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