The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Battle of Tranter's Creek-- Part 3

I looked up Tranter's Creek in John G. Barrett's "The Civil War in North Carolina" and found information on pages 125-126.

In it, Barrett says it was somewhat larger than a skirmish. When Union commander Colonel E. E. Potter at Washington, NC, received word in late May that Col. Singletary and the 44th NC had taken position at Pactolus, 12 miles away, he became fearful that an attack would be made on Washington because the Confederate officer "was a reckless man who would not likely be restrained by prudential considerations." What he meant by this is anybody's guess.

He sent the 24th Massachusetts under Lt. Col. F. A. Osborn to confront the Confederates. After a march in hot conditions on June 5th, the Union forces arrived at "Myers or Crime's Mill" over Tranter's Creek. The mill consisted of three buildings, about thirty feet apart. The bridge ran through these buildings.

A barricade had been built on the opposite side and Col. Singletary and his 400 men poured a steady fire into the Federals. Unable to force the bridge, Col. Osborn called up his artillery, shelling the Carolinians and killing Singletary. After his death, the Confederates withdrew. The Union forces loaded their dead and returned to Washington.

Barrett included a picture of the battle from Harper's Weekly.

Definitely More Than I Ever Thought I'd Know About this Battle. Da Ol' Coot

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