A DIVERSION IN THE REAR OF NORFOLK. opened a brisk musketry fire, and about the same time the 9th New York also coming in range, and being too eager to engage, unfortunately charged upon the enemy's artillery. It was a most gallant charge, but they were exposed to a most deadly fire of grape and musketry, and were forced to retire, but rallied immediately upon the 89th New York. I then ordered both regiments to form a junction with the 21st Massachusetts. In the meantime the 51st Pennsylvania and 21st Massachusetts kept up an incessant fire upon the rebels, who now had withdrawn their artillery, and had commenced to retreat in good order. The 6th New Hampshire had steadily advanced in line to the left of the road, and when within about 200 yards poured in a most deadly volley, which completely demoralized the enemy and ended the battle. Our men were so completely fagged out by the intense heat and their long march that we could not pursue them. "The men rested under arms in line of battle, until about ten o'clock, P. M., when I ordered a return to our boats, having accomplished the principal object of the expedition,. conveying the idea that the entire Burnside expedition was marching upon Norfolk. Owing to a want of transportation I was compelled to leave some sixteen of our most severely wounded men. Assistant Surgeon Warren was left with the men. I sent a flag of truce the next day to ask that they might be returned to us. Commander Rowan kindly volunteered to attend to it. We took only a few prisoners, some ten or fifteen. Most of them belonged to the 3d Georgia regiment. The 9th New York suffered most severely, owing to their premature charge. ** The return march was made in perfect order, and few, if any, stragglers were left behind. Considering that during the advance the weather was intensely hot, and that on the return a severe rain rendered the roads very muddy, and 403 that a portion of the command had to march forty-five miles, and the others thirty-five, and fight a battle in the meantime, and that all this was accomplished in less than twenty-four hours, I think that the commanding general has every reason to be satisfied with his command. Brigadier-General Albert Blanchard, the Confederate commander, promptly acceded to the request to parole the wounded, and their surgeon who had been left with them."* The Union loss in this affair was 14 killed, 96 wounded, and 2 taken prisoners. That of the enemy was not ascertained. The chaplain of the New York regiment left in charge of the wounded, reported having seen on the field thirty killed, besides several wounded, the main body of the wounded having been taken from the field when the enemy retreated. General Burnside, in a congratulatory order expressed his satisfaction in the courage and endurance shown by the troops in carrying out his directions and ordered that the regiments engaged in the affair inscribe upon their respective colers, "Camden, April 18," a day, he remarked, "already memorable in the history of our country." It was the day of Lexington, 1775, and of Baltimore, 1861. A few days after, on the 23d, a naval expedition under Lieutenant Flosser was sent to the Dismal Swamp canal, when the entrance was obstructed by sinking a schooner, and placing other impediments in the way. There was another engagement on the 6th of June in the vicinity of Washington, when the 24th Massachusetts, stationed there, sustained a sharp conflict with the enemy, with the loss of seven killed and eleven wounded. July General Burnside was called, with a considerable portion of his force, to Newport News, to the aid of the Army of the Potomac. In *Brigadier-General J. L. Reno to Capt. Lewis Richard, A. A. G. Newbern, N. C., April 22, 1862. + General Burnside to Secretary Stanton. Newbern, April 29, 1862 A permanent foothold having been to the arms of General Burnside and his gained at various important points in divisions, here was an old friend who North Carolina, and numerous represen- would receive the oath of allegiance, and tations having from time to time been smooth the way in the most agreeable made, as we have recorded in the demon- manner possible, to the return of the strations on Hatteras island, of the Union people to the beneficent government of feeling of at least a portion of the inhab- the United States. Unfortunately, the itants, the administration at Washington, minds of the people were so perverted; with a view of conciliation, determined they were so much under the influence to supplement the authority of General or control of the rebel authorities at Burnside, by the appointment of a so- Richmond; or they were so uncertain of called military governor, with powers the events of the war, that little or nosimilar to those conferred on Andrew thing was to be done outside of the limJohnson in Tennessee. The Honorable ited area occupied by the United States Edward Stanley, who was selected for forces. The commander-in-chief, in fact, this appointment, belonged to an old and was the inevitable and only genuine milhonored family in North Carolina, and itary governor of North Carolina. Govhad gained considerable