Item No. 0253473

This 10-page letter was written on Christmas Day 1862 by Sergeant Herbert Merriam of the 44th Massachusetts Infantry. In it he writes about the Goldsboro Expedition of December 1862, including the fights at Kinston and White Hall. Also known as Foster’s Raid, the campaign was an attempt by Union forces at New Bern under General John G. Foster to sever the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad bridge spanning the Neuse River at Goldsboro. The move was also intended to prevent Confederates from reinforcing Robert E. Lee’s army at Fredericksburg, which was simultaneously being attacked by Foster’s old commander in North Carolina, General Ambrose Burnside.

Writing from New Bern, Merriam opens the letter expressing his thanks for the box of “luxuries from home” he had received. He then writes, “I heard it was reported in Boston that we were repulsed at Kinston. It was a mistake. We experienced quite the contrary. We took the place.” He then writes that the day before their march began:

the captain sent for me. I went to his tent and found the Adjt. who informed me that I was detailed for signal service and would not have to carry a musket, but would have a signal cartridge box, pistol, & cap box. My position in marching & action is by the Adjt. My duties are in case we meet a force in the night to signal them by means of rockets or countersign to ascertain whether they are friends or foes.

On December 11 Foster’s column marched westward out of their base at New Bern:

Mr. & Mrs. Stevenson have been down here visiting their sons, and on the morning of the 11th [December] 62 they stood by the side of the road on the borders of Newbern, where they could see the whole army train pass out of the city, a sight which would, I should think, be very interesting to a civilian.

He continues with a description of going into camp. “The first thing is to get rails off of fences for fires,” he writes. “The wood being pine mostly in this country, it burns very nicely.” The government rations of “hard bread and salt pork” they supplement with “sweet potatoes, pigs, and sometimes beef” foraged from the local area.

Merriam next gives an account of the regiment’s role in the December 14 Battle of Kinston, where Foster’s troops forced a crossing of the Neuse River at the bridge south of Kinston. The attack compelled the outnumbered Confederates to withdraw and attempt to destroy the bridge. Commanding a North Carolina battalion on the Confederate right flank, Colonel Peter Mallett would be wounded and captured in the fight. Merriam writes:

The taking of Kinston was really war. Seeing the dead and wounded did not shock me as much as I should suppose. I went to the rear of a house near the bridge which led to the town, where they were amputating men’s legs, Union & Secesh together. The most pitiable sight was a wounded Rebel Colonel in an ambulance. A rebel Lieutenant stood by the wagons. The rebel colonel was pale from loss of blood. He was a fine looking man, had a neat gray uniform on with bullion stripes. He made quite an impression on me. The rebels made quite a resistance to our entering the city, the 45th Reg. losing quite a number of men, and the 10th Conn. charged the enemy and lost 100 & over killed & wounded. We formed in line of battle and followed up the 45th through a swamp, but did not lose any men. Sergt. Howe of our mess got wounded in the finger slightly. When the 10th Conn. and other regiments charged, the enemy ran running across the bridge tying at the same time to burn it, but did not succeed. After getting our knapsacks, which we had thrown off, and some cannon firing, we crossed the bridge and entered the town, taking some cannon. & a little way out of the town we took six pieces of cannon all loaded. On entering the place we saw some quite pretty ladies. Quite a treat to us soldiers. We marched to the depot, fired a few guns into the outskirts of the place, and marched a short distance in that direction, but soon returned and encamped near the depot. This eve was very mild. We lit our fires, had foraged sweet potatoes, sugar, tobacco, & cigars. I took some chocolate this march and had a mug on this evening. The soldiers foraged considerably in the city. The secesh apples were particularly nice. In the evening when all was quiet, the 45th band struck up (they brought their musicians with them). You have no idea how nicely it sounded.

Having taken Kinston on the 14th, Foster’s infantry would advance west toward Goldsboro on the morning of the 15th, camping a few miles short of White Hall (today Seven Springs). On December 16 the Confederates again made a stand on the Neuse, causing Foster to deploy his troops for the attack. Merriam writes:

When our regiment arrived the enemy were posted on the opposite side of the Neuse River. The artillery were firing on them besides infantry. We soon took position behind a rail fence on this side the river and commenced firing. As we marched to take our position a shell came over our heads, and soon another struck two men in our right wing and killed them instantly. We lost on the field nine killed & thirteen wounded. Two of those wounded have since died. Quite a gap in the regiment.

