ously for five or six miles. Our men made short work of clearing away these obstacles, going at it joyously and declaring that they can remove them quicker than the rebels can make them.

The next day General Blair crossed one of his remaining, divisions over Whippy Swamp and sent the other (General Force's) to a crossing higher up, opposite Angley's Post-Office. General Mower had the advance of the right column. On reaching the road leading to Broxton's Bridge he made a reconnaissance in force, developed a long skirmish line, a battery of artillery, and breast-works. The bridge over the Salkehatchie at this point was a continuous one and thoroughly destroyed. Leaving a regiment at this point to make a diversion, Mower pushed on rapidly to Rivers' Bridge, five miles above, hindered the enemy from destroyed it, but was stopped by a furious discharged of musketry and artillery bearing on the narrow causeway-approach and all from behind works constructed on a bluff that was enough higher than the causeway to make the fire effective. Here the brave and excellent Colonel Swayne, of the Forty-third Ohio, lost a leg, and five or six other casualties occurred. During part of the day the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry led the skirmishers and made several gallant charges against the enemy's cavalry, in one of which Lieutenant-Colonel Kirby, of General Blair's staff, was wounded.

The next day General Blair continued his operations. General Giles A. Smith's division was sent two miles below and crossed the Salkehatchie with its immense swamp and numerous branches by wading, while Mower confronted the works directly and cut two infantry road-ways a mile and a half in length to enable him to turn the enemy to the north. Here the officers and men worked all day in the water and mud, often waits deep. Just at dark two of Mower's brigades and overcome all obstacles and got upon the enemy's right flank beyond his intrenchments. He had his rear open and succeeded in escaping with the exception of a few prisoners (about thirty reported). General Smith skirmished heavily with a force toward his right and prevented any assistance to the enemy from Broxton's Bridge.

I visited the field just after General Mower had carried the works. The position was as good for defense as any I ever saw, with abatis or shading covering its front, and that undescribable river with its swamp to discourage every approach. General Blair's loss in his action was 10 or 12 killed and about 70 wounded. Enemy's loss, some 20 killed and 150 wounded.

Correspondent to General Blair's movement General Logan was to have reached Angley's Post-Office, but the general-in-chief held him back to enable the movement of the Left Wing to be co-operative, so that his head of column only reached that point on the evening of the 3rd of February. The same day General Force closed up to Rivers' Bridge. On the 4th General Logan moved two divisions to Buford's Bridge and closed up the remainder of his column to Angley's Post-Office. He only reported skirmishing with enemy's cavalry, heavy roads sometimes obstructed and always to be corduroyed through the swamps and low ground.

Buford's Bridge (or bridges, as the river has some fifteen or more channels at this post) afforded a military position of equal difficulty with that at Rivers', but the enemy abandoned it as soon as we broke through below.

Great pains were taken to organize regular and efficient foraging parties for each brigade, battery, &c. They were permitted to mount themselves and required to bring in horses, mules, cattle, and all kinds