guerrillas, as we afterward learned, lost in this fight 13 killed and wounded, although sheltered, thus faring worse than our men, who lost 11, though exposed.

After crossing Indiantown Bridge, his rear guard holding the bridge was attacked, but drove back the enemy. The next day, with our combined force, I went back to meet them, drove them a long chase into their swamp, and after much trouble struck their trail, viz, a succession of single felled trunks leading into their citadel. We filed in single, burned their camp, took many guns, chiefly new Enfields (Tower mark, 1863), considerable fine ammunition, drum clothes, provisions, &c. After burning the neighboring houses and giving them another chase, we marched to Currituck Court-House, where we met our little steamer again, also the army gunboat Flora Temple. Sent more loads to Roanoke Island.

Sent our Colonel Draper with 170, to attack Captain Grandy's camp, situated like the others in the center of a swamp on Crab's Island, accessible only by single file over a pathway of felled trunks, from a third to half a mile long. He burned the camp, took a few guns and equipments, some provisions, some new uniforms (of course, gray), and some shoes.

The next day I landed Colonel Draper, with 250 men, on Knott's Island, to find his own way home; thence sweeping in negroes, and attending to the guerrillas of Captain Coffey's company. I then loaded the wounded, sick, and lame on the remaining steamer and a bateau, together with a large number of contrabands and their baggage, and started them for Norfolk.

While making these preparations, Colonel De Forest, at Northwest Landing, sent down Major White, with a party of cavalry, to warn me that the rebels were moving in force, with cavalry and artillery to cut me off. As my strength was now reduced to 400 infantry, and very much the worse for wear, and encumbered with a train of seventy-three teams, with many contraband families, I felt the need of retreat. I took 100 lame men off the boat and made a forced march by moonlight to Northwest Landing, sent the train next day to the city, and lay still two nights, ready to support Colonel De Forest in case of attack. Colonel Draper rejoined me there, having heard of the danger, and ferried across at Pongo Bridge. He came to re-enforce us. At Pongo Bridge he came in collision with Lieutenant-Colonel Wead, Ninety-eighth New York, who attempted to take a prisoner from him vi et armis.

The personal violence inflicted upon Colonel Draper and Lieutenant Conant, and the imminent danger of a pitched battle between the respective armed parties, have already been made the subject of a special complaint, and forwarded to department headquarters.

The menaced attack from the rebels apparently blown over, we left Northwest Landing and marched home divided (one party by Deep Creek the other by Great Bridge), arriving December 23 and 24.

In enumeration we sent by water 9 loads to Roanoke Island and 2 to Norfolk, besides 4 long trains overland. Their exact numbers it was impossible to count, as they were constantly coming and going, but we estimate 2,500 negroes released and migrated.

But few results were gained, as the able-bodied negroes have had ample opportunities for escape heretofore, or have been run over into Dixie, perhaps from 70 to 100 in all. We burned 4 guerrilla camps, took over 50 guns, 1 drum, together with equipments, ammu-

58 R R-VOL XXIX, PT I