All the refugees of the army were concentrated at this point and moved to Wilmington under escort of the men to be discharged from the service, General Smith's division supplying most of them drawn from my corps.

The Fourth, Second, and Third Divisions, in that order, moved out on the 15th instant to South River, where General Corse encountered the enemy's cavalry and easily dislodged them from their position on that stream, rebuilding the bridge during the night. The First Division remained in camp during the day, which was consumed, as previously stated, in organizing the trains and in dispatching the refugees to Wilmington. It rained nearly all day and during the night, making the roads quite heavy.

The movement in support of the Left Wing fairly commenced on the morning of the 16th instant, for on that day the divisions crossed South River and the trains of the corps reached and parked along its banks. the unencumbered divisions were encamped on and in the neighborhood of the Fayetteville and Bentonville road, just in advance of the trains of the Twentieth Army Corps. On the morning of the 17th the corps moved to Jenks' Cross-Roads, and the trains of the corps succeeded in crossing South River, but the bottom of the stream had fallen out and the worst holes had to be filled up with bricks and huge logs, pinned down to make them retain their position, before the wagons could be gotten across. The roads to and from the crossing were in a wretched condition and had to be corduroyed. The movement was continued on the 18th instant unopposed by serious resistance, and the corps was moved to Newton Grove Cross-Roads, with one division in position covering the road to Lee's Store. Provisions having been previously made to pontoon the Little Cohera, the trains moved across, reaching Beaman's Cross-Roads some time during the night. The roads had grown better, but still required a good deal of corduroying before they would bear out trains. On the 19th instant the corps moved forward on the most direct road to Everettsville, but owing to the nature of the roads, passing through swamps and crossing the headwaters of Falling Creek, the column was not entirely closed up, the wagons of the Third Division stretching out badly, necessitating a good deal of work by General Woods' pioneers to clear the way for his division. The head of the column reached the intersection of the Cox's Bridge road before noon, and Colonel Wever's brigade, Third Division, was put in position across that road facing the bridge until the rest of the corps should come up. I had sent my mounted infantry to the bridge across the Neuse near Goldsborough, where they encountered a force of the enemy's cavalry, and after skirmishing with them during the day compelled the rebels to cross the river and destroy the bridge. During the afternoon heavy cannonading was heard in the direction of Bentonville and of the Left Wing, and a force of some 500 rebel cavalry appearing in the road leading to Cox's Bridge, one regiment was pushed out in that direction, driving the enemy from the cross-roads near the bridge. The cannonading still continuing, I ordered General Woods and Corse to move up their divisions as rapidly as possible and put General Smith in position with orders to intrench. The cross-roads above referred to being considered of great importance Colonel Wever's whole brigade was ordered to that position, and after visiting the ground with the general commanding, it was decided to move Generals Woods' and Corse' divisions to that point also, with instructions to make and intrenched line. General Hazen was encamped some miles to the rear, with orders to move at daylight