"Capture of New Bern, North Carolina" Topic

"March 14, 1862

Union forces captured New Bern, North Carolina, on March 14, 1862. New Bern is located in the eastern part of the state, some 87 miles northeast of Wilmington on the Neuse River. Following the Union capture of Roanoke Island, North Carolina, in February 1862, Confederates in New Bern braced for a Union attack. Brigadier General Lawrence O'Bryan Branch had command of 4,000 largely untested troops, who occupied a defensive line about 6 miles south of New Bern on the Neuse. Fort Thompson, mounting 13 guns, anchored the left of the Confederate line on the Neuse River.

Confederate engineers believed an attack on New Bern would come by water, so 10 of the fort's guns faced the river, while only 3 covered the land approaches. From Fort Thompson, a line of entrenchments stretched westward for about a mile to the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad line. Because of a shortage of manpower, rather than continue these fortifications across the railroad tracks toward Brice's Creek, Branch positioned his troops on the right of his line, 150 yards behind an arm of Brice's Creek. This placement led to a gap of 150 yards in the Confederate line along the railroad at Wood's Brickyard…"
Full text with video here
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Armand

Right up the road from our home-the next city over. Fort Macon is interesting also and they built a new, excellent visitor's center at the Fort.

One advantage to ACW wargaming is the number of interesting actions that involved fewer than 20,000 men.

My Covid disrupted travel plans for 2020 included a trip to Kinston, New Bern and Fort Macon.

I have done all three of these several times this year visiting my mom in Swansboro. I had my promotion ceremony to Captain USN in the parade ground at Fort Macon administered by my wheelchair bound dad a few years back when he could not travel.

The history is easily accessible in that area with Fort Macon, Fort Fisher further south, and the CSS Neuse state historic site and the full scale replica in downtown Kinston.

If you go a little further north you can see a scale replica of the CSS Albemarle moored in Plymouth
(https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/23017#:~:text=long%20replica%20of%20the%20CSS,plates%20that%20covered%20the%20boat) and visit the nearby well preserved river Fort Branch with her original cannons (http://www.fortbranchcivilwarsite.com/history-css_ram_albemarle.aspx).

My family wore gray serving in local cavalry and artillery units in the area.

Thanks!.

Armand