the farthest embankment held by our men, charged over the traverse, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Lyman, who fell here, and drove the enemy. Other detached portions of the regiment occupied various positions but all behaved bravely.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. B. ESSINGTON,

Captain, Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant I. E. SMITH,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Second Brigadier, Second Dv., 24th Army Corps.

Numbers 15. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Nathan J. Johnson, One hundred and fifteenth New York Infantry, commanding Third Brigade, of operations January 15.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, SECOND DIV., 24TH ARMY CORPS,
Fort Fisher, N. C., January 19, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that the Third Brigade, Second Division, Twenty-fourth Army Corps, took the following part in the engagement of the 15th instant:

At about 10.30 a. m. on the 15th instant Colonel Louis Bell, commanding brigade, received orders to move his brigade and form the third line of the forces attacking Fort Fisher. The brigade formed that line about 1 p. m. in front of Fort Fisher, and under the command of Colonel Alonzo Alden, of the One hundred and sixty-ninth New York Volunteers (Colonel Bell having been ordered by General Ames to remain near him for the purpose of receiving orders), at 2.15 p. m. received orders to advance, which it did in the following order: Left in front, the Thirteenth Indiana Volunteers, One hundred and fifteenth New York Volunteers, Fourth New Hamsphire Volunteers, and One hundred and sixty-ninth New York Volunteers forming the line (the Ninth Main Volunteers, belonging to the brigade, was not with the expedition). The brigade entered the fort about 2.45 p. m., conjointly with a portion of the First

Brigade, at the left bastion, a portion moving along the there-plein and a portion on the ramparts, parapets, and slopes, some of the officers and men in the advance, with officers and men of the other brigades, all vying with each other in the noble emulation of who should be first in the grand achievements of that memorable day. The brigade continued the contest, advancing along the works until they were taken and Fort Fisher passed into Union hands.

The list of casualties has already been forwarded, to which I beg leave to refer.

The brigade was ordered to man the fort, and bivouacked inside the works. Guards were placed over (as was supposed) all the magazines and bomb-proofs containing powder and ordnance stores, but, as it subsequently appeared, one magazine was left unguarded, and about 7 a. m. on the 16th instant it exploded, burying in its debris a large number and wounding others. A list of the casualties has been forwarded, to which I respectfully beg leave to refer.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

N. J. JOHNSON,

Lieutenant-Colonel 115th New York Volunteers, Commanding Brigade.

Captain CHARLES A. CARLETON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Division.