649
FORTS ELLIS AND LANE IN THE DI8TANCE.
■ VMS'
BOMBARDMENT OF THE CONFEDERATE FORT THOMPSON DURING THE BATTLE OF NEW BERNE.
FROM A WAR-TIME SKETCH.
road and attack the enemy’s left; General Reno was to advance by the rail-road and attempt to turn the rebel right; while General Parke was to followon the country road as a reserve, or to operate in the center. The heads ofthe two advancing columns soon came within range, and a disposition of thetroops for a general engagement was immediately consummated. The 25thMassachusetts had the extreme right; second in line came the 24th Massa-chusetts , its left resting on the country road, which was occupied by theartillery commanded by Captain Dayton and Lieutenant McCook. The 27thMassachusetts , with its right resting on the country road, was joined on itsleft by the 23d Massachusetts , the whole parallel with the enemy’s works. Theartillery and right regiments opened the engagement before those on the leftof the road got into position. The 10th Connecticut Volunteers, arriving alittle after the others, was ordered to the left of the 23d. The action alongthe whole of General Foster’s front had now commenced in earnest. The27th Massachusetts soon exhausted its short supply of ammunition, and wasreplaced by the 11th Connecticut , which had been ordered by General Parketo assist in bringing up the guns.
Early in the morning General Reno , on the left, moved his brigade along therailroad in the following order: 21st Massachusetts, 51st New York, 9th NewJersey , and 51st Pennsylvania. The first encounter, about 8 o’clock, was witha large detachment of the enemy who were bringing a gun to bear on the rail-road. This move was checked by a well-maintained fire from the Unionskirmishers, and soon after the right wing of the 21st Massachusetts , under