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hours, we again silenced the enemy's fire, and pursued our retrograde movement. In the last fight the rebels opened from two batteries instead of one--their iron plated car--and brought into action their infantry on both sides of the river. In the battle of this bridge the rebels had, as prisoners report, between eight and ten thousand troops engaged. We never had over one-third of our force engaged. About nine o'clock p. m. our army bivouacked for the night, between Whitehall and the Goldsboro railroad bridge. While the battle was progressing at the bridge, Major Fitzsimmons with his battalions of the Third New York Cavalry made a dash against Dudley Station, on the line of the Wilmington railroad, five miles from the Goldsboro railroad bridge, took prisoners several rebel pickets, captured and destroyed a train of four cars, took up three miles of the railroad track, burned some trestle work, a bridge, and other little _et ceteras_, including a most complete destruction of the telegraph line, and joined the main column without loss to his command. The Major also repeated a similar experiment at Everett Station, on the line of the same railroad. Major Garrard with his battalion of the Third New York Cavalry went (while the main army was moving) early in the morning to Tompkins bridge, over the Neuse river. He took with him a section of Ransom's Twenty-third New York Artillery. On arriving in the vicinity of the bridge Captain Jacobs, with his company of cavalry, was ordered to charge down to it. He did so, found the bridge in flames, and received fire from the enemy. It will again be seen that the enemy was deceived in regard to a crossing of the Neuse. The Major immediately opened with his artillery, and at the same time despatched a messenger to inform General Foster with regards to his position, condition, etc. As soon as General Foster received the information he reinforced the Major with four pieces of artillery from Angel's battery and the Forty-third Massachusetts Regiment under command of Colonel Holbrook. After a fight of over two hours we silenced the enemy's heavy guns and musketry, and returned to the main column with a loss of one killed and four wounded. Before leaving, our forces could go anywhere in that neighborhood, along the banks of the river, without being fired at. The rebels had eight pieces of artillery and four regiments of infantry at this bridge. About 10 o'clock Allis' Flying artillery, a
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