The Capture of Greenville, N.C.-- Part 2: Flag of Truce Disregarded

They encountered Confederate cavalry on a bridge near town, but they fled.  Second Engineer Lay then ordered E.A. McDonald to take the launch and a howitzer and position it so as to guard the bridge.He then landed the rest of his force and marched to Greenville under a flag of truce whereupon the mayor surrendered the town.

Shots were heard from the bridge area and Lay brought his howitzer to bear on it and fired several stands of grape shot in that general direction.  One Union man was killed.  Since his flag of truce had been disregarded, he ordered McDonald to destroy the bridge.

They Union force took ten prisoners and returned to the steamer North State and reached Yankee Hall on the Tar River at 10 p.m. where they remained for the night, making preparations for defense and an anticipated Confederate attack further downriver at Boyd's Ferry.

Lay also made a report on the Tar River and said that ships drawing 5 or 6 feet of water could ascend the river as far as Yankee Hall, nine miles above Washington, N.C..  He also made careful observations of the banks of the Tar River.

--Old B-Runner