ting's troops across Federal Point, on a line from CHAP. III. Myrtle Sound to Cape Fear River, and beyond the river a heavy earthwork called Fort Anderson guarded the right bank. Cox and Ames marched against this position on the 17th, by the right bank of the stream; Terry moved up the left bank, a strong force of gunboats between them; Schofield kept his headquarters on a steamboat. The fort was attacked by the fleet at long range; and two of Cox's brigades demonstrated against it, while the rest of his force made a detour to the west to come in upon its rear. Thus threatened from every side the Confederate garrison evacuated the place, Feb. 19,1865. abandoning ten pieces of heavy ordnance and retreating to Town Creek, half way to Wilmington, halted in a strong position well covered by swamps.

Ames, with his division, went back to the left bank, where Hoke's principal force was opposing Terry. Cox cleverly turned the Confederate position at Town Creek, and, coming in upon their rear, dislodged and routed them, capturing two guns and nearly four hundred prisoners; the rest of them made their escape to Wilmington. Cox pushed on with great energy the next day and came opposite to the city, which was shrouded in smoke, and gave other signs of evacuation. Terry had been stoutly resisted by Hoke - who was covering his purpose of retreat by this judicious action- and Schofield had ordered Cox to cross the river and join the army on the left bank; but Cox, seeing that Wilmington was in extremity, took the responsibility of disobeying his orders and explaining the situation to Schofield. His conduct was approved, and at daybreak on the 22d of February Schofield cele

1865.

CHAP. III. brated the birthday of Washington by an unopposed Schofield, entry into Wilmington.

Report. "Rebellion Record."

Vol. XI.,

p. 383.

Cox, "The March to the Sea,"

The next thing to be done was to gain possession of Goldsboro', the point designated for the junction with Sherman. It was decided that New Berne afforded a better base for that movement, as well as for Sherman's subsequent operations, than Wilmington. Cox was therefore sent to New Berne to prepare it for that purpose, and to set on foot the necessary repairs to the railway between New Berne and Goldsboro'. In the prosecution of this work he advanced to the neighborhood of Kinston, on the Neuse River, about half way to Goldsboro', where, on the morning of the 8th of March, he was attacked with great spirit by the Confederate forces, under General Bragg, consisting of Hoke's command and some of the débris of Hood's army. One of Cox's regiments, in advance of his main line, was routed and captured. The ease with which this success was achieved was most encouraging to Bragg, who came up energetically against Cox's force in position, but was easily repulsed. The attack was renewed the next day with unabated courage, and although the Confederates were again repulsed, General Schofield, who had arrived on the field, sent urgent orders to Couch to hasten his march across country from Wilmington. Before he arrived, Bragg had retired through Goldsboro' to concentrate with the rest of Johnston's force, who were preparing to resist Sherman's northward march. Schofield occupied Kinston March, 1865. on the 14th, bridged the Neuse, and opened up communication with New Berne by river. Terry, marching directly upon Goldsboro' from Wilming

p. 159.

1865.

ton, secured the crossing of the Neuse south of that CHAP. III. city, which Schofield occupied on the 21st of March, and made ready for the reception of Sherman; who, on the 23d, here completed his march through the Carolinas.

CHAPTER IV

THE THIRTEENTH AMENDMENT

CHAP. IV.

WE

E have enumerated with some detail the series of radical antislavery measures enacted at the second session of the Thirty-seventh Congress, which ended July 17, 1862- the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia; the prohibition of slavery in the National Territories; the practical repeal of the fugitive-slave law; and the sweeping measures of confiscation which in different forms decreed forfeiture of slave property for the crimes of treason and rebellion. When this wholesale legislation was supplemented by the President's preliminary Emancipation Proclamation of September 22, 1862, and his final Edict of Freedom of January 1, 1863, the institution had clearly received its coup de grâce in all except the loyal border States. Consequently the third session of the Thirty-seventh Congress, ending March 4, 1863, occupied itself with this phase of the slavery question only to the extent of an effort to put into operation the President's plan of compensated abolishment. That effort took practical shape in a bill to give the State of Missouri fifteen millions on condition that she would emancipate her slaves; but the proposition failed, largely through the op

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