KINSTON, Battle of. On 1 March 1865 General Cox, with three divisions of infantry, pushed forward from Newbern, N. C., toward Goldsboro to open communication with General Sherman, who was marching northward from Savannah, and on the 7th two of his divisions were at Wise's Forks, near Southwest Creek, a tributary of the Neuse River, with one division three miles in rear. A brigade was advanced to a cross-road about midway between the main line and the creek. General Hoke, with his Confederate division, crossed the creek on the night and early morning of the 7th and 8th, flanked, surprised, and routed the advance brigade, taking over 900 prisoners and, pressing on, fell upon the left of Cox's line, but was re pulsed. He renewed the attack and was again repulsed. On the 9th there was sharp skirmish ing and the Confederates made repeated efforts to turn Cox's right, which were foiled. On the morning of the 10th Hoke and D. H. Hill made vigorous and successive attacks first upon the left and then on the right of Cox's line, but were repulsed, and General Bragg, who was in supreme command, made no further effort, re treated across Neuse River during the night, burning all bridges behind him, left a small guard at Kinston and, with the rest of his command, hastened through Goldsboro to join J. E. Johnston, who was concentrating every
thing available to oppose Sherman. General Schofield joined Cox with troops from Wil mington, and reached Goldsboro on the 21st, Sherman joining him two days later. The Union loss at Kinston was 65 killed, 319 wounded and 930 missing; the Confederate loss is not known. D. H. Hill reports a loss in five brigades of 118 killed and wounded and 16 missing. Schofield estimated the entire Confederate loss at 1,500, which is probably excessive. Consult 'Official Records) (Vol. XLVII); Cox, J. D., 'The March to the (New York 1S82), and 'Military Reminiscences of the Civil War) (Vol. II, New York 1900).'