On July 18, 1863, Union Gen. Edward E. Potter led infantry and cavalry from New Bern to destroy the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad bridge at Rocky Mount. The infantry feinted toward Kinston and retreated to New Bern, while Potter raided Greenville, sent part of his cavalry to Rocky Mount, and occupied Tarboro. The raiders damaged or destroyed bridges, trains, munitions, mills, two steamboats, a partially built gunboat, and stockpiles of army supplies before returning to New Bern on July 23, although the Confederates restored rail service by Aug. 1. At dawn on July 21, after eluding a trap near Falkland and entering Greene County at Fieldsboro on the old Otter Creek Church Road, Potter's cavalry reached Grimsley Church and halted nearby to rest, feed their horses, and forage for supplies. Potter's men confiscated two horses from Unionist William P. Grimsley but, after he explained his position, gave him six horses in exchange. Scattered Confederate cavalry units, including two companies of the 7th Confederate Cavalry and three companies of the 62nd Georgia, skirmished with the Federals in Greene County through the day, during which a Union captain was wounded and Sgt. Robert Striebeck of the 1st North Carolina Union Volunteers was captured and later died in a Confederate prison. After scouts reported more Confederates approaching, Potter ordered his troops to cross the bridge over Little Contentnea Creek at Scuffleton at dusk on July 21. Grimsley Baptist Church was organized in 1752, and the present church building, remodeled in 1951, incorporates the structure that stood here in 1863; Confederate as well as Federal troops occupied this area at times during the war.