distinction as a ernor Stanley could add nothing to the Whig representative from the State in territory subjected to the Union. In Congress, during the administration of vain, in an address on the 17th of June, President Van Buren. He had, for at Washington, when the citizens of the some years past, pursued his profession neighboring counties were freely admitof the law in California, where he re- ted within the Union lines to the assemceived the commission calling him once bly, he called upon the people of the more to his native State. On his arrival State to return to their allegiance, and at Washington in May, 1862, he received warned them of the danger of persisting his instructions from the War Department in the rebellion. They either could not, and at the close of the month made his or would not, contend against the usurappearance in his new character at New-pation of Jefferson Davis. A conference bern. "It is obvious to you," wrote Secretary Stanton in a letter of instructions, "that the great purpose of your appointment is to reëstablish the authority of the national government in the State of North Carolina, and to provide the means of maintaining peace and security to the loyal inhabitants of that State, until they shall be able to establish a civil government. Upon your wisdom and energetic action much will depend in accomplishing that result. It is not deemed necessary to give any specific instructions, but rather to confide in your sound discretion to adopt such measures as circumstances may demand." The mission, in fact, was a conciliatory expedient, and depended for its force altogether upon the loyal disposition of the inhabitants. If there were any whose pride would be wounded by submission proposed by Governor Stanley to Governor Vance, who was thought not to be on the best of terms with the Confederate government, met with as little success, the rebel governor declining the interview. There was some excitement at Newbern immediately upon Governor Stanley's arrival, in reference to the treatment of the negro population.. Entertaining the hope of freedom, they had welcomed the Union army and rendered it many important services. Placed in a dependent position, they were necessarily cared for by the military authorities. It happened opportunely that there was present with the army a gentleman peculiarly suited to attend to their welfare. This was Mr. Vincent Colyer, an estimable artist of New York, who had been induced by his philanthropy to proceed to PHILANTHROPY IN NORTH CAROLINA. 405 Washington at an early period of the The governor evidently looked to the war, as an unpaid, voluntary agent to restoration of the negroes to a state of the army, by the Young Men's Christian slavery, and indeed occupied himself in Association. There he had ministered in authorizing various owners to reclaim camps and in hospitals to the physical this species of human property. Mr. and moral wants of the soldiers; and Colyer, fully appreciating the powers of thence, after the battle of Roanoke island, a military governor, and wishing to do he was sent to North Carolina, amply nothing in conflict with the laws, without provided, by the bounty of the Northern waiting for an order to suppress the cities, to relieve the necessities of the schools, voluntarily closed them, and sick and wounded in that region. Gen- taking a pathetic farewell of his pupils eral Burnside was not the man to suffer left for the north. The course of Gova Christian philanthropist, the represent-ernor Stanley excited much comment, and ative of the benevolence of thousands, his conduct was severely commented upto perform his work of mercy in his army on in those journals which saw in slavery unnoticed. He appreciated those ser- the main source and vitality of the revices most bountifully exhibited on the bellion, and were eagerly waiting the battle field of Newbern, and when the slow, reluctant hand of the government city was occupied, and a superintendent in dealing it a deadly wound. When a of the poor was needed to attend to the simple, religious act of kindness to the absolute necessities of a population sud- slave was interrupted by an officer of the denly deprived of their usual means of government they rigidly held that govsubsistence, General Burnside appointed ernment to account. Mr. Colyer was callMr. Colyer to the office. In this capa-ed upon to address various public meetcity, beside the care of the "contra-ings on the subject in New York and elsebands," he supplied rations to the indi- where, and was admitted to an interview gent white population, numbers of whom at Washington with President Lincoln, belonged to families whose fathers and who listened with interest to his recital, sons were in the rebel army. Some four remarking that, as he had no power to hundred white families, numbering 1,800 interfere with the instruction of negroes persons, were thus provided for. 7,500 in North Carolina, it could hardly be decolored people were in one way or rived from him by a delegated governor. another under Mr. Colyer's supervision. Mr. Colyer, in fact, fortified by a vigorThey furnished 1,500 able-bodied labor- ous expression of public opinion, was left ers, who were employed on the fortifica- at liberty to reopen his schools. Much tions, in service about the transports, feeling, however, had been excited on and other useful occupations.