Description
Book SynopsisIn January 1864, Robert E. Lee wrote to Jefferson Davis ""The time is at hand when, if an attempt can be made to capture the enemy's forces at New Berne, it should be done."" Over the next few months, Lee's forces sought to seize Federal bases in eastern North Carolina. This book tells the story of these operations.
Trade ReviewIn this fascinating new book, Hampton Newsome makes a valuable contribution to Civil War literature, offering a compelling account of Confederate efforts in early 1864 to turn the tide of war in eastern North Carolina. Though these efforts produced decidedly mixed results, the same cannot be said of Newsome's. Well-researched, informative, and unfailingly interesting, this superb study merits the attention of anyone interested in the course and conduct of these operations, their strategic and operational effects, and the challenges leaders on both sides faced as they pursued victory in the Old North State in 1864." - Ethan S. Rafuse, author of
Robert E. Lee and the Fall of the Confederacy, 1863-1865 and coeditor of
Guide to the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign"
The Fight for the Old North State carefully reassesses the importance of the Confederate military campaign to retake the North Carolina coast in the spring of 1864. In a lively narrative, Hampton Newsome balances operational military history and a broader overview of the social and political situation on the ground. This work is highly recommended for readers of North Carolina's Civil War military history." -Barton A. Myers, associate professor of Civil War history, Washington and Lee University, and author of
Rebels against the Confederacy"With an excellent eye for detail and a knack for good storytelling, Hampton Newsome skillfully places the military actions in coastal North Carolina within the broader context of the political and social forces at work in the state in 1864. Lucidly written,
The Fight for the Old North State inspired me to drive down to North Carolina to see the sites for myself." - Jonathan W. White, author of
Midnight in America: Darkness, Sleep, and Dreams during the Civil WarTable of Contents
- List of Illustrations and Maps
- Preface
- Part One: The War in North Carolina
- 1. Taking the Coast
- 2. Liberation, Discontent, and the Friends of Peace
- Part Two: Military Plans for North Carolina
- 3. Lee's Design for North Carolina
- 4. Grant's Suffolk Plan
- Part Three: The New Bern Expedition
- 5. On to New Bern
- 6. Bachelor Creek
- 7. Fort Anderson and Brice's Creek
- 8. The Underwriter
- 9. Beech Grove and Newport Barracks
- 10. Decisions at New Bern
- Part Four: Carolina Winter
- 11. The Kingston Hangings
- 12. The Politics of Peace
- 13. Ransom's Raid
- 14. Preparing for the Spring
- Part Five: Hoke's Attack on Plymouth
- 15. Plymouth is the Target
- 16. The Attack on Plymouth
- 17. Fort Gray and Fort Wessells
- 18. The Albermarle
- 19. Hoke Presses the Advantage
- 20. The Final Attack at Plymouth
- 21. Confederate Victory at Plymouth
- Part Six: Back to New Bern
- 22. Washington
- 23. New Bern, May 1864
- Conclusion: The Confederate Resurgence Considered
- Acknowledgments
- Appendix A: New Bern Order of Battle
- Appendix B: Plymouth Order of Battle
- Appendix C: Plymouth Casualty Estimates
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
