Wessells' Advance—December 14, 1862-Harriet's Chapel Battlefield Park - Kinston NC
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 35° 14.467 W 077° 35.267
18S E 264528 N 3902852
Gen. John Gray Foster’s long blue line slowly marched north from Southwest Creek toward the Confederate line. The Confederates, behind a formidable line of earthworks protected by a swamp in their front, braced for the Union assault.
Waymark Code: WM13895
Location: North Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 10/09/2020
Views: 0
Wessells' Advance—December 14, 1862-Harriet's Chapel Battlefield Park
— Battle of Kinston Military Park —Gen. John Gray Foster’s long blue line slowly marched north from Southwest Creek toward the Confederate line. The Confederates, behind a formidable line of earthworks protected by a swamp in their front, braced for the Union assault.
Gen. Henry W. Wessells commanded the Union forces on the field. He deployed this forces in line of battle, placing his brigade on the right side of the road and Gen. Thomas Amory’ s brigade on the left side. He put his artillery in the road.
At Wessell’s command the whole line surged forward. Confederate Gen Nathan Evans planned to hold out as long as possible against the overwhelming number of Union troops before crossing the river into Kinston and burning Jones Bridge behind him.
The Confederate strategy worked for a while. The guns found their mark and held the Union infantry. “The rebel guns opened upon their flank, raking their position. The of these guns was so concentrated and powerful that it cut a perfect path, two rods wide, for some distance through the forest.”
A Confederate barrage hit the 103rd Pennsylvania as it advanced deep into the swamp. The Pennsylvanians took cover and returned fire. The volley hit the 85th Pennsylvania, which in the smoke and confusion had moved ahead of Col. Lehmann’s regiment.
(captions)
(left) Gen. Henry W. Wessells
(right) Col. Theodore Lehmann
LOCATION: Marker is in Kinston, North Carolina, in Lenoir County. Marker can be reached from Richlands Road (U.S. 258) near Measley Road, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located on the grounds of the Kinston Battlefield Park. Marker is in this post office area: Kinston NC 28504, United States of America.
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