and the railroad. The bridge across the Little Salkehatchie being soon rebuilt Generals Woods and Hazen moved their divisions and trains across during the afternoon and evening, the whole corps going into camp, grouped around Springtown Meeting-House. The night set in with rain which continued with great severity until quite late the next morning.

In accordance with instructions received from the general-in-chief orders were issued for an advance on the railroad, to commence at 6 o'clock the next morning. The order comprehended the movement of two divisions in light fighting trim, unencumbered with wagons, except ten from the ordnance train and the ambulances of each division; the rest of the wagons were to move under escort of the remaining division, with orders to go into park in the event of an engagement with the enemy, so that the troops guarding them might be relieved and moved to the front should occasion require there presence. The First and Second Divisions, moving in that order, were those chosen for the advance, and at 7 o'clock the morning of the 7th the troops moved forward, the roads in a wretched condition from the storm of the night previous. The advance was unposed, and with the exception of felled timber in the crossing of Lemon Swamp, which delayed the column a short time, the march was made with ease and celerity, my mounted infantry striking the railroad at Bamberg, or Lowry's Station, by 9. 30 a.m., and by 12 me. I had two brigades at work tearing up the track and piling up ties and rails preparatory to burning and twisting the same. The First Division encamped about two miles north of the railroad, covering the Cannon's Bridge road, with General Hazen on the left, covering the approaches from Orangeburg. General Smith was in position south of the railroad, covering the trains. The next day, the 8th ultimo, was spent in destroying the railroad, every rail being twisted, the infantry tearing up the track and piling the rails and ties, and the Engineer Regiment twisting each rail, utterly destroying the road. In accordance with instructions from the commander-in-chief I directed General Hazen to send a brigade on a reconnaissance to Cannon's Bridge, on the South Edisto, to ascertain the condition of the crossing and the movements of the enemy. Colonel Jones, commanding brigade, found the bridge destroyed and the enemy in position on the opposite bank of the river, and as his orders were merely to reconnoiter the road leading to the bridge and not to force a crossing he returned to camp without loss to his command.

In accordance with orders from department headquarters I moved the First and Third Divisions of the corps on the morning of the 9th from Lowry's Station to Graham's Station, and encamped them in position to the north of the railroad, covering the approaches from Binnaker's and Holman's Bridges. The Second Division, General Hazen commanding, moved along the big Augusta road to the first cross-roads near Holman's Bridge, going into camp facing the river, with a strong picket pushed to the river bank, the bridge having been destroyed by the enemy. The First and Third Divisions each had a brigade at work on the railroad, destroying ties and rails, working in the direction of Blackville. Through one of General Corse's staff officers, who joined me at this point, I learned that he was back at the crossing of the big Salkehatchie, pushing forward with all dispatch to join the rest of the corps. After leaving Savannah General Corse encountered serious obstacles to this advance. The roads were almost impassable for artillery and trains, and on reaching the Savannah, at Sister's Ferry, the river was found far two swollen to put in the pontoons till the water had