and energy, and that of the officers and men under my command, was enabled to preserve comparative quiet and good order in the city while occupied by our army. This brigade acted as the rear guard of the army when the city of Columbia was evacuated by our troops on the 20th of February, and entered the town of Cheraw with the other brigades of the division on the 4th of March. As the brigade was moving out of the place, to cross the pontoon bridge over the Great Pedee River, a large quantity of rebel ammunition, which had been thrown into a ravine near the road, was accidentally exploded, killing one man and wounding five of the brigade. On the 15th day of March, after the passage of the Fifteenth Army Corps across the Cape Fear River at Fayetteville, I received orders from headquarters Fifteenth Army Corps to take charge of and guard all the transportation of the several divisions of the corps, with the expedition of headquarters and regimental teams, twelve ammunition wagons to each division, and the ambulances. The same was to be organized into one train. The train when thus organized number 550 wagons, and when drawn out on the road extended a distance of four miles and a half. To assist in this escort duty the Ninetieth Illinois and Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry and the Twenty-ninth Missouri Mounted Infantry were ordered to report to me. I left Cape Fear River opposite Fayetteville with the train and escort on March 16, at 11 a.m., and on the 20th instant, at 5 p.m., parked the train, pursuant to orders form headquarters Fifteenth Army Corps, with the train of Major-General Mower's division, of the Seventeenth Corps, on Buck Creek, about eight miles from Dudley's Station, on the Goldsborough and Wilmington Railroad. From the 16th to the 20th of March, inclusive, the train, with its escort, made an average march of ten miles per day, including twenty-four hours spent in crossing the South River. During this time the train and troops crossed the South River, Little Cohera and Great Cohera Rivers, and Buck Creek. All of these streams were difficult to pass, and the three first named I was compelled to bridge. Generally the roads were as bad as a treacherous solid and rainy weather could make them. Leaving the train at Buck Creek in charge of a brigade of Major-General Mower's division. I marched until 3 a.m., halted until 6. 30 a.m., when I resumed the march and rejoined the division about 11 a.m., about three miles from Bentonville. The enemy was here in the force and intrenched.

Pursuant to orders I placed the brigade in the front line between the Second and Third Brigades, of the First Division, leaving the Twelfth Indiana Infantry in reserve. Under a sharp skirmish fire and within 350 yards of the enemy's main line a strong line of earth-works was built. Pursuant to orders I made preparations to advice a line of skirmishers and drive the enemy from their skirmish pits. I detailed 100 men as skirmishers, with Captain William Burch, of the Thirty-first and Thirty-second Missouri Consolidated Battalion, as officer in charge, and directed Captain Edward S. Lenfesty, picket officer on my staff, to take the general supervision of the movement. The skirmishers moving at the same time with those of the Second and Third Brigades advanced briskly, and after a hot skirmishers moving at the same time with those of the Second and Third Brigades advanced briskly, and after a hot skirmish, almost amounting to a battle, drove the enemy's skirmishers from their intrenched position and immediately commenced to reverse the pits. Before this was completed the enemy came out strong force from their main line and retook a part of the pits. They were again driven out and again retook them. I then sent out a re-enforcement of forty men, and with their