Tranter's Creek NC006
1862-06-05 to 1862-06-05 · NC · Burnside's North Carolina Expedition [February-June 1862] · frozen result: Union · NPS summary (as listed)
On June 5, Col. Robert Potter, garrison commander at Washington, North Carolina, ordered a reconnaissance in the direction of Pactolus. The 24th Massachusetts under Lt. Col. F.A. Osborne, advanced to the bridge over Tranter's Creek, where it encountered the 44th North Carolina, under Col. George Singletary. Unable to force a crossing, Osborne brought his artillery to bear on the mill buildings in which the Confederates were barricaded. Colonel Singletary was killed in the bombardment, and his troops retreated. The Federals did not pursue and returned to their fortifications at Washington.
Command responsibility (ledger v2)
US: F. A. Osborn
Grade A under rule 2; echelon detachment_or_post. superior_directing
The listed Osborn (spelled Osborne in the description) led the 24th Massachusetts; Col. Robert Potter, the garrison commander, ordered the reconnaissance (superior_directing).
Lieutenant Colonelarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle NC006, belligerent US, fullname F. A. Osborn; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…The 24th Massachusetts under Lt. Col. F.A. Osborne, advanced to the bridge over Tranter's Creekarnold-cwsac-battles, battle NC006; column description · snapshot
952b5d08402a…Confederate: George Singletary
Grade A under rule 2; echelon regiment. command_changed
The description puts the 44th North Carolina under Singletary, who was killed during the action; no successor is named (rule 4).
Colonelarnold-cwsac-commanders, battle NC006, belligerent Confederate, fullname George Singletary; column rank · snapshot
6c587c298717…the 44th North Carolina, under Col. George Singletaryarnold-cwsac-battles, battle NC006; column description · snapshot
952b5d08402a…Colonel Singletary was killed in the bombardmentarnold-cwsac-battles, battle NC006; column description · snapshot
952b5d08402a…Side strength (ledger v3)
US: grade D: no usable figure (modelled in the rating runs)
whole_engagement_leakage
Confederate: grade D: no usable figure (modelled in the rating runs)
whole_engagement_leakage
Dossier claims
Draft dossier, revision . Claims are extraction records with their quoted passages, not historical adjudication. JSON
information
unknownunresolved
No original reconnaissance order, scout report or message chain was inspected to show what Potter, Osborn or Singletary knew before contact.
logistics
unknownunresolved
The inspected summaries identify artillery and formations but provide no dated ammunition, transport, subsistence or readiness account for the reconnaissance. A gun count is not a logistics score.
objectives
supportedunresolved NPS says Potter ordered a reconnaissance toward Pactolus on June 5.
An attributed limited mission, not an assumed objective to conquer territory or destroy the enemy force.
ordered a reconnaissance in the direction of Pactolus.nps-nc006-v1, Description · snapshot
24f6bd0a05cd…outcome
supportedpost_outcome The frozen row records Union victory; NPS says the Confederates retreated and the Federals returned to Washington without pursuit.
A source-coded result and limited action, not a measured campaign contribution or proof that pursuit would have been advantageous.
The Federals did not pursue and returned to their fortifications at Washington.nps-nc006-v1, Description · snapshot
24f6bd0a05cd…disputedpost_outcome The frozen table gives 40 total; the live NPS table displays 0 total (US 0; CS 0;).
These versions remain distinct. No inspected return reconciles the totals, category definitions or reporting boundaries. Casualties are not opening strength or a predictor; a displayed zero is not evidence of no losses.
responsibility
supportedunresolved NPS attributes the reconnaissance order to Potter and the use of artillery against the mill buildings to Osborne after failing to force a crossing.
Ordering the mission and commanding in contact remain distinct. The source’s Osborne spelling differs from the table/Woodbury Osborn; no new identity or automatic credit allocation is inferred.
Col. Robert Potter, garrison commander at Washington, North Carolina, ordered a reconnaissancenps-nc006-v1, Description · snapshot
24f6bd0a05cd…Unable to force a crossing, Osborne brought his artillery to bear on the mill buildingsnps-nc006-v1, Description · snapshot
24f6bd0a05cd…strength
supportedunresolved Woodbury lists eight companies of the 24th Massachusetts, a cavalry squadron and two Wiard guns manned by twenty-five Marines.
Formation and gun-crew descriptions do not supply matched total personnel or establish which cavalry fought. Keep the twenty-five-person crew distinct from the whole force.
Eight companies of the 24th Massachusettswoodbury-burnside-selections-v1, p.90, engagement paragraph (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
ad7a423cadac…a squadron of Colonel Mix's cavalry and a battery of two steel Wiard guns " under Lieutenant William B. Avery^ manned by twenty-five men of the Marineswoodbury-burnside-selections-v1, p.90, same paragraph (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
ad7a423cadac…unknownunresolved
No inspected return establishes matched opening populations. The frozen side-specific numerical bounds are blank; live zeros are not measured absence of troops. Retrospective formations, gun crews, garrisons, prisoners and troops engaged must not be interchanged.
terrain
supportedunresolved NPS places the encounter at the bridge over Tranter’s Creek, with Confederates barricaded in mill buildings.
Attributed locations, not a verified map or a measured crossing advantage.
the mill buildings in which the Confederates were barricaded.nps-nc006-v1, Description · snapshot
24f6bd0a05cd…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.