326 NortH Carotina Troops, 1861-65.

had been at New Bern. Colonel Vance assumed command
and brought the troops to Kinston.” oN

When Captain J. J. Young met the fleeing militia, he tried
to rally them—exhorted them to go back and rejoin their
comrades fighting in the works, saying, their conduct would
forever disgrace them; that the papers would be full of their
cowardice, etc., ete. One of them replied: “I had rather fill
twenty newspapers than one grave.” Some of the militia did
not stop running until they reached New Bern. One was
found dead on the rear platform of the last train as it crossed
the river into New Bern, expiring as he reached the train
just starting, having run all the way from the battle field,
about five miles.

To make this account historically complete, I append
list of the troops engaged on either side, and the casualties
sustained.

CONFEDERATE FORCES, BRIGADIER GENERAL L. O’B.

BRANCH, COMMANDING.
REGIMENTS.

 

 

 

19 N.C.
© | (Cavalry.)

S| «| 26 N.C.

6

Wounded ... 15

o|

 

 

 

 

i]
~I
cn)

Missing and Prisoners. .| 30

 

 

UNION FORCES, BRIGADIER GENERAL A. E. BURNSIDE,

COMMANDING. _
| BRIGADES.
|

 

 

| a
Foster’s Bri-, Reno’s Bri-| Parke’s Bri-
\gade, 23, 24. 25\gade, 21 Mass.,igade, 4. R I, 5 otal.
and 27 Mass.\51 N. Y.,9 N.|R. 1,8 and 11)
land 10 Conn. J. and51 Pa. (Conn.

Killed. ... |
Wounded

Artillery ..|_2 killed, 8 wounded. —

 

 

TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT. 327

So much space is given to the account of this, the first bat-
tle in which the regiment was engaged, because it was its first
battle, and the conduct of its officers and men was so alto-
gether creditable. No troops could have borne themselves
better under the ordeal to which they were exposed. The
rapidity of General Burnside’s advance took General Branch
by surprise. The latter expected at least a day’s delay at
Fisher’s landing, and at the Croatan breastworks above Otter
Creek, but there was no fight at these advanced points of de-
fense, and nothing delayed the enemy’s rapid approach. An-
other day and the brick yard would have been defended by
artillery, and this point secure, General Burnside would have
failed in his attempt to capture New Bern. The disparity of
forces was great, but General Foster, with his five regiments,
opposed by Colonels Campbell and Lee, with their three,
could make no headway on the Confederate left; and General
Reno, with his four regiments, assisted by General Parke,
was regularly driven back by the Twenty-sixth and T hirty-
third Regiments on the right. One regiment to have replaced
the 350 militia, and the Thirty-fifth Regiment, would have
stood as firm as the others, and there would have been no un-
defended part of the line to let the enemy through; and rein-
forcements, which were hurrying to General Branch’s assist-
ance, would have reached him during the day.

General Burnside well won his promotion as Major-Gen-
eral, which was the result of his victory, whereas on the Con-
federate side, this battle introduced to the military world
names to become distinguished in the annals of the war.

The press of the State heaped eulogies upon the officers
and men of the Twenty-sixth Regiment and recruits flocked
to its standard.

Governor Vance applied for and received permission to re-
cruit his regiment to a legion, and was in a fair way to suc-
ceed, several companies having arrived in camp, and others
were at home drilling, when he gave up the attempt in dis-
gust at what he thought was “the opposition to the scheme on
the part of the State and Confederate authorities,” and the
companies were disbanded.

While resting at Kinston, after the battle of New Bern,