Then followed the brigade of Acting Brigadier-General Amory consisting
of four Massachusetts regiments.

Acting Brigadier-General Lee's brigade of Massachusetts regiments came
next, Colonel Stevenson's brigade, also of Massachusetts regiments,
brought up the rear with four regiments. Acting Brigadier-General
Ledlie, of the Third New York Artillery, had command of the artillery,
consisting of the Third New York Artillery and Belger's battery, First
Rhode Island Artillery. Colonel Mix's Third New York Cavalry,
Lieutenant-Colonel Mix in command, were employed as scouts on the
advance and on the sides of the line of march, and as provost-guards to
protect houses along the road.

On Friday night the column halted within eleven miles of Kinston, and
encamped in line of battle, no fires being allowed and all unusual
noises prohibited. The troops did not get into camp until 9 o'clock.
Skirmishing continued all day between cavalry of the rebels and Mix's
cavalry, in which we lost two men prisoners and one wounded. We captured
fifteen or sixteen of the rebel cavalry, and killed and wounded several.

On Saturday morning at 7 o'clock the line of march was resumed towards
Kinston at a slow pace, as the enemy were beginning to appear in some
force in front, to a point where the Whitehall, and main Kinston roads
unite, about seven miles from Kinston. This point was reached at about
11 o'clock on Saturday morning, and then it was that it was expected
that the rebels would offer battle, as it was a strong position. Our
troops were formed in line of battle in an open field on the left of the
road which ran to Whitehall, in front of a wood, which it was supposed
covered the enemy's main force. A small creek ran across the road 500
yards to the right and in front of our line of battle, over which was a
bridge, which the rebels had destroyed, and out of the debris of which
they had erected a breast-work and planted two six-pounders, rifled,
sweeping the road. Morrison's battery was put forward to the right of
the road, and taking a position on a small hill 250 yards from the rebel
battery, opened fire. The enemy hotly replied with grape and canister,
sweeping the road, but doing no damage. Morrison continued to shell the
battery and the woods on either side for nearly an hour, when the enemy
began to retire. Just as the enemy were about retiring, the Ninth New
Jersey were deployed as skirmishers to the left of the road, and
advancing und