At New Bern, extensive earthworks stood on both sides of the highway in direct line with this site, and the Croatan Earthwork, an extensive fortification not used during the battle, lay 6-3/10 miles southeast on the highway. Troops engaged in the Battle of New Bern included Union forces under Major General Ambrose Burnside commanding the division, with Brigadier General John G. Parke's Brigade of the 4th and 5th R.I. Infantry and 8th and 11th Connecticut Infantry, Brigadier General Jesse L. Reno's Brigade of the 21st Massachusetts, 51st New York, 9th New Jersey, and 51st Pennsylvania Infantry, and Brigadier General John G. Foster's Brigade of the 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 27th Massachusetts and 10th Connecticut Infantry. Confederate forces included Brigadier General Lawrence O'B. Branch commanding the brigade, with the 7th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 33rd, 35th, and 37th North Carolina Infantry, the 19th North Carolina Regiment, 1st Cavalry, and the artillery batteries of Captain Thomas H. Brem and Captain A.C. Latham. Confederates in Fort Thompson included the artillery companies of Captain John N. Whitford and Captain W.A. Herring, while the men in the other Confederate forts did not directly participate in the battle.