White Hall NC008
1862-12-16 to 1862-12-16 · NC · Goldsboro Expedition [December 1862] · frozen result: Inconclusive · NPS summary (as listed)
On December 16, Foster's Union troops reached White Hall where Beverly Robertson's brigade was holding the north bank of the Neuse River. The Federals demonstrated against the Confederates for much of the day, attempting to fix them in position, while the main Union column continued toward the railroad.
Dossier claims
Draft dossier, revision opening-strength-rationale-propagation-2026-09-25. Claims are extraction records with their quoted passages, not historical adjudication. JSON
information
supportedunresolved Smith says Evans appealed for cavalry and he had none, and that the Confederates were sadly in want of cavalry for information.
The Confederate department commander's reports on his means of information; not an inspected message log.
General Evans appealed strongly for cavalryor18-smith-selections-v1, p.107 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
6e46cd8dd2ab…We are sadly in want of cavalry.or18-smith-selections-v1, p.108 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
6e46cd8dd2ab…logistics
unknownunresolved
No battle-specific supply, ammunition or transport return was inspected. Retrospective descriptions are not readiness measures.
objectives
supportedunresolved Foster says he made a strong feint as if to rebuild and cross, then moved on toward Goldsborough; NPS says the Federals demonstrated to fix the Confederates while the main column continued.
Stated purpose from the Union report and NPS; not an inspected order.
I determined to make a strong feint, as if to rebuild and cross.or18-foster-selections-v1, p.57 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
f618e468cf8c…outcome
disputedpost_outcome The frozen result is Inconclusive; the live NPS field reads Indecisive. Foster says his batteries silenced the Confederate guns and he moved on; Smith says the Federals were driven back with very severe loss.
Retain the original result and engagement interval; later movements and campaign contribution are different measures. No new probabilities or individual causal credit. The commanders' reports each claim success; neither is adopted, and the frozen label is retained.
They opened on and silenced, after an hour’s firing, the enemy’s guns.or18-foster-selections-v1, p.57 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
f618e468cf8c…The enemy have been driven back from White Hall Bridge; his loss very severe, ours not so.or18-smith-selections-v1, p.108 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
6e46cd8dd2ab…disputedpost_outcome The frozen casualty text reads 150 total; the live NPS field reads 0 total (US 0; CS 0;).
Original casualty returns were not inspected; preserve totals, categories, cutoffs and differences. No canonical reconciliation or casualty-based opening count; related actions must not be added without resolving population overlap. A live zero is not measured absence.
responsibility
supportedunresolved Smith credits Robertson with driving the Federals back; Foster says he judged his object accomplished and left sharpshooters to continue the fight. The frozen commanders are Foster and Robertson.
Opposing commanders' interested accounts; no automatic sole credit.
driven back by General Eobert- son with severe loss.or18-smith-selections-v1, p.109 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
6e46cd8dd2ab…deeming my object accomplished I moved my command forwardor18-foster-selections-v1, p.57 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
f618e468cf8c…strength
unknownunresolved
No inspected return establishes matched personnel at a common opening boundary. The frozen side-specific numerical strength bounds are blank (missing_numeric_strength). No figure in this pass is adopted as a simultaneous opening force.
supportedunresolved The frozen force field names Amory's and Stevenson's Brigades against Robertson's Brigade; the live field reads zero. Foster says the Ninth New Jersey and Amory's brigade were posted on the bank with several batteries; his cavalry on December 15 found one Confederate regiment and four guns at the bridge.
Formation descriptions only; the December 15 sighting precedes the interval. Live zeros are not measured absence.
Amory's and Stevenson's Brigades [US]; Robertson's Brigade [CS]arnold-cwsac-battles, battle NC008; column forces_text · snapshot
952b5d08402a…The Ninth New Jersey and Colonel Amory’s brigade were sent forwardor18-foster-selections-v1, p.57 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
f618e468cf8c…one regiment and four guns on our side of the bridgeor18-foster-selections-v1, p.57 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
f618e468cf8c…terrain
supportedunresolved Foster found the White Hall bridge burned and the Confederates entrenched across the river, and posted batteries on a hill overlooking the works; NPS says Robertson held the north bank of the Neuse.
Position description from the Union report and NPS; no map verification or numerical terrain effect.
finding the bridge burned and the enemy in some force, with infantry and artillery on the other sideor18-foster-selections-v1, p.57 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
f618e468cf8c…posted them on a hill overlooking the enemy’s intrenchments.or18-foster-selections-v1, p.57 (OCR page markers; not checked against print) · snapshot
f618e468cf8c…Beverly Robertson's brigade was holding the north bank of the Neuse River.nps-nc008-v1, Description · snapshot
1bac0b4e637e…Open questions
- Robertson's report, returns and casualty allocation for White Hall remain deferred.
- NPS/CWSAC is one family. Foster's reports and G. W. Smith's reports, printed in Official Records Series I, Volume XVIII, are two further families of interested commanders' accounts; the volume is a shared container, not an additional witness. Report dates are not event times or proof of contemporary knowledge.
- No automatic commander attribution, causal campaign score, morale/readiness number or battle/campaign double counting.