The city of
Wilmington, North Carolina fell into Union hands in February 1865. Union Major General John M Schofield moved in
from the coast and joined his force with Major General William T Sherman at
Goldsboro, North Carolina where they would move against Confederate General Joseph
E Johnston’s army.
As the Union
troops advanced they encountered Confederate General Braxton Bragg who was
entrenched along the Southwest Creek near Kinston, North Carolina on March 7th
1865. Bragg’s position threatened a cross
road and the New Bern Goldsboro Railroad.
Bragg moved to the offensive and sent Confederate General Robert Hoke
into the Union left flank. On March 8th
1865 he crossed the creek about noon and slammed into the Union flank and rear
and captured about 1,500. After an active
advance by the Confederates the two sides settled into skirmishing for the next
couple of days.
Hoke again
tried to turn the Union left flank on March 10th 1865. The Union position had been strongly
fortified and they repulsed Hoke’s men within about an hour. Confederate General Daniel Harvey Hill then
made a moved on the Union center, but again they were repulsed by Union
artillery. At this point remaining
members of the Union XXII corps arrived from Tennessee, and finding himself
facing five Union divisions, Bragg had his men withdrawn.
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