Item Description: “The Burnside Expedition.” The New York Herald, 24 January 1862, page 1, column 3.
Item Transcription:
THE BURNSIDE EXPEDITION.
Arrival of Expeditionary Fleet in Pamlico Sound.
An Attack Anticipated on Newbern and Roanoke Island, North Carolina.
Removal of the Women and Children,
&c., &c., &c.
Fortress Monroe, Jan. 21, 1862.
There has been no arrival from the Burnside expedition as yet.
The Norfolk Day Book of Wednesday has a despatch dated Goldsboro, January 21, four o’clock P. M., announcing that one hundred vessels of the Burnside expedition are inside Pamlico Sound, and twenty large steamers outside. No attack has been made; but the women and children are leaving Newbern, where a fight is expected to take place.
The Norfolk papers of Wednesday contain the following telegraphic despatch:—
Goldsboro, N. C.,Jan.21, —4 P. M.
A large number of women and children have arrived here from Newbern. A fight is expected there. There is no other news.
An express has arrived here from Newbern. He reports that at four o’clock yesterday afternoon there were one hundred vessels of the Burnside expedition within Pamilico Sound and twenty-five large transports outside of Hatteras Inlet.
Private information received here says that the enemy will attack Newbern, Hyde county, and Roanoke Island simultaneously. Our forces are completely prepared for them.
The Norfolk Day Book of Wednesday contains the following despatch:—
Savannah, Jan. 21, 1862.
The Norfolk papers make no mention of any reports, circulated by the secessionists, that some of General Burnside’s vessels had been driven ashore.
From forty to fifty vessels are inside Broad river, fifteen miles from Port Royal.
Additional Information: On 21 January, as women and children fled to New Bern, the expeditionary fleet continued to bring ships into Pamlico Sound; on 22 January, another strong winter storm struck the expedition, with gale force winds lasting until late morning of the 24th, when a downpour commenced. The heavy rains enable the forces to replenish their water supplies and raised water levels in the sound, which aided the transport of ships through Hatteras Inlet and raised ships that had been grounded on the sandbar.
Item citation: “The Burnside Expedition,” The New York Herald, 24 January 1862, page 1, column 3. In “New York Herald Civil War Newspapers” [spine title], C071 N561, North Carolina Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
