The Yankee Fortifications at Newbern.
--A letter from a soldier on the
Newbern expedition says:
‘
Tuesday evening I went down on the picket line, and by climbing a tree had a tolerable fair view of
Newbern.
The town is situated at the junction of the
Neuse and
Trent rivers, on a sort of peninsula.
The river defences are quite strong.
There is a very heavy battery facing the river on the side from which I saw it, mounting some nine or ten heavy guns.
The defences in front of the town consist of two lines of very heavy earthworks, running across from one river to the other, with a deep ditch or canal in front.
This canal is said to be twenty feet broad and fifteen deep, filled with water, and the breastworks are said to be spiked on the top. Several large flags were visible besides the one which floated over the battery on our side, and I suppose marked the position of forts on the opposite side of the town.
It having become evident that we could not take the town without too much sacrifice, orders were given to fall back at sunset.
’