The next morning, he writes, their supply of eatables “began to get short, and parties were sent out to forage. They collected quite a stock of provisions.” On they marched toward Goldsboro and the railroad:

We soon began to hear cannon again, but this time our regiment took no part in the fight, it being done mostly by artillery and cavalry. We arrived at a large open field, which looked to me more like a battlefield than anything I have seen. A very large tract of country covered with infantry, cavalry, and artillery, with smoke arising from the firing. Our object here was to burn a railroad bridge and tear up the railroad track. We succeeded, but the rebels opposed us. They made a very daring charge on one of our batteries, and were very much cut up by grape and canister.

With the railroad bridge destroyed and the tracks torn up, he writes, “the object of our expedition was accomplished, and we were going home.” After a countermarch and a scare where they were “afraid of being flanked,” the 44th returned to Kinston, “the bridge by this time being burnt by our troops.” In two more nights they were back in New Bern December 20.

Upon their return, Merriam writes, “we found our baggage removed to a schooner, from fear of the place being attached while we were away.” They would rest and refit for the next several days, topped off by a Christmas celebration that included “preserved turkey and kegs of pickles,” as well as “plum pudding, cold sauce, mince pies, nuts & raisins, & other varieties.” He closes the letter by signing his name.

The letter spans ten pages and was written on three separate letter sheets each measuring about 5” x 8”. Excellent condition with light toning. Creased at the original folds. Included is the original transmittal cover pre-printed with Merriam’s father’s Boston address.

At three points in the transcript below I have inserted [December] where Merriam wrote “Sept.” The events described are clearly from the Goldsboro Expedition, so I cannot explain why Merriam might have made this mistake, particularly when he referred to December correctly in other cases.

Christmas Day, Dec 25 / 1862

Dear Mother
I received the second box you sent with package and note from Lonia yesterday. Quite nice for Christmas, was it not? The Plattion Sea has been attached by Government, so we shall not get our other box for some time. You have no idea what pleasure it is to receive these luxuries from home. We look forward to them like children. Richardson & Mulliken received boxes at the same time, and the other sergeants are expecting them. It seemed really like Christmas. I have received three letters from Charles, & one from Wane this morning dated Dec 16th / 64.

I heard it was reported in Boston that we were repulsed at Kinston. It was a mistake. We experienced quite the contrary. We took the place.

[December] 9th 62 we were ordered to be ready in 36 hours with overcoats, woolen & rubber blankets, with three days provisions. The next day was devoted to washing and packing up our things we were not to take. In the evening the captain sent for me. I went to his tent and found the Adjt. who informed me that I was detailed for signal service and would not have to carry a musket, but would have a signal cartridge box, pistol, & cap box. My position in marching & action is by the Adjt. My duties are in case we meet a force in the night to signal them by means of rockets or countersign to ascertain whether they are friends or foes.

Mr. & Mrs. Stevenson have been down here visiting their sons, and on the morning of the 11th [December] 62 they stood by the side of the road on the borders of Newbern, where they could see the whole army train pass out of the city, a sight which would, I should think, be very interesting to a civilian.

I stood the march this time very well. After marching & we go into camp & stack arms, get our equipments off, which eases us very much. The first thing is to get rails off of fences for fires. The wood being pine mostly in this country, it burns very nicely. We then proceed to get our coffee & sugar from little bags with which we are supplied, take water from our canteens, put them in our tin mugs, and after putting it on the fire soon have a mug of coffee. This with hard bread and salt pork. It what government furnishes us, but we often manage, or darkies do for us to forage sweet potatoes, pigs, and sometimes beef. We then lay down our rubber blankets and roll ourselves up in our woolen blankets with our feet to the fire & sleep until morning. We sometimes all sleep together. On our last trip we went very fortunate in having such pleasant weather, it not raining but a few drops while we were away.

