Burnside's North Carolina Expedition

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Burnside's North Carolina Expedition (also known as the Burnside Expedition) was a series of engagements fought along the North Carolina Coast between February and June 1862. The expedition was part of

North Atlantic Blockading Squadron under Captain Louis M. Goldsborough
.

Expedition

General Ambrose Burnside. Photo by Mathew Brady

In August 1861, Major General

Ambrose E. Burnside
to lead the expedition.

Coast Division

deaths of Colonel J. W. Allen, Surgeon Waller and the Second Mate of the Ann E. Thompson, on January 15th, 1862, near Hatteras Inlet.
Second Day’s Action at Hatteras Inlet. Shelling Fort Hatteras

Being careful not to ask for reinforcements from McClellan's own

Flag Officer Louis M. Goldsborough at recently captured Hatteras Inlet where the two assembled their forces. Burnside's first objective was the Confederate fortifications on Roanoke Island guarding Albemarle Sound
.

District of Roanoke

Brigadier General Henry A. Wise commanded the District of Roanoke and had a mere 1,400 men and few artillery pieces to defend his district. Besides a lack of infantry and artillery, the Confederates also lacked a significant naval force. A group of 8 work boats were converted into gunboats commanded by William F. Lynch. Wise contemptuously referred to the boats as the "mosquito fleet". Wise pleaded with his superior, Benjamin Huger in Virginia to send reinforcements. Huger declined to give aid but eventually Wise's reserves and a battalion of the 2nd North Carolina from Norfolk bolstered the defenses.[3] The Union expedition was having problems of its own. Severe weather hampered progress so much at times it seemed as if the whole mission would have to be scrapped.[4] The expedition, accompanied by 63 navy vessels, finally arrived off the coast of Roanoke Island.[5]

Roanoke Island

Further information: Battle of Roanoke Island

By the time Burnside arrived, Roanoke Island was guarded by 3,000 Confederate troops under the command of Colonel Henry M. Shaw. District commander Henry Wise remained in overall command of the forces but was confined to his sickbed at Nag's Head. Burnside and Goldsborough defeated the Confederate force and took roughly 2,500 prisoners. A few days later, the Federal navy destroyed the remnants of the Confederate "Mosquito Fleet" which had escaped from Roanoke Island.

New Bern

Burnside then returned to Hatteras Inlet and was reinforced by more ships from the navy for his next objective, the railroad town of

breastworks straddling the Atlantic & North Carolina Railroad south of the town. Fort Thompson anchored the defenses along the Neuse River. Believing the main attack would come from the water, Branch's men faced most of Fort Thompson's guns toward the river.[6]

Burnside's main attack did not come from water. Instead he marched his three brigades up along the railroad and attacked New Bern from the south. After fighting along his breastworks, Branch's defeated Confederates fled into New Bern. Hundreds of troops continued on to the railroad depot in town and boarded an outbound train. Branch ordered the rest of his troops to fall back to Kinston to regroup.[7]

Fort Macon

Burnside's next objective after New Bern was the terminus of the

Ambrose Wright's Confederates near Camden at the Battle of South Mills
. Although the fighting was inconclusive, Reno abandoned the expedition. It was the first setback at the hands of the Confederates during Burnside's whole campaign. On April 26 Fort Macon surrendered.

End of the Expedition

By June 1862, Burnside had occupied Roanoke Island, New Bern, Morehead City, Beaufort and Washington, North Carolina. Colonel

IX Corps
.

Aftermath

Burnside left behind General Foster in command of 8,000 troops. Foster mounted an expedition against the railroad at Goldsborough, which he destroyed at the end of 1862. The fighting in North Carolina would then devolve into a series of raids and skirmishes. In 1864, the Confederates assumed the offensive in North Carolina, trying to recover some of the territory lost to Burnside's expedition. They

William T. Sherman
's armies in 1865.

Opposing forces

Union

Further information:
New Bern Union order of battle

Confederate

Further information:
New Bern Confederate order of battle

Battles

Forces Involved

Union

Before April 2, 1862
Coast Division – BG

Ambrose E. Burnside

North Atlantic Blockading Squadron – Flag Officer Louis M. Goldsborough

  • Naval Forces in Pamlico Sound — Commander
    Stephen C. Rowan

After April 2, 1862[9]
Coast Division – BG

Ambrose E. Burnside

North Atlantic Blockading Squadron – Flag Officer Louis M. Goldsborough

  • Naval Forces in Pamlico Sound — Commander
    Stephen C. Rowan

Confederate

Department of North Carolina
BG

Theophilus H. Holmes
(24 Mar 1862-17 July 1862)

  • District of Roanoke – BG Henry A. Wise (22 Jan 1862-9 Feb 1862); Col Henry M. Shaw (9 Feb 1862-18 Aug 1862)
  • District of Albemarle — BG Henry A. Wise (district abolished 23 Feb 1862)
  • District of Pamlico – BG
    Lawrence O. Branch

Notes

  1. ^ Battles and Leaders of the Civil War: The Opening Battles p.660
  2. ^ The Burnside Expedition
  3. ^ Chaitin p.21-22
  4. ^ Chaitin p.21-23
  5. ^ McPherson p.60
  6. ^ Chaitin p.35
  7. ^ Chaitin p.37
  8. ^ Chaitin p.38
  9. ^ Official Records

References

  • Burnside, Ambrose E., "The Burnside Expedition," Battles and leaders of the Civil War, Johnson, Robert Underwood, and Clarence Clough Buell, eds. New York:Century, 1887–1888; reprint, Castle, n.d.
  • Chaitin, Peter M., and the Editors of Time-Life Books, The Coastal War: Chesapeake Bay to Rio Grande, Time-Life Books, 1984
  • McPherson, James M., editor, "The Atlas of the Civil War", MacMillan, 1994

External links

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