr., 3rd NY Cavalry, the infantry were from the 5th MA of Colonel Lee’s brigade, Colonel Lee’s report states that he detached the 46th MA for this purpose. On the north side of the bridge west of highway 58 is a 700-900 foot line of earthworks that was included in the application to the National Register of Historic Places (area three in the application) for the Kinston Battlefield. In that application they list the infantry involved as the 46th MA. This action is interpreted at the First Battle of Kinston Driving Tour stop #9. The earthworks are on the north side of Southwest creek and run in a north south direction. The northernmost part of the earthwork was damaged when an occupant of one of the houses created a dog run.

Foster’s main column advanced up the Wilmington Road that morning toward Kinston when about a mile from town, on the south side of the river, they came upon a line of works and a total Confederate force of slightly over 2000 men. On the Confederate left the line was secured on a bend of the Neuse River. The right side of the curvilinear line did not extend to the river because there was a deep swamp located there. The position was well chosen with General Evans’ men protected by woods. On the Confederate right was Mallett’s battalion and the Holcombe Legion from South Carolina. The 61st North Carolina commanded by Colonel Radcliffe was in the center near Harriet’s Chapel as was Captain Starr’s Battery of six smooth bore cannon. On the left was the 17th, 22nd and 23rd SC. Captain Bunting’s and Boyce’s batteries were also present. A 175-foot earthwork overlooked the river on the north side, also seen on the map above.

The Federals would attack the Confederate left passing through a deep swamp. The 9th NJ were sent forward as skirmishers while Wessells’ brigade (85th, 92nd, and 96th NY and the 85th, 92nd, and 103rd PA) advanced on both sides of the road with Morrison’s battery Third NY Artillery sent to the extreme right to support one of Wessells’ regiments. Colonel Amory’s brigade (17th, 23rd, 43rd, 45th and 51st MA) followed with the 17th MA sent to support the 9th NJ at the front, while the 23rd and 45th MA initially advanced up the road. Colonel Stevenson’s brigade with Belger’s RI battery were then ordered forward (10th CT, 24th and 44th MA, 5th RI). The 24th MA supported the battery while the 5th RI were to the left of the road and the 10th CT and 44th MA to the right. Three batteries were positioned to the right of the road about three quarters of a mile to the rear. The 10th CT passed to the extreme front relieving two of Wessells’ brigades that were low on ammunition. Here after passing through the swamp they came under heavy fire for about 20 minutes and charged the Rebel line along with the 96th NY from Wessells’ brigade. The 10th CT suffered heavy losses with 90 casualties from 340 men in that 20 minute period.

Three hours into the battle the rest of the Union forces on the right followed and Evans ordered his men to fall back over the bridge. Thinking all his men had crossed he ordered the bridge burned. Evans also ordered his artillery on the north side of the river to fire toward the Confederate right not realizing that many of his own men, who had not received the order to retreat, were still there. This created a panic at the bridge as many of the men from the Confederate right and center were trapped on the south side and about 400 were captured. The fire on the bridge was extinguished before it could do much damage. The 9th NJ, the 17th MA and Wessells’ brigade crossed the bridge into town and halted. Evans formed a new line two miles north of town where he was reinforced by the 47th NC. About 3:00 PM Foster, under a flag of truce, sent a staff officer (Colonel Potter) to request his surrender. Evans declined and Foster shelled the area and advanced Amory’s brigade across the river. Before they could attack Evans fell back to Falling Creek where he camped for the night. Foster’s men camped outside town. Captain Cole from Company K of the 3rd NY Cavalry was sent down the east bank of the Neuse River where he discovered a deserted six gun battery. Four of the guns were field pieces and along with three other captured guns were sent back to New Bern. The other two which were too large to transport, an 8-inch Columbiad and a 32-pounder, were destroyed. On the morning of the 15th the Federals recrossed the river and took the river road toward White Hall. Colonel Ledlie remained behind to destroy the bridge over the Neuse River.

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