FORTS ELLIS AND LANE IN THE DISTANCE.
BOMBARDMENT OF THE CONFEDERATE FORT THOMPSON DURING THE BATTLE OF NEW BERNE.
From a war-time sketch.
GENERAL BURNSIDE AT THE CONFEDERATE COTTON BATTERY ON THE WHARF,
NEW BERNE.
From a war-time sketch.
McClellan and I were chatting together over the affairs of the war, when I mentioned to him a plan for the formation of a coast division to which I had given some thought. After giving him a somewhat detailed account of the plan, he asked me to put it in writing as soon as possible, which was done. The next day it was presented to him, and it met his approval. He laid it before the Secretary of War, by whom it was also approved. The general details of the plan were briefly as follows: To organize a division of from 12,000 to 15,000 men, mainly from States bordering on the Northern sea-coast, many of whom would be familiar with the coasting trade, and among whom would be found a goodly number of mechanics; and to fit out a fleet of light-draught steamers, sailing vessels, and barges, large enough to transport the division, its armament and supplies, so that it could be rapidly thrown from point to point on the coast with a view to establishing lodgments on the Southern coast, landing troops, and penetrating into the interior, thereby threatening the lines of transportation in the rear of the main army then concentrating in Virginia, and holding possession of the inland waters on the Atlantic coast.
After the approval of the plan, I was ordered to New York to fit out the fleet; and on the 23d of October orders were issued establishing my headquarters for the concentration of the troops of the division at Annapolis. Troops arrived from time to time at Annapolis, and all went well in the camp, which was established on beautiful grounds just outside the town. ...
I had organized the division into three brigades, which were placed in command of General J. G. Poster, General Jesse L. Beno, and General John G. Parke, three of my most trusted friends. We
eral McClellan, who placed me in charge of the division and brigades which were formed of the new troops as they arrived in Washington. My duty was to look after the drill and discipline of these brigades, with a view to giving the men the efficiency necessary for assignment to the older divisions of the army, which were then organizing in Washington under the name of the Army of the Potomac. The duty was interesting in some respects, but was in the main somewhat tame, so that I very naturally desired more active duty.
One evening in the following October, General
ATLANTIC COAST.
THE BURNSIDE EXPEDITION TO NORTH CAROLINA.
BY AMBROSE E. BURNSIDE, MAJOR-GENERAL, U. S. A.
Commander of the Forces in the North Carolina Campaign.
SOON after the 1st Rhode Island regiment was mustered out of service, I was appointed by President Lincoln to the office of brigadier-general. My commission was given to me August 6th, 1861, and I was ordered to report to Gen-
OPERATIONS ON THE
NARRATIVE OP EVENTS.
The Confederate forts, Hatteras and Clark, at Hatteras Inlet, the main approach to Pamlico Sound, were reduced by a military and naval expedition led by General Benjamin E. Butler and Commodore Silas H. Stringham in August, 1861.
The flue harbor of Port Royal, South Carolina, was se-curedinNovemberof the same year by acombined expedition under Commodore Samuel F. Du Pont and General Thomas W. Sherman. Forts Walker and Beauregard, at the entrance to the harbor, were reduced after five hours’ bombardment.
The capture of Port Royal was followed by the abandonment by tlie Confederates of all the coast towns South of Charleston, except Savannah, which was defended by Fort Pulaski at the mouth of the river. In April, 1862, that stronghold was reduced by a remarkable bombardment from Union batteries erected on Tybee Island.
A strong blockade was maintained along the coast, but it was neutralized again and again by Confederate supply steamers, and also by cruisers, notably in front of Charleston and Wilmington. At Charleston, in the summer of 1862, the blockading fleet was effectually de-troyed by Confederate rams.
The Confederates made three attempts to recapture New Berne, North Carolina, after it fell into Union possession, as narrated by General Burnside, below. All were failures. In tlie last, May 6, 1864, the ram Albemarle attempted to cooperate, but while passing through Albemarle Sound she was met and defeated by a fleet under Captain Melancton Smith.
Fort Fisher, a strong work at the mouth of Cape Fear River guarding Wilmington, held out until January, 1865 (see article hy Captain Selfridge to follow), and, on the 22d of February, Wilmington fell into the hands of General John M. Schofield, with an army transferred from Tennessee, by way of Washington.
The following paper was read by General Burnside before the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Historical Society of Rhode Island, July 7th, 1880, and is included here by permission of the Society, the text being somewhat abridged to conform to the plan of this work.
GENERAL BURNSIDE’S HEADQUARTERS, ROANOKE ISLAND. From a war-time sketch.
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