Battle of New Bern

After capturing Roanoke Island and securing the northern end of Pamlico Sound, Ambrose Burnside turned his attention to the Confederate position at New Bern, at the southern end of the sound. General Lawrence O'Bryan Branch commanded the fortifications there, but his troops were few and poorly trained and armed. Burnside's men were able to break through the center of the Confederate line, thus able to attack the wings from their side as well as front. This led to a rout of the Southerners and New Bern remained in Federal hands for the rest of the war.

F.B. Schell. "Gen. Burnside at the Battle of Newbern. Attack During A Fog." From Samuel M. Schmucker's The History of the Civil War in the United States.. Revised and completed by Dr. L. P. Brockett. Philadelphia: Jones Bros. & Co. and Chicago: Zeigler, McCurdy & Co, 1865, 4 x 6 1/4. Engraving.

In 1863, even before the Civil War ended, historian Samuel Mosheim Schmucker (1823-1863) produced A History of the Civil War: with a preliminary views of its causes, and biographical sketches of its heroes. It contained a series of terrific engravings of scenes from the Civil War mezzotinted by John Sartain and his son Samuel. This unusual image of the is a good example of their work. $75

W. Momberger. "Newbern." From John S.C. Abbott's The History of the Civil War in America. New York: Henry Bill, 1866. 4 1/2 x 7 1/2. Engraving. $75

Prints from Harper's Weekly Wood engravings.

"The Burnside Expedition--The Storming of Fort Thompson, at Newbern, North Carolina, March 14, 1862." From Harper's Weekly. New York, April 5, 1862. 14 x 20. $65
A. Wiser. "Bomb-Proof Sand-Bag Battery at Newbern, North Carolina, Taken By General Burnside's Troops." From Harper's Weekly. New York, April 12, 1862. 4 1/2 x 9. $25
A. Wiser. "The Burnside Expedition--Bombardment of Newbern, North Carolina" and "The Burnside Expedition--Troops Landing Below the Rebel Forts Near Newbern, North Carolina." From Harper's Weekly. New York, April 12, 1862. 9 x 13 3/4. $40
Schell. "The War in North Carolina."-"Beaufort, Fort Macon and Morehead City, from the Balcony of the Macon House, Morehead City," and "View of the City of Newberne, Captured by the National Forces under Gen. Burnisde, March 14, from the Railroad Embankment of the Opposite Side of the River Neuse--Passage of the Troops" From Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. New York: April 26, 1862. Full page, 9 1/4 x 14 1/2. $45

Combe. "Camp Oliver 25th. Mass[achusetts]. V[olunteer]. Infantry, New Berne, N.C. 1862-3." New York: Sarony, Major & Knapp, [1863]. 10 3/4 x 15 34/. Lithograph. Full margins. Very good condition.

During the American Civil War, many prints were made to depict camps that were part of training or garrison duty, as well as hospitals and refreshment saloons. The intended market was for the men stationed in the camp and their families at home. We find no record of an American artist named "Combe" for this period, so the credited artist might have been a talented member of the regiment whose other works were never made into prints. This image shows a Union encampment at New Bern shortly after it was taken by General Burnside. Due to its inland location, New Bern was always in danger of Confederate attacks, so a number of regiments were stationed in the area, as seen to left and right of this camp. $425

Federal Point, N.C. / Fort Pemberton near Greenwood, Miss. / Country and vicinity of New Berne, N.C., May, 1864 / Defensive works at Harrison's Landing, September 21st, 1864 / Deep Bottom, Va., October 26th, 1864 / Weldon Railroad / Positions in front of Petersburg, Va., September 13th, 1864 / Lookout at Crow's Nest near Bermuda Hundred, Va. and 2 smaller maps. From the U.S. War Department's Atlas to Accompany the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Washington: Gov't. Printing Office, 1891-95. Lithographed map, with some highlight color. Double folio size. NB: The maps from this atlas are printed on brittle paper, so there may be short tears in this map.

Richard Stephenson has written, "This is the most detailed atlas yet published on the Civil War. It consists of reproductions of maps compiled by both Union and Confederate soldiers." [Stephenson, Civil War Maps, p 99.] The maps show many of the events of the Civil War with great detail, including topography, troop placements and movements, and other information of interest. These are the best near contemporary maps available of many of these battles, sieges, and other events of this conflict. $60
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