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Norru Carona Troops, 1861-’65.

WASHINGTON, N. C.

On 25 March, 1863, the Fiftieth Regiment left Kinston for
Greenville, and on the 29th, crossed the Tar river, and join-
ing Garnett’s Brigade moved on Washington, which we in-
vested for sixteen days. The regiment first took position
with Garnett’s Brigade on the east side, and near the town,
but was afterwards ordered to meet a strong force of the en-
emy, which were reported to be advancing from Plymouth.
They afterwards recrossed the Tar river and rejoined their
old brigade (General Daniel’s), which had’ been recalled
from Virginia, at the Cross Roads near Washington, on the
south side of the river. On 9 April the Fiftieth Regiment
was sent by General Daniel, at the request of General Pet-
tigrew to aid him in the affair at Blount’s Mill. After this
we returned to our brigade at the Cross Roads, and on the
night of the 14th the Fiftieth Regiment moved down the
‘Grimes Road” and took position in a small clearing to the
right of the woods a few hundred yards from the bridge at
the town. We were exposed to heavy fire from the Federal
guns, which had perfect range of the road for more than a
mile. We were located by the small clearing which we oc-
cupied and were subjected to heavy fire from the combined
batteries throughout the night, but having the protection of
the timber in the intervening swamp, suffered very little. On
the 15th the entire brigade took position near the river be-
tween the town and Rodman’s Point. The Fiftieth Regi-
ment was sent across the low land and took position immedi-
ately on the bank of the river. In a short while our batteries
at Hill’s and Rodman’s points opened a heavy fire, which
lasted only for a short while: We supposed that the enemy’s
boats, which were constantly attempting to “run the block-
ade,” had been driven back, as usual, but in a few minutes
were taken completely by surprise when a small gunboat
made its appearance in front of us and discovering our line
drawn up on the bank of the river, greeted us with a sueces-
sion of broad sides with grape and canister, until we ‘“double-
quicked” across the open ground and found. cover behind a
swamp. The garrison now being relieved by an ample sup-

FrrtietH REGIMENT. 173

ply of rations and ammunition, as well as reinforcement of
fresh troops, the siege of Washington, which had lasted for
sixteen days, was raised, and on the 16th our troops retired to
Greenville.

The Federal commander, General Foster, in his official
report, states that the “Escort,” which succeeded in running
the gauntlet of our batteries, was struck forty times by the
guns at Hill’s and Rodman’s points, and that the pilot was
killed by a rifle shot.

On 1 May the brigade was ordered to Kinston, and on the
%th moved down near Core ereek, on the Atlantic & North
Carolina Railroad, and tore up several miles of the railroad
track. Together with Colonel Nethercutt’s Battalion, we
made repeated incursions into the enemy’s territory around
New Bern, capturing a number of their pickets and scouts.

On 17 June the brigade was again ordered to Virginia,
and we reached the depot about midnight ; but before we were
all aboard our train an order was received for the Fiftieth
to return to their camp, and thus for the second time we were
separated from our brigade, which we never rejoined.

On 21 June we were ordered to Greenville and attached to
Martin’s Brigade. We were engaged in constructing forti-
fications around the town and occasionally raiding the en-
emy’s territory around Washington until 3 July, when we
returned to Kinston.

POTTER'S RAID.

On 19 July, 1863, we received orders to intercept General
Potter, who was raiding the eastern counties from New Bern
to Rocky Mount. This expedition, composed chiefly of the
Third New York Cavalry and “North Carolina Union
Troops,” mostly negroes, left New Bern on 18 July and
reached Street’s Ferry on their return 22 July. They burned
the bridges at Greenville, Tarboro, Rocky Mount; also the
railroad bridge and trestle at this place, the Battle cotton
factory, machine shops, engines and cars, store-houses, flour
mills, a Confederate iron-clad gunboat, with two other steam-
boats, all provisions they could find, and eight hundred bales
of cotton. Some of the above might be excused as being