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- Nov 27, 2018
- Location
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
JOHN FOSTER
Series 1 Volume 18, November 12, 1862
New Bern to Washington (due north) is 30.75 miles cross-country
First Brigade of Colonel Amory with cavalry, artillery and wagons marched from A to B leaving on Oct. 31 (Friday), and arriving on Nov. 1 (Saturday). The Second (Colonel Stevenson) and Third (Colonel Lee) Brigades were taken by water transport and arrived before the First Brigade. Object was to explore the eastern counties of the State and capture three foraging regiments of the confederacy. First object was achieved, and the second object failed.
These forces amounting to 5000 men and 21 pieces of artillery left Washington on the Nov. 2 (Sunday), for Williamston (20.75 miles due north). That evening these forces encountered confederates invested in a strong position at a small creek, called Little Creek.
Washington is in Beaufort County, census of 1860 lists 1,599.
Williamston is situated on the Roanoke River. It's population for the 1860 census was 616. Supposed to be big on horses and agriculture. (Martin County Seat).
Hamilton, in Martin County, census of 1860 is 242. It is 10.8 miles from Williamston.
Fort Branch was built in 1862 to guard the Wilmington-Weldon Railroad. It carried 12 pieces of artillery (or eleven), commanded by Colonel John Hinton. It sat upon a bluff of 70 feet above the Roanoke River to await Union gunboats.
The site Battle of Fort Branch states 12 cannon were spiked and thrown into the river after Lee surrendered at Appomattox. It says two months later the Union Navy found 3 and raised them, while the others were never discovered.
In 1972 some salvers from Alabama brought up 3 more and a court dispute ensued where they were claimed as property to the State of North Carolina, returned and put on display.
It says the battle took place in July of 1862.
Captured once on Dec. 12, 1864 by troops under Colonel Jones Frankle, it was abandoned due to cold weather(?). (Wikipedia link below)
In Series 1 Volume 18 of the Official Records on page 21 is a report from Major General Foster. It is dated November 12, 1862, and states 3 brigades left New Bern on Oct. 31, 1862 and headed due north to Washington (30 miles), then Williamston (20 miles), and then onto Hamilton (10 miles) which is 3 miles due west of Fort Branch.
"On the following day we reached and occupied the fortifications at Rainbow Banks, 3 miles below Hamilton. Here we expected to find some iron-clad boats said to be in the process of construction at Hamilton, but discovered nothing of the kind."
On the 6th of November they continued pursuit of confederates toward Tarborough.
https://web.archive.org/web/20071221231754/http://www.coastalguide.com/packet/civilwarfortbranch.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Branch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton,_North_Carolina
These were some notes taken while trying to track movements of the Army in North Carolina. Discrepancies remain unanswered for the moment. There has been reenactments at this fort as late as November 2019. Can anyone fill in some of the blank spaces I leave questioned?
Thanks,
Lubliner.
Series 1 Volume 18, November 12, 1862
New Bern to Washington (due north) is 30.75 miles cross-country
First Brigade of Colonel Amory with cavalry, artillery and wagons marched from A to B leaving on Oct. 31 (Friday), and arriving on Nov. 1 (Saturday). The Second (Colonel Stevenson) and Third (Colonel Lee) Brigades were taken by water transport and arrived before the First Brigade. Object was to explore the eastern counties of the State and capture three foraging regiments of the confederacy. First object was achieved, and the second object failed.
These forces amounting to 5000 men and 21 pieces of artillery left Washington on the Nov. 2 (Sunday), for Williamston (20.75 miles due north). That evening these forces encountered confederates invested in a strong position at a small creek, called Little Creek.
Washington is in Beaufort County, census of 1860 lists 1,599.
Williamston is situated on the Roanoke River. It's population for the 1860 census was 616. Supposed to be big on horses and agriculture. (Martin County Seat).
Hamilton, in Martin County, census of 1860 is 242. It is 10.8 miles from Williamston.
Fort Branch was built in 1862 to guard the Wilmington-Weldon Railroad. It carried 12 pieces of artillery (or eleven), commanded by Colonel John Hinton. It sat upon a bluff of 70 feet above the Roanoke River to await Union gunboats.
The site Battle of Fort Branch states 12 cannon were spiked and thrown into the river after Lee surrendered at Appomattox. It says two months later the Union Navy found 3 and raised them, while the others were never discovered.
In 1972 some salvers from Alabama brought up 3 more and a court dispute ensued where they were claimed as property to the State of North Carolina, returned and put on display.
It says the battle took place in July of 1862.
Captured once on Dec. 12, 1864 by troops under Colonel Jones Frankle, it was abandoned due to cold weather(?). (Wikipedia link below)
In Series 1 Volume 18 of the Official Records on page 21 is a report from Major General Foster. It is dated November 12, 1862, and states 3 brigades left New Bern on Oct. 31, 1862 and headed due north to Washington (30 miles), then Williamston (20 miles), and then onto Hamilton (10 miles) which is 3 miles due west of Fort Branch.
"On the following day we reached and occupied the fortifications at Rainbow Banks, 3 miles below Hamilton. Here we expected to find some iron-clad boats said to be in the process of construction at Hamilton, but discovered nothing of the kind."
On the 6th of November they continued pursuit of confederates toward Tarborough.
https://web.archive.org/web/20071221231754/http://www.coastalguide.com/packet/civilwarfortbranch.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Branch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton,_North_Carolina
These were some notes taken while trying to track movements of the Army in North Carolina. Discrepancies remain unanswered for the moment. There has been reenactments at this fort as late as November 2019. Can anyone fill in some of the blank spaces I leave questioned?
Thanks,
Lubliner.
Bringing the