General Foster

JANUARY 10, 1863.]

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

21

BRIGADIER-GENERAL
FOSTER, U.S.A.

ON this page we publish a portrait of BRIGADIER-GENERAL J. G. FOSTER, U.S.A., the commander of the recent successful expedition to Goldsborough, North Carolina.

The family of John G. Foster has ever been distinguished for its patriotism and valor. His grandfather, in company with the gallant Benjamin Pierce (father of ex-President Pierce), then quite young, was among the first to join the Massachusetts line in the war of the Revolution, and was often commended for his noble conduct on the field of battle. His father, Major Perley Foster, was in active service during the war of 1812, and was in the battle of Plattsburg, on Lake Champlain. The subject of our sketch was born in Whitefield, New Hampshire, May 27, 1823, from which place his family moved to Nashua when he was eight years of age. He early evinced a passionate love for the profession of arms, and formed and commanded a "juvenile artillery company." In 1842 he entered West Point, where he graduated with distinguished honors in his class, in 1846, as Brevet Second Lieutenant in the corps of Engineers. In January, 1847, he was ordered to Mexico with General Scott, as a Lieutenant in a company of sappers and miners, and was in all the engagements from "Vera Cruz" to "Molino del Rey." At the latter place he was severely wounded while leading a division of the storming party in the deadly assault on "Casa Mata," where two-thirds of the entire command were cut down, and where he narrowly escaped death from the Mexican bayonet by the memorable charge of the gallant Cadwalader. For his gallant conduct in Mexico he received three brevets—the first at Contreras, the second at Churubusco, and the last at Molino del Rey, where he was brevetted as Captain.

The severity of his wound was such that amputation was thought to be necessary, as a large escopet ball had struck him below the knee, in front, fracturing the bone, and lodging beneath the skin on the opposite side; but he stoutly persisted in retaining his limb, which, though greatly injured, is still sufficient to enable him to do active service. After recovering somewhat

from his injuries, he was ordered to Fort Carroll (Baltimore); from thence to Washington City, in Coast Survey Office. From this position he was sent to West Point as Assistant-Professor in Engineering, and subsequently to the Government works on Sandy Hook. In 1859 he was ordered to Charleston, South Carolina, as Engineer in charge of the forts in Charleston harbor and vicinity, to repair and complete the same. After the evacuation of Fort Moultrie by Major Anderson, Captain Foster spiked the guns, burned the carriages, and blew up the flag-staff. When the fort was taken possession of by the South Carolina troops he was allowed to make a peaceable departure for Fort Sumter, in a boat, with the laborers under his direction. After the surrender of Fort Sumter Captain Foster tendered his services to Government. He was employed for a time in superintending the construction of the great fort on Sandy Hook, but was soon ordered into active service in the army of the Potomac, with the rank of Brigadier-General of Volunteers. Burnside secured him for his expedition; and at the fight on Roanoke Island Foster led our troops, and really won the day. He subsequently distinguished himself at Newbern and at the bombardment of Fort Macon. When Burnside was ordered to the support of McClellan, Foster was left in command in North Carolina. He has just returned from a highly successful expedition to Goldsborough, North Carolina, where he burned bridges, and destroyed the main railroad track to the South. Of this expedition we are enabled, through the politeness of an amateur correspondent, to publish on the preceding page three pictures, representing respectively the BATTLES OF KINSTON, WHITEHALL, and GOLDSBOROUGH. We condense the following accounts of these engagements from the Herald correspondence:

BATTLE OF KINSTON.

This battle was fought December 14. Early in the morning, when our troops commenced the advance, the enemy was met near Kinston.

The Ninth New Jersey advanced slowly down the road, and then into the woods on either side. These skirmishers stood their ground until their entire stock of ammunition was exhausted, when the Eighty - fifth Pennsylvania (Next Page)

BRIGADIER-GENERAL J. G. FOSTER.—[PHOTOGRAPHED BY BRADY.]

ARRIVAL OF THE TRANSPORT "NORTH STAR," WITH MAJOR-GENERAL BANKS AND STAFF, AT THE LEVEE AT NEW ORLEANS.—[SEE PAGE 27.]