look after them. While in Fort Thompson (two and a half minutes) five shots struck the upper portion of the right flank of the works and two shells fell within the works, without effect. The guns were all spiked, by the enemy pressed so closely that there was not time to blow up the magazine, being within about 30 or 40 yards when we had spiked the guns. I then went to the other batteries and had the guns dismounted and the magazines blown up.

In blowing up the magazine at Fort Ellis, Captain Mayo was seriously (I fear dangerously) wounded, and one other man. All the men of the left wing were saved, and retreated over to New Berne in tolerable order. One man of Colonel Sloan's Twenty-seventh Regiment was killed.

When I crossed over to New Berne I found some of the regiments had passed beyond, and I was thus prevented from carrying out your order to form in the upper part of the town. As I advanced up the Trent road to Kinston I overtook Colonel Sinclair's regiment, and a foolish report having got afloat that the enemy had landed cavalry, which were in pursuit, I requested and obtained from Colonel Sinclair a rear guard, which I formed, and we then moved on to the railroad crossing, where it was merged with the regiment, and proceeded up to Tuscarora.

Lieutenant C. H. Brown, of Captain Latham's battery, was on several occasions on the left wing, and acted with great coolness; indeed, almost with foolhardiness. Lieutenant Nicholson, my adjutant, and Mr. Noble, who was acting as my aide, also displayed coolness; but no occasion for gallantry presented itself to any one in the left wing.

I am, general, respectfully,

CHARLES C. LEE,

Colonel 37th Regiment North Carolina Troops, Commanding Left Wing.

No. 29. Report of Lieutenant Colonel William M. Barbour, Thirty-seventh North Carolina Infantry.

---, -- -, 1862.

I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Thirty-seventh Regiment in the recent engagement near New Berne:

Pursuant to orders from Brigadier-General Branch I moved with my command at 3 o'clock Thursday morning and occupied that portion of our line on the left of the old Beaufort road. During the day shells were thrown frequently from the enemy's gunboats at our position without any damage to us.

On Friday morning about daylight the enemy appeared in full force in front of our lines, partially concealed by the woods, and immediately opened a heavy fire of artillery and musketry upon us. The fire was promptly returned by Captain Latham's battery, stationed in and near the Beaufort road, with great effect. Immediately the enemy attempted a flank movement on our left, for the purpose of storming Fort Thompson. This movement was at once defeated by a destructive fire from the land batteries of Fort Thompson. During the remaining portion of the action the enemy kept up an incessant fire on the position occupied by my command.