90 Norro Carona Troops, 1861-65.

which engaged and drove away the skirmishers which General
Foster had thrown out to cover his retreat.

Such, on 6 December, 1862, was the engagement at White
Hall between the Confederate and Federal forces.

An examination of the field next day resulted in the dis-
covery of one hundred and twenty-six of the Federal dead,
and nineteen horses left on the field. It is not probable that
this was the sum of the killed, but only comprehended those
whom it was inexpedient to remove under a galling fire.

The exact object of General Foster in this engagement is
doubtful. It seems nevertheless, as a pontoon train accom-
panied him that it was his design to cross the Neuse at White
Hall, and advance from that point on Goldsboro. It is
hardly to be supposed that, in order to overcome an unlooked
for resistance only, he should have sacrificed a day’s time,
and subjected himself to a loss of probably a thousand men
in killed and wounded, with a vast expenditure of ammuni-
tion.

The writer deeply regrets that General Robertson’s report
of this engagement,* which resulted so honorably to North
Carolina soldiers, fighting on their native soil, as well as the
general orders of Major-General G. W. Smith and Major-
General S. G. French, which were in his possession until
lately, have been destroyed by fire, The section of artillery
gave excellent aid in this fight. One of the.two small guns
was dismounted early in the fight, and the gunners killed;
but despite this discouragement the remaining howitzer was
fought to the last against the thirty opposing guns of large
calibre, and made havoc amongst the enemy, particularly his
horses, which were found lying thick around those batteries
which received the special attention of this gallant subaltern.

The Confederate loss was slight in the engagement at

*The report of General B. H. Robertson will be found in 26 (Serial
Number) Off. Ree. Union & Confed. Armies 121. General Smith’s at p.
109. General Evans’ at p. 112, and the Federal General Foster’s at p. 54,
all in same volume. They cover the entire operations from Kinston to
Goldsboro and contain interesting information upon an important cam-
paign on our soil. The casualties on each side are given. U. 8. 92 killed,
487 wounded, 12 missing. C. S. 71 killed, 268 wounded, 400 missing,
though the Federal reports state they paroled 496.—Ep.

 

BaTTLe oF WHITE HALL. 91

White Hall (10 killed and 42 wounded), including few men
killed and wounded in the force present, but not actually
engaged. Of those engaged the writer believes that two men
were killed in the command of the Lieutenant of artillery
when his gun was dismounted, and that the casualties in the
Eleventh North Carolina were seven men killed and forty
wounded. The total number of Confederate soldiers pres-

ent was fifteen hundred.
: Srrepnen D. Poot.

Rauzien, N. C.,
16 December, 1874.