Timeline . . .
1862
THE BURNSIDE EXPEDITION (January-July)
February
February 7-8 Battle of Roanoke Island Casualties: roughly 2,907 on both sides
February Freedmen's Colony established during the Federal occupation of Roanoke Island. Former slaves built a thriving settlement, erecting churches and schools.
February 10 Action at Elizabeth City, including naval action
February 12 Naval expedition to Edenton
February 18-21 Expedition to Winton and skirmish, including naval expedition on Chowan River
February 19 Skirmish at Winton
February 19-20 Expedition to Currituck Sound
February 25 Loss of USS R. B. Forbes near Currituck Inlet
March
March Union occupation of Beaufort, including Havelock Station, Carolina City, and Morehead City
March 11-13 Movement to New Bern
March 14 Battle of New Bern Casualties: roughly 1,080 on both sides.
March 17 Escape of Nashville from Beaufort
March 20-21 Expedition to and occupation of Washington, including naval cooperation
March 23-April 26 Siege of Fort Macon Casualties: roughly 490 on both sides.
March 31 Skirmish at Deep Gully
RAIDS IN THE WEST (April-May)
April
April Marcus Erwin and Buncombe County militia flush 80 anti-Confederates from Laurel Valley (WEST)
April 6-11 Expedition from Greenville, Tenn. into Laurel Valley, N.C. (Gen. Kirby Smith sends three companies under Lt. Col. David M. Key to clean out Unionist marauders operating out of Madison County. (WEST)
April 7 Skirmish at Foy's Plantation
April 7 Skirmish near Newport
April 7-8 Expedition to Elizabeth City
April 12 Skirmish at Fort Macon
April 12 Destruction of schooner Kate off Wilmington
April 13 Skirmish at Gillett's Farm, Pebbly Run
April 17 Naval expedition to Dismal Swamp Canal
April 19 Engagement at South Mills
April 19 Skirmish at Trent Road
April 24 Escape of blockade-runner Nashville into Wilmington
April 25-26 Bombardment and Capture of Fort Macon
April 27 Skirmish at Houghton's Mill, Pollocksville Road
April 29 Skirmish at Batchelder's Creek
May
May 1 Capture of British brig Intended
May 2 Skirmish at Deep Gully, Trenton Road
May 7-8 Expedition from Roanoke Island toward Gatesville
May 15 Skirmish at Young's Crossroads
May 15-16 Reconnaissance toward Trenton
May 15-16 Skirmishes at Trenton Bridge
May 15-16 Skirmish at Pollocksville
May 22 Skirmish at Trenton and Pollocksville Road
May 28 Naval reconnaissance up Blackwater River (upper extension of Chowan River, into Virginia)
May 28 Capture of Nassau
May 30 Skirmish at Tranter's Creek
May Minor Federal raid into Haywood County leads to release of Unionist man condemned to death in Waynesville (WEST)
June
June 2 Skirmish at Tranter's Creek
June 5 Action at Tranter's Creek
June 24 Reconnaissance from Washington to Tranter's Creek
June 26 Destruction of Emily
June 26 Expedition up Little River
June 27 Skirmish at Swift Creek Bridge
June 27 Blockade-runner Modern Greece forced aground by Union blockaders. Artifacts from this wreck are currently on display at Fort Fisher (Cape Fear).
June 27 1st North Carolina Volunteer Infantry (Union) organized (as authorized by Gen. Ambrose Burnside).
July
July 9 Capture of Hamilton, including naval cooperation
July 24-28 Expedition from New Bern to Trenton and Pollocksville
July 26 Skirmish at Mill Creek near Pollocksville
July 26-29 Reconnaissance from New Bern to Young's Crossroads
July 27 Skirmish at Young's Crossroads
July 28 Expedition from New Bern, Batchelders Creek, on Neuse River Road
EARLY RAIDS ON THE EASTERN INTERIOR (August-December)
August
August Carolina and schooner evade blockade
August 3-23 Naval operations in Chowan River
August 14-15 Reconnaissance from Newport to Swansborough
August 24 Sinking of USS Isaac N. Seymour on Neuse River near New Bern
August 27 Escape of blockade-runner Kate from Wilmington
August 30 Skirmish near Plymouth
September
September 2 Skirmish at Plymouth
September 6 Confederate attack on Washington, including Federal naval operations
September 7-9 Expedition of USS Hunchback up Chowan River
September 8 Zebulon B. Vance becomes governor of North Carolina Conservative Party former U.S. Congressman (1858-1861), and former colonel of the 26th North Carolina Regiment.
September 17-20 Operations about Shiloh
September 25 Attack on blockade-runner Kate off Fort Caswell
September 28 Capture of blockade-runner Sunbeam off New Inlet
October
October Confederate salt works at Bogue and Currituck Inlets destroyed
October 11 Action at Cape Fear River. Engagement with battery near Fort Caswell.
October 21 Reconnaissance in New Topsail Inlet and destruction of schooner Adelaide
October 22 Capture of British brig Robert Bruce
October 30-November 9 Naval expedition to Hamilton
November
November 1-12 Expedition from New Bern (through Washington to Williamston, Hamilton, and toward Tarboro), including skirmishes at Little Creek and Rawlss Mill (destruction of property at Hamilton, slaves freed) (Naval cooperation)
November 2 Action at Rawle's Mill, Little Creek
November 4 Capture of British bark Sophia
November 8-9 Naval expedition to Rose Bay and Greenville
November 11 Demonstration on New Bern
November 17 Destruction of British schooner J. W. Pindar at Masonboro Inlet
November 18 Skirmish at Core Creek
November 23-25 Naval expedition on New River to Jacksonville (Cushing), with capture and destruction of USS Ellis
November 29 Capture of schooner Levi Rowe
December
December 8 Capture of sloop Coquette
December 9 Federal naval demonstration on Blackwater and Nottoway Rivers (upper extension of Chowan River, into Virginia)
December 10 Confederate attack on Plymouth, including Federal naval operations
FOSTER'S RAID (December 11-20 Casualties: roughly 1,055 on both sides)
December 11-20 Expedition from New Bern to Goldsboro
December 11 Skirmish on Kinston Road
December 11-12 Skirmishes on Kinston Road
December 12-15 Operations on Neuse River
December 13-14 Actions at Southwest Creek
December 14 Engagement at Kinston
December 15 Affair at Whitehall Bridge
December 16 Engagement at Whitehall
December 16 Affairs at Mt. Olive Station and Goshen Swamp
December 17 Raid on Dudley's Station
December 17 Skirmish at Thompson's Bridge
December 17 Skirmish at Goldsboro Bridge
December 17 Reconnaissance to Diascund Bridge
December 27 Action at Elizabeth City
December 31 Loss of USS Monitor off Cape Hatteras
