February 11, 1864: The World

Transcript:

New-York: Thursday, February 11, 1864

Review of the Week

The War

In North Carolina the most important operations of the week have taken place. On Thursday last information was received that the rebel General Pickett, at the head of 15,000 men, had marched against Newbern, N.C., had arrived in our outposts, capturing one section of a battery, and was about to besiege the place. On the night of the 1^st, the rebels captured, by surprise, the gunboat Underwriter, by a portion of her crew. Finding it impossible to get the boat away in safety, the captors destroyed her. The suspense in which the public had been kept for some days, was finally relieved by the news that the rebels had withdrawn from Newbern, and retired on Kinston, North Carolina. They doubtless found the fortifications at the former place, too strong to be carried in assault, and they had no time for a regular siege. Our forces at Newbern at the time of the investment did not exceed 3,000, but every able-bodied citizen was armed and active preparations made for defense. Why such an important position should have been left in a condition so weak, is unaccountable; it is a fact, however, that the force once occupying the place had been withdrawn, little by little, by that eminent soldier, General B.F. Butler to be employed in useless and unprofitable expeditions and movements elsewhere. The enemy were, at last accounts, at Kinston.

Citation: The World (New York). New York, 11 February 1864. Gift of Steven and Susan Raab. AN .W927