Battle of Whitehall-- Part 2: Foster's Raid

The battle continued for several hours until the Union cavalry burned the village and returned to camp.

Foster arrived at Whitehall the next day and engaged the Confederates, trying to make them believe he intended to cross the country, thinking he could then slip his army past Whitehall to attack a railroad trestle bridge four miles south of Goldsboro.

The Comfederates were not fooled amd the battle lasted into sunset. By nightfall on December 16th most of Foster's army had marched on, leaving just a small force at Whitehall (also spelled White Hall) to remove the wounded and bury the dead.

On December 18th, Foster withdrew back through Whitehall on his return to New Bern. A Confederate patrol afterwards found a hundred Union bodies left unburied.

Many northern newspapers figured the expedition had been a failure because of losses and failure to capture the bridge at Goldsboro.

--Old Secesh

Battle of Whitehall-- Part 1: Fighting Near Goldsboro, N.C.

From the Encyclopedia of North Carolina.

The 11th North Carolina under Col. Collett Levanthorpe was at this battle that took place not too far from where I am right now, Goldsboro, NC. It was one of the unit's first actions. It occurred Dec. at present-day Seven Springs in Wayne County when Confederates under Brig. Gen. B.H. Robertson and Union Maj. Gen. John G. Foster during what is referred to as Foster's Raid.

The objective of the raid was to destroy the railroad junction at Goldsbboro, NC, particularly where the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad crossed a bridge.

Late Dec. 15th, Union cavalry scouts reached Whitehall shortly after Confederate troops crossed over the bridge on the Neuse River, set it on fire and took up defensive positions.

Union cavalry rolled hundreds of barrels of pitch to he river bank and set fire to them to light up the Confederate positions. Union artillery opened fire on the incomplete ironclad CSS Neuse.

Old Secesh