19 Apr 62, South Mills, NC - Battleground 5: Antietam

19 April 1862, South Mills, NC [Curt Cabbage]

The Battle of South Mills, also known as the Battle of Camden,
took place on April 19, 1862 in Camden County, North Carolina
as part of Union Army Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside's North Carolina
expedition during the American Civil War. Learning that the
Confederates were building ironclads at Norfolk, Burnside planned
an expedition to destroy the Dismal Swamp Canal locks to prevent
transfer of the ships to Albemarle Sound. He entrusted the operation
to Brig. Gen. Jesse L. Reno's command, which embarked on transports
from Roanoke Island on April 18. By midnight, the convoy reached
Elizabeth City and began disembarking troops. On the morning
of April 19, Reno marched north on the road to South Mills. At
the crossroads a few miles below South Mills, elements of Col.
Ambrose R. Wright's command delayed the Federals until dark.
Reno abandoned the expedition and withdrew during the night to
the transports at Elizabeth City. The transports carried Reno's
troops to New Bern where they arrived on April 22.