The taking of Kinston was really war. Seeing the dead and wounded did not shock me as much as I should suppose. I went to the rear of a house near the bridge which led to the town, where they were amputating men’s legs, Union & Secesh together. The most pitiable sight was a wounded Rebel Colonel in an ambulance. A rebel Lieutenant stood by the wagons. The rebel colonel was pale from loss of blood. He was a fine looking man, had a neat gray uniform on with bullion stripes. He made quite an impression on me. The rebels made quite a resistance to our entering the city, the 45th Reg. losing quite a number of men, and the 10th Conn. charged the enemy and lost 100 & over killed & wounded. We formed in line of battle and followed up the 45th through a swamp, but did not lose any men. Sergt. Howe of our mess got wounded in the finger slightly. When the 10th Conn. and other regiments charged, the enemy ran running across the bridge tying at the same time to burn it, but did not succeed. After getting our knapsacks, which we had thrown off, and some cannon firing, we crossed the bridge and entered the town, taking some cannon. & a little way out of the town we took six pieces of cannon all loaded. On entering the place we saw some quite pretty ladies. Quite a treat to us soldiers. We marched to the depot, fired a few guns into the outskirts of the place, and marched a short distance in that direction, but soon returned and encamped near the depot. This eve was very mild. We lit our fires, had foraged sweet potatoes, sugar, tobacco, & cigars. I took some chocolate this march and had a mug on this evening. The soldiers foraged considerably in the city. The secesh apples were particularly nice. In the evening when all was quiet, the 45th band struck up (they brought their musicians with them). You have no idea how nicely it sounded.

The next morning we marched in the direction of Goldsboro, encamped. Started the next morning. Soon heard cannon firing. When our regiment arrived the enemy were posted on the opposite side of the Neuse River. The artillery were firing on them besides infantry. We soon took position behind a rail fence on this side the river and commenced firing. As we marched to take our position a shell came over our heads, and soon another struck two men in our right wing and killed them instantly. We lost on the field nine killed & thirteen wounded. Two of those wounded have since died. Quite a gap in the regiment. In the afternoon we marched again. At night encamped. That night our company were selected for picket duty. I did not go with them as I was detailed. I mess, however, with the sergeants when on the march. The next morning we started on the march again. Our provisions now began to get short, and parties were sent out to forage. They collected quite a stock of provisions. We soon began to hear cannon again, but this time our regiment took no part in the fight, it being done mostly by artillery and cavalry. We arrived at a large open field, which looked to me more like a battlefield than anything I have seen. A very large tract of country covered with infantry, cavalry, and artillery, with smoke arising from the firing. Our object here was to burn a railroad bridge and tear up the railroad track. We succeeded, but the rebels opposed us. They made a very daring charge on one of our batteries, and were very much cut up by grape and canister. We soon got the news that the object of our expedition was accomplished, and we were going home. The soldiers began to sing & were very happy at the idea. We began marching home when the news of the charge came. We were afraid of being flanked when we were ordered to countermarch. We took position in the woods, but we were soon ordered to march again, and marched to the camp we were in the night before. The next morning we marched again by way of Kinston. The bridge by this time being burnt by our troops. We made two night halts more before reaching Newbern.

The last day we had the privilege of encamping at night or marching into Newbern. Most of the regiment did the latter, [December] 20, 1862, marching from 28 to 30 miles. On arriving home, we found our baggage removed to a schooner, from fear of the place being attached while we were away. We found, however, a large mail, which compensated in a measure for other discomfortures. Since our return we have had no drills. Christmas being this week, we have had the whole week to clean and rest ourselves, giving us an excellent opportunity to write home. I spent quite a pleasant Christmas yesterday in our room 7 by 10, having about as good a dinner as we should at home. Haven & Co sent out to the camp any quantity of cans of preserved turkey and kegs of pickles. We had besides from our boxes plum pudding, cold sauce, mince pies, nuts & raisins, apples, & other varieties. We sergeants are so pleasantly situated together that we spend most of our time in our room together, writing very little.

I wish you would tell Wane in answer to his question that right flank captain is not necessarily the senior captain.
Yours Truly
Herbert Merriam