Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Goldsboro, Junction of National armies at.

The Confederates under Hoke fled from Wilmington northward, towards Goldsboro, towards which the Nationals ruder Schofield were pressing. It was at the railroad crossing of the Neuse River. General Cox, with 5,000 of Palmer's troops, crossed from Newbern and established a depot of supplies at Kingston, after a moderate battle on the way with Hoke. Perceiving the Confederate force to be about equal to his own, Schofield ordered Cox to intrench and wait for expeted reinforcements. On March 10, 1865, Hoke pressed Cox and attacked hint, but was repulsed with severe loss—1,500 men. The Nationals lost about 300. The Confederates fled across the Neuse, and Schofield entered Goldsboro on the 20th. Then Terry, who had been left at Wilmington, joined Schofield (March 22), and the next day Sherman arrived there. Nearly all the National troops in North Carolina were encamped that night around Goldsboro. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, with the combined and concentrated forces of Beauregard, Hardee, Hood, the garrison from Augusta, Hoke, and the cavalry of Wheeler and Hampton, was at Smithfield, half-way between Goldsboro and Raleigh, with about 40,000 troops, mostly veterans.