 Five days later she made the return passage towing damaged steamer to New Bern, North Carolina, for repairs.Similar duty maintaining communications and lines of supply between Navy units in the sounds continued until 12 December when "Isaac N. Seymour" ascended the Neuse River with four other ships to support an Army expedition to destroy railroad bridges and track near Goldsboro, North Carolina, but the mission was aborted by low water which prevented their advancing more than 15 miles beyond New Bern.Confederate troops attacked the Union garrison at Washington, North Carolina, 31 March 1863 establishing a siege which threatened to starve the Northern troops into surrender.