near their second line of works, as though to charge upon our infantry, but General Woods got his division with Hazen on his right, and night closed in without an attack. General Smith's reconnaissance on the Congaree River was perfectly successful, and the whole corps encamped prepared for an early advance in the morning. During the entire night the rebels shelled our camps from the other side of the river, but to little purpose, for on the advance of our skirmish line in the morning (the 16th of February) the enemy's second line was found abandoned, and the corps moved on Columbia in the following order: General Hazen having the right, with General Woods, Smith, and Corse in support. On approaching the city it was discovered that the enemy had destroyed the bridge over the Congaree River, and on examination the engineer officers reported that our pontoons would not reach across, and that it would be necessary to force the passage of the Saluda and Broad to effect a crossing. The enemy showing no disposition to surrender the city, but manifesting great industry in removing stores, &c., from the different warehouses, a section of De Gress' battery was put in position, shelling Columbia during the entire morning.

In accordance with orders from Major-General Howard I moved General Hazen's division to Saluda Factory, on the Saluda River, and directed him to throw some men across the stream in pontoon-boats to dislodge the enemy from the opposite bank and admit of the laying of the pontoon bridge. This maneuver was successful, and the Engineer Regiment worked without interruption from the enemy's sharpshooters. As soon as the bridge was completed I pushed the mounted forces of the whole army across in advance of the corps, hoping they might be able to save the bridge over the Saluda, but it was necessary to cross our infantry before the enemy could be driven from their position, and they had ample time to destroy the bridge before the advance of our troops could contend successfully with the flames. Night falling before the pontoon bridge could be gotten up the troops were put in camp covering the peninsula that they occupied. To General Woods was assigned the advance in crossing the Broad, and he was instructed to push a brigade over by daylight, with orders to move in the direction of Columbia and occupy the city if possible. The pontoon was not completed as rapidly as was anticipated, and Colonel Stone's brigade did not cross before 7 a.m., when he moved out in the direction of Columbia, meeting with little resistance. On his approach he was met by the mayor and other prominent citizens, who formally surrendered the city to his command. Colonel Stone moved his brigade into Columbia, taking possession of the public stores and buildings. A provost guard was at once organized and great exertions to preserve order and protect the city were made by all his officers; but the citizens had received our soldiers with bucketfuls of liquor, and the negroes, overjoyed at our entrance, piloted them to buildings where wine and whisky were stored, and for awhile all control was lost over the disorganized mass. On completion of the bridge the rest of the corps crossed and moved through the city to position on the Columbia Branch of the South Carolina Railroad. Toward dark Colonel Stone's brigade was relieved from duty and fresh troops moved into the city to clear it of the rioters, and, if possible, to pring the night, but the citizens had so crazed our men with liquor that it was almost impossible to control them. The scenes in Columbia that night were terrible. Some fiend first applied the torch and the wild flames leaped from house to house and street to street until the lower and business part of the city was wrapped in flames. Frightened citizens rushed in