enemy appeared in force on all sides of the town. On the south side of the Trent Colonel Amory, of the Seventeenth Massachusetts Volunteers, had been placed in command. Three brigades, with Baker's cavalry, with a few pieces of artillery, all commanded by General Barton, appeared at Brice's Creek in front of Colonel Amory, and commenced the attack there. This force had crossed the Trent River a few miles from Trenton on pontoon bridges. They were opened upon by a field battery of the Third York Light Artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Thomas. After a sharp firing, which lasted but a short time, the enemy retired as we supposed to attack at some other point, but they did not make their appearance again. As soon as the enemy appeared in front of the line between the Neuse and the Trent, they were opened upon by the guns from Fort Totten, and the cavalry under Colonel Savage, of the Twelfth New York Cavalry, with two mountain howitzers, remained in front of the line, and not only kept the enemy in check, but by the firing of the howitzers made us acquainted with the precise locality of the advancing column through the woods. The sum went down without any attempt to assault the lines. On the east side of the Neuse Colonel Anderson, commanding Forts Anderson and Chase, was closely watched by three regiments of infantry, four pieces of artillery, and a regiment of cavalry, all under the command of Colonel Dearing. No attack, however, was made there. After dark the rebel bands surrounded us, and not to be outdone in politeness the band from Fort Totten gave some patriotic airs from the top of the traverse.

At about 3 o'clock in the morning of the 2nd, a force consisting of about 250 men of the rebel navy, commanded by Captain John Taylor Wood, and in about fifteen small boats, surprised, captured, and burned the U. S. gun-boats Underwriter, lying in the Neuse River. The greater part of the crew of this vessel escaped, but the officers were all captured; 6 of the attacking party fell into our hands. As soon as it was known that the boat was attacked the rifled gun from Fort Stevenson was brought to bear upon her, and the firing from that gun made it impossible for the captors to get the steamer away and she was fired. (Since writing this I have learned that Captain Westervelt, of the Underwriter, was not carried away. If this be so, he was either drowned or killed and burned up on the steamer.)

At midnight the enemy commenced to retire, and at 3 a. m. of the 2nd, when I rode along the lines, all was quiet. At daylight some hundred deserters, who had concealed themselves when the retreat commenced, came to our pickets and gave themselves up. The retreating army was closely watched on the road leading to Kinston direct and via Trenton. During the attack on this place the enemy were busy on the railroad between this place and Morehead City. General J. G. Martin, with about 4,000 men of all arms of the service, was threatening Morehead City and the posts on the railroad. Colonel Jourdan, commanding the Sub-district of Beaufort, was vigilant and energetic, but his force was too small to enable him to compete with the enemy successfully. The small forces at Gales' Creek and the Bogue Sound block-house were soon driven in and the enemy was soon in front of Newport, garrisoned by a regiment of infantry and a company of the Second Massachusetts Heavy Artillery and two companies of cavalry. The report of the operations there are given in the report of Colonel Jourdan, inclosed herewith.

The post of Newport was captured, but our forces retired, leaving but little for the enemy. The other posts nearer to this place I then