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486 Nortu Carorina TRoops, 1861-65.

seldom permitted to show their heads above the ground =
the parallels they were digging. It was a veritable targe
practice between sharpshooters every day, and any Pneres
careless exposure on either side meant work for the ambu-
orps.
sey Island having been abandoned, the brigade was as-
signed to duty on Sullivan’s Island, where it remained nia
ployed in strengthening its fortifications until 30 —
1863, when it was ordered, first to Kinston, N. C., and t .
to Petersburg, Va., where it arrived about 14 December, an
established its camp about two miles from the city, et nee
vond what afterwards became celebrated as “Hare’s Hill
Fort Stedman).

ae January, ae Captain Wm. H. S. Burgwyn, Com-
pany H, Thirty-fifth Regiment, Ransom’s Brigade, was an
signed to duty as Assistant Adjutant-General on Clingman’s
staff.

EXPEDITION TO CAPTURE NEW BERN.

On 29 January, 1864, the brigade left its confortable
winter quarters at Petersburg to unite. in the ig aR
under Major-General George E. Pickett, commanding : 6
department, to capture New Bern, N. C. ae troops “if
tailed for this work consisted of Corse’s, Hoke s, Ransom’s,
Barton’s, and Clingman’s Brigades, with artillery and me
alry. Disembarking from the cars at Kinston, the brigade
under forced marches, proceeded in the direction of New
Bern and bivouacked on the night of 31 January Rene i
enemy’s pickets guarding the crossing over Bachelor’s creek,
about ten miles from New Bern. Before daybreak next
morning the brigade resumed its march, and while halted in
the road awaiting the forcing of the passage over the ere
across the creek, some two hundred yards distant, defende
by a block house strongly garrisoned, Colonel Shaw, ge
Eighth Regiment, who was sitting on his horse at the hea °
his regiment in company with General Clingman and his
staff, was hit in the head by a bullet fired from those contest-
ing the passage of the creck and instantly killed.

‘The death of Colonel Shaw was an irreparable loss to his

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Ciineman’s BRIGADE. 487

regiment. He was regarded by his brother officers with the
highest esteem, and as the one best qualified for promotion
to the command of the brigade, should a vacancy occur. To
perpetuate the memory of this gallant officer, Major-General
Whiting, then commanding the Department of the Cape
Fear, headquarters at Wilmington, on 9 March, 1864, issued
a General Order (No. 29) directing that “Hereafter the bat-
tery on Oak Island, between Caswell and Campbell, will be
known as ‘Battery Shaw,’ in honor of the late Colonel Henry
M. Shaw.”

The passage of the creek having been forced, the brigade
was put in advance and hurried in the direction of New Bern
to intercept the troops of the enemy stationed on the railroad
where it crossed the creek. We arrived at a double-quick at
the juncture of the road we were on and the railroad leading
to New Bern, just in time to see the train go by loaded with
soldiers with an iron-clad car attached to the rear on which
was mounted a heavy piece of ordnance which fired at us as
the train sped past. We intercepted and captured several
hundred of those retreating on foot down the railroad. The
same afternoon, the brigade was moved around to the right
and made a demonstration against the town and dispersed
a.cavalry command sent out to attack us.

On the night of our arrival before New Bern, Colonel
Wood, of President Davis’ staff, in command of some boats,
gallantly attacked a gun-boat (the Underwriter) in the Neuse,
boarded and burnt her right under the guns defending the
town.

While halted here in line of battle, the enemy’s artillery
opened on us, and a shell exploding near where General
Clingman was standing, he was hit by several shrapnel balls
and a piece of shell, but only bruised. The town now in-
vested, General Pickett, undecided whether to assault the
formidable works defending the place—part of his forces on
the opposite side of Trent river, who were to capture the line

of communications leading from New Bern to Morehead
City, and thus intercept the enemy’s retreat, not having suc-
ceeded—-ealled a council of war. Clingman’s voice was for
making a demand for unconditional surrender, and in default