The American Cyclopædia (1879)/New Berne

NEW BERNE, or Newbern, a city and the capital of Craven co., North Carolina, the port of entry of the district of Pamlico, on the S. W. bank of the river Neuse at its confluence with the Trent, 40 m. from its mouth, and on the Atlantic and North Carolina railroad, 107 m. by rail S. E. of Raleigh; pop. in 1850, 4,681; in 1860, 5,432; in 1870, 5,849, of whom 3,829 were colored. Ocracoke inlet affords communication with the sea. There are lines of steamers to New York, Baltimore, and Norfolk. The city has a considerable commerce, principally coastwise. The chief articles of trade are cotton, lumber, naval stores, and fish. The value of foreign commerce for the year ending June 30, 1874, was $12,212; entrances and clearances, 13, of 1,021 tons; entrances in the coastwise trade, 179, of 31,807 tons; clearances, 80, of 17,992 tons; belonging to the district, 67 vessels, of 1,412 tons. There are several turpentine distilleries, founderies and machine shops, grist and saw mills, manufactories of carriages, agricultural implements, &c. The city has an academy, several good private schools, a national bank, a daily and three weekly newspapers, a monthly magazine, and Baptist, Christian, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic churches. It was at one time the capital of the province of North Carolina.—During the civil war New Berne, which was defended by intrenchments and breastworks, was captured by Gen. Burnside, after a severe fight, March 14, 1862. Sixty-nine cannon and much ammunition were taken, and the city suffered considerably by fire.