This is a group of five bullets recovered on private property in Craven County, North Carolina, near the site of the Battle of Fort Anderson, that took place 13 - 15 March, 1863. This is considered to be part of Lieutenant General James Longstreet's Tidewater operations. Longstreet had taken command of the Department of Virginia and North Carolina on 25 February, 1863, and shortly thereafter initiated his Tidewater operations. He ordered the commander of the North Carolina district, Major General Daniel H. Hill, to advance on the Union garrison at New Bern, North Carolina. on 13 March, 1863, approximately 12,000 Confederate soldiers, under the command Of Major General Hill, began the operation and had initial success at Deep Gully on the opening day. Hill ordered Brigadier General Johnston Pettigrew to attack the Union troops entrenched at Fort Anderson. On the 14th and 15th of march, Pettigrew's soldiers attacked the approximately 45,000 Union soldiers under the command General Hiram Anderson. Pettigrew was forced to withdraw when Union gunboats arrived, under the command of Commander Alexander Murray, to provide support for Fort Anderson. Though there was a full Confederate Division and a reinforced Union Division plus Naval support, casualties were very light. The Union losses were reported as 2 killed and 4 wounded, while the Confederates reported 2 killed and 21 wounded. The outcome of the battle was considered a Union victory. These five bullets were all recovered on private property.

Item # AA2555

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