 On 8 December 1862 Colonel Heckman was given an independent command that included the 9th New Jersey, a detachment from the 3rd New York Cavalry, and the 1st Rhode Island Battery.On 11 December, General Foster led another raid intent on disrupting traffic on the Weldon Railroad indirectly supporting General Burnside's attack on Fredericksburg, Virginia.Foster led 10,000 to 12,000 directly west toward Goldsboro, North Carolina (sometimes written as "Goldsborough").