marched, five miles. February 17, remained in camp until 3 p. m. and then following the Second and Fourth Division crossed Broad River on pontoons, and marched through Columbia to camp one mile east of the city. Observing that soldiers were obtaining liquor freely, I gave orders that no one should leave camp, and remained with my command. February 18, command in camp. A detail of 500 men each, from the First and Second Brigades, properly officered for fatigue duty, together with the pioneer corps and fifty wagons, reported to Captain Buel, chief ordnance officer, to destroy public works, machinery, ordnance, ordnance stores, and ammunition, of which there were large quantities. February 19, the work of demolishing stores of all kinds continued. During the day an explosion took place near th detail of the Sixty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry were unloading ammunition and throwing it into the river, caused by the reckless habits our soldiers get into by their familiarity with danger. By this explosion Captain W. M. Davis, Jesse Johnson, and James Kilpatrick, of Company F, Sixty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and Coleman P. Wright, of the Tenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, were instantly killed. Twenty-one men of the Sixty-third Illinois were severely burnt and wounded. (Sergeant Dalbey is dead). One wagon and six miles were burned up and a number of animals more or less injured. I am unable to report the amount of machinery, ordnance, ordnance stores, and ammunition destroyed by the detail from my command, but some idea may be formed from the fact that it occupied 1,200 men (including pioneer corps) and 50 wagons from 1 p. m. on the 18th until 6 p. m. on the 19th. February 20, broke camp at 7 a. m. and marched out on Camden road twenty-two miles, encamping at 4 p. m. near Rice Creek; weather clear and roads good. February 21, broke camp at 12 m. and marched seventeen miles, encamping at Harrison's Cross-Roads at 11 p. m., rear guard arriving at camp at 12. 30 a. m. 22d. February 22, broke camp at 7 a. m. and marched to Peay's Ferry, on Wateree River, arriving at noon. At this pont all surplus animals were turned over to Colonel G. L. Fort, chief quartermaster. Command commenced crossing on pontoons at dark and encamped near the river between the hours of 8. 30 and 11. 30 p. m. ; distance marched, even miles. February 23, broke camp at 6. 30 a. m. and marched eighteen miles, encamping at 3. 30 p. m. on J. R. Dye's plantation, near Flat Rock; weather cloudy; country very broken; roads good. February 24, broke camp at 6. 30 a. m. and marched sixteen miles, encamping at 5 p. m. at West's Cross-Roads. Quite a large force of Butler's cavalry was seen during the day upon our left flank, but they kept at a respectful distance. Weather was rainy and road in bad condition. February 25, at about 10 a. m. Young's command, of Butler's division, cavalry, 600 or 700 strong, captured 7 wagons, 7 enlisted men, and 4 contrabands while after corn at a plantation two miles in rear of the camp. Some of the enemy came up to within fifty yards of our picket-pots, when one of their horses was shot. This being reported to me I ordered one regiment to move out to drive them off and if possible recover our wagons. The Forty-eighth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry was selected, and deploying skirmishers moved out, driving the enemy back, off the Camden road. Our wagons, however, had been driven rapidly over the brigade across Little Lynch's Creek, and having no mounted force I could not pursue them. In this skirmish we lost 2 enlisted men killed and 1 wounded. Two of our men were brutally murdered, in plain view of our skirmishers, after having surrendered, in retaliation for which I ordered two of their men, who were taken in our uniform,