Opening Volleys

Opening Volleys. . Friday, March 14, 1862, dawned cold and wet. Rain had made sleep impossible for the men of both armies and by morning there was a thick blanket of fog covering the battlefield. Many soldiers found their rifles unserviceable due to the rain; charges were wet in. the barrels and ramrods were stuck in swollen wooden gunstocks. As Burnside pushed his columns forward toward the Confederates, many of his soldiers were heading into battle with weapons that could not be fired., Around 7:30 AM, Burnside's advance scouts on the Old Beaufort Road were fired upon by the cannon of Lieutenant Woodbury Wheeler, Latham's Battery. As that shot crashed through the forest, the men of Foster's Brigade quickened their pace and began to deploy along each side of the Old Beaufort Road. The cannon of McCook's naval battery were pulled into position by the 11th Connecticut and they opened fire as they arrived one at a time. Both armies were now engaged along a line from the Neuse River to the railroad., Along the railroad, Reno's 2nd Brigade began their advance trying to outflank the Confederate lines. His lead regiment, the 21st Massachusetts, found what they thought was the right flank of the Confederates at a small brickyard. There the Confederates were emptying a supply train and mounting two 24-pound cannon. Acting quickly, Reno ordered the 21st Massachusetts to advance skirmishers to the Brickyard and deploy in a battle line. He then rushed back to his column to move them forward in support of an attack on the Brickyard., (captions) , Brigadier General John G. Foster 1st Brigade , 1st Lieutenant Woodbury Wheeler, Jr. Latham's Battery , Situation at 7:00 to 8:00 AM