On December 14, 1862, Gen. John Gray Foster’s long blue line slowly marched north from Southwest Creek toward the Confederate line. Behind a formidable line of earthworks protected by a swamp in front, the Confederates braced for the Union assault. Gen. Henry W. Wessells commanded the Union forces on the field and deployed them in line of battle, placing his brigade on the right side of the road and Gen. Thomas Amory’s brigade on the left, with artillery in the road. At Wessells’ command the whole line surged forward. Confederate Gen. Nathan Evans planned to hold out as long as possible against the overwhelming number of Union troops before crossing the river into Kinston and burning Jones Bridge behind him. For a time the Confederate strategy worked as their guns found their mark and held the Union infantry. One account recalled that the rebel guns opened upon their flank, raking their position so concentrated and powerful that they cut a perfect path, two rods wide, for some distance through the forest. A Confederate barrage hit the 103rd Pennsylvania as it advanced deep into the swamp. The Pennsylvanians took cover and returned fire, and the volley struck the 85th Pennsylvania, which in the smoke and confusion had moved ahead of Col. Lehmann’s regiment.