Roanoke Island NC002
1862-02-07 to 1862-02-08 · NC · Burnside's North Carolina Expedition [February-June 1862] · frozen result: Union · NPS summary (as listed)
On February 7, Brig. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside landed 7,500 men on the southwestern side of Roanoke Island in an amphibious operation launched from Fort Monroe. The next morning, supported by gunboats, the Federals assaulted the Confederate forts on the narrow waist of the island, driving back and out-maneuvering Brig. Gen. Henry Wise's outnumbered command. After losing less than 100 men, the Confederate commander on the field, Col. H.M. Shaw, surrendered about 2,500 soldiers and 32 guns. Burnside had secured an important outpost on the Atlantic Coast, tightening the blockade.
Command responsibility (ledger v2)
US: Ambrose E. Burnside
Grade A under rule 2; echelon unknown.
A cited passage states the command.
Brigadier Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle NC002, belligerent US, fullname Ambrose E. Burnside; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…Brig. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside landed 7,500 menarnold-cwsac-battles, battle NC002; column description · snapshot
952b5d08402a…Confederate: H. M. Shaw
Grade C under rule 2; echelon unknown. responsibility_unresolved
Other candidates: Henry Wise
NPS names Col. H. M. Shaw as "the Confederate commander on the field", contradicting the single listing of Wise (rule 2, third bullet); the frozen description still speaks of Wise's command.
Brigadier Generalarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle NC002, belligerent Confederate, fullname Henry Wise; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…the Confederate commander on the field, Col. H.M. Shaw, surrendered about 2,500 soldiers and 32 guns.nps-nc002-v1 · snapshot
7e1363c77475…Brig. Gen. Henry Wise's outnumbered commandarnold-cwsac-battles, battle NC002; column description · snapshot
952b5d08402a…Side strength (ledger v3)
US: grade A, 7,500 (7,130–7,880)
compiled_dependencederivation_unknownwhole_engagement_leakage
| Input | Class | Printed | Basis | Bound | Codes | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| us-cw | A | 7,500 | reported_engaged | derivation_unknown | ||
| us-nps-landed | B | 7,500 | unknown | derivation_unknown | dossier claim imported-strength-scope |
Confederate: grade A, 3,000 (2,850–3,150)
compiled_dependencederivation_unknownsingle_inputwhole_engagement_leakage
| Input | Class | Printed | Basis | Bound | Codes | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cs-cw | A | 3,000 | reported_engaged | derivation_unknown | 3,000arnold-cwsac-forces, battle NC002, belligerent Confederate; column description · snapshot a462f6be964b… |
Dossier claims
Draft dossier, revision . Claims are extraction records with their quoted passages, not historical adjudication. JSON
information
supportedunresolved Woodbury describes an escaped enslaved youth identified as Tom providing Burnside information about island defenses and a landing place at Ashby’s Harbor.
Attributed to a non-eyewitness history; no original interview or message was inspected. The author’s praise does not establish the accuracy or causal value of every reported statement.
His name, he said, was " Tom."woodbury-burnside-selections-v1, pp.32–33, landing-information passage (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
ad7a423cadac…General Burnslde had a long Interview with the escaped slave. Tom knew all about Roanoke and the forts and forces there.woodbury-burnside-selections-v1, p.33, same passage (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
ad7a423cadac…at Ashby's Harbor, about two miles below Pork Point.woodbury-burnside-selections-v1, p.33, same passage (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
ad7a423cadac…logistics
supportedunresolved Woodbury says rain and wind interrupted the planned February 6 movement, with the fleet anchoring during a gale; movement resumed under better conditions on the 7th.
A retrospective account of approach conditions, not quantified readiness or a validated causal contribution. This preceding day is context outside the frozen February 7–8 interval.
At half past ten, rain set in, and the wind rose. No great progress was made, the fleet came to anchor, and in the afternoon, a heavy gale blew for several hours.woodbury-burnside-selections-v1, p.37, February 6–7 weather (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
ad7a423cadac…The morning of the 7th opened with better signswoodbury-burnside-selections-v1, p.37, same passage (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
ad7a423cadac…objectives
supportedunresolved Woodbury describes the work assigned for February 6 as naval engagement with the batteries and landing the army.
An attributed operational task preceding the battle, not an inspected original order or a quantified strategic objective.
The work assigned for the 6th was the engagem.ent of the navy with the rebel batteries, and the landing of the army.woodbury-burnside-selections-v1, p.37, opening (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
ad7a423cadac…outcome
supportedpost_outcome The frozen row and live NPS page record a Union victory.
Same source family, not independent corroboration or a causal effect. Retain the frozen engagement interval and do not add a separate score for later occupation or campaign consequences.
supportedpost_outcome The frozen casualty record separates US 37 killed, 214 wounded and 13 missing from CS 23 killed, 58 wounded, 62 missing and 2,500 captured. NPS also says the Confederates surrendered after losing fewer than 100 men.
The narrative phrase must not replace the broad casualty aggregate or erase missing/captured categories. Prisoners and the opening Confederate population are not interchangeable; these remain unadjudicated source counts.
2,907 total (US 37K/214W/13M; CS 23K/58W/62M/2,500 captured)arnold-cwsac-battles, battle NC002; column casualties_text · snapshot
952b5d08402a…After losing less than 100 men, the Confederate commander on the fieldnps-nc002-v1, Description · snapshot
7e1363c77475…responsibility
supportedunresolved NPS identifies Shaw as the Confederate commander on the field who surrendered, despite listing Wise as the principal Confederate commander.
Principal listing and exercised field authority remain distinct. Burnside’s landing and gunboat support also do not imply sole credit for the outcome.
the Confederate commander on the field, Col. H.M. Shaw, surrendered about 2,500 soldiers and 32 guns.nps-nc002-v1, Description · snapshot
7e1363c77475…strength
supportedunresolved The frozen table supplies US 7,500 and CS 3,000. The NPS narrative describes 7,500 Union men landing on February 7, whereas its structured table calls the numbers forces engaged.
The numerical counts remain imported estimates. A landing population and the subsequent assault population are not automatically identical; the table does not establish a common opening boundary.
10,500 total (US 7,500; CS 3,000)arnold-cwsac-battles, battle NC002; column forces_text · snapshot
952b5d08402a…Burnside landed 7,500 men on the southwestern side of Roanoke Islandnps-nc002-v1, Description · snapshot
7e1363c77475…unknownunresolved
No inspected return establishes matched opening populations. The existing imported numerical estimates keep their baseline role but are not newly validated as opening counts. Retrospective formations, gun crews, garrisons, prisoners and troops engaged must not be interchanged.
terrain
supportedunresolved NPS describes Confederate forts on the narrow waist of Roanoke Island and a Union landing on its southwestern side.
Retain these attributed locations without a measured terrain advantage or verified map.
the Confederate forts on the narrow waist of the islandnps-nc002-v1, Description · snapshot
7e1363c77475…Open questions
- Original orders, personnel returns, contemporary intelligence and source disputes remain deferred after the bounded shared-history follow-up. OCR has not been checked against print.
- Keep opening, moving, engaged, garrison and captured populations distinct; do not use live zero displays as numerical evidence.
- Broader blockade, occupation and later operations remain campaign context, not additional independent wins or automatic commander credit.