about one-fourth of a mile from where the main road branched. That night my lines were reformed and I built anew, conforming them to the lines of the enemy as developed by my skirmishers, my right connection with Brevet Major-General Corse, of the Fourth Division, and my left wing Major-General Hazen, of the Second Division. The next morning, the 21st instant, a heavy skirmish line was advanced along my entire front, discovering the enemy still strongly posted in his works.

Brevet Brigadier-General Woods rejoined me to-day with his brigade, and I at once placed him in position in the center of the line, the Second Brigade, Colonel R. F. Catterson commanding, being on the right, and the Third Brigade, Colonel George A. Stone commanding, having the left. My lines were advanced again during the afternoon, the skirmishers moving forward in handsome style, driving the rebel skirmishers out of their intrenched skirmish pits and forcing them back upon their main works, my skirmishers holding all the ground gained, and that, too, under volley firing from the main works of the enemy. I posted a section of the Twelfth Wisconsin Battery on my line in Colonel Catterson's front, and I cannot but speak of the admirable execution and service rendered. The firing enfiladed the enemy's line, and, as was afterward shown, the shots were all directed with great precision, the works giving every evidence of the battery's presence. At dark the new position I had gained was strongly intrenched. At daylight the next morning, the 22nd instant, my skirmishers were again advanced and the rebel works discovered to be evacuated.

Colonel Catterson, having received instructions direct from Major-General Logan, moved out on the Smithfield road, passing beyond Bentonville as far as Hannah's Creek, where he skirmished considerably with the rear guard of the enemy. I followed up with the balance of my division, halting at Bentonville, where Colonel Catterson was ordered to return. Remaining here with my division during the entire day I withdrew to my position of the previous night at 6 p.m., leaving Colonel Catterson with his brigade at Bentonville to destroy the bridge over Mill Creek, with orders to rejoin the division at 4 a.m. the next day. Moving out at about 10 o'clock the morning of the 23rd, I crossed the pontoon over the Neuse River the afternoon of the 24th, and encamped in the position as assigned me around Goldsborough on the New Berne road.

I respectfully inclose a list of the casualties in my command during the skirmishing of the 20th, 21st, and 22nd of March. * I also respectfully invite the attention of the major-general commanding to the amount of corduroying and bridge building as done by the pioneer corps and the several brigades of my division during the campaign recently closed, and also to be the inclosed statement showing the amount of railroad and other property destroyed, and statistics showing the estimated amount of grain and forage captured from the country.

I respectfully refer to the inclosed official of Captain George A. Henry, provost-marshal of the division, showing the number of prisoners captured by my command, and to the inclosed tabular list of the men lost from the division by capture. +

I destroyed, including the cotton burned at Columbia, 1,850 bales of cotton, burning 1,370 bales at Columbia alone. I inclose the official report of my brigade commanders.

I would earnestly but respectfully recommend for promotion on account of his efficiency as an officer and his able management of his

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*Embodied in table, p. 67.

+Shows 2 officers and 40 men.

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