* the subject; Governor Stanley had been In addition, with the aid of several roughly handled by the press, and there well-disposed officers of the army, he was some soreness in consequence; the opened elementary schools for both mischief had been done at Newbern, and white and black, where reading and it was thought the part of courtesy to writing were taught, and sound religious yield for a time, and not endanger the instruction was given. Governor Stan-peaceful interests of religion and learning ley, on his arrival, witnessed these proceedings, and expressed to Mr. Colyer a doubt of the propriety of teaching negroes to read and write, when it was forbidden by the laws of North Carolina. * Report of the Christian Mission to the United States army, by Vincent Colyer. by exposing them unnecessarily to strife and contention. If the step had been in the right direction, it would not be permanently arrested; and, indeed, in less than a year, when the government, in the progress of the war, had been compelled to exert its authority in behalf of In A permanent foothold having been to the arms of General Burnside and his gained at various important points in divisions, here was an old friend who North Carolina, and numerous represen- would receive the oath of allegiance, and tations having from time to time been smooth the way in the most agreeable made, as we have recorded in the demon- manner possible, to the return of the strations on Hatteras island, of the Union people to the beneficent government of feeling of at least a portion of the inhab- the United States. Unfortunately, the itants, the administration at Washington, minds of the people were so perverted; with a view of conciliation, determined they were so much under the influence to supplement the authority of General or control of the rebel authorities at Burnside, by the appointment of a so- Richmond; or they were so uncertain of called military governor, with powers the events of the war, that little or nosimilar to those conferred on Andrew thing was to be done outside of the limJohnson in Tennessee. The Honorable ited area occupied by the United States Edward Stanley, who was selected for forces. The commander-in-chief, in fact, this appointment, belonged to an old and was the inevitable and only genuine milhonored family in North Carolina, and itary governor of North Carolina. Govhad gained considerable distinction as a ernor Stanley could add nothing to the Whig representative from the State in territory subjected to the Union. Congress, during the administration of vain, in an address on the 17th of June, President Van Buren. He had, for at Washington, when the citizens of the some years past, pursued his profession neighboring counties were freely admitof the law in California, where he re- ted within the Union lines to the assemceived the commission calling him once bly, he called upon the people of the more to his native State. On his arrival State to return to their allegiance, and at Washington in May, 1862, he received warned them of the danger of persisting his instructions from the War Department in the rebellion. They either could not, and at the close of the month made his or would not, contend against the usurappearance in his new character at New-pation of Jefferson Davis. A conference bern. "It is obvious to you," wrote Secretary Stanton in a letter of instructions, "that the great purpose of your appointment is to reestablish the authority of the national government in the State of North Carolina, and to provide the means of maintaining peace and security to the loyal inhabitants of that State, until they shall be able to establish a civil government. Upon your wisdom and energetic action much will depend in accomplishing that result. It is not deemed necessary to give any specific instructions, but rather to confide in your sound discretion to adopt such measures as circumstances may demand." The mission, in fact, was a conciliatory expedient, and depended for its force altogether upon the loyal disposition of the inhabitants. If there were any whose pride would be wounded by submission proposed by Governor Stanley to Governor Vance, who was thought not to be on the best of terms with the Confederate government, met with as little success, the rebel governor declining the interview. There was some excitement at Newbern immediately upon Governor Stanley's arrival, in reference to the treatment of the negro population.. Entertaining the hope of freedom, they had welcomed the Union army and rendered it many important services. Placed in a dependent position, they were necessarily cared for by the military authorities. It happened opportunely that there was present with the army a gentleman peculiarly suited to attend to their welfare. This was Mr. Vincent Colyer, an estimable artist of New York, who had been induced by his philanthropy to proceed to |