Report of number of officers and men mounted and dismounted: Present-officers, 12; enlisted men, mounted, 118; enlisted men, dismounted, 99; officers, field and staff, 4; men, field and staff, 3.

This report includes some with unserviceable arms.

J. F. WARING,

Colonel, Commanding.

HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Goldsborough, N. C., March 28, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that this division left Pocotaligo Station with the corps on the 30th of January. On that evening and the next demonstrations were made of attempts to cross the River, which succeeded in drawing re-enforcements of the enemy to a point several miles lower down the Salkehatchie River than the camp of the Seventeenth Corps.

On the morning of the 2nd of February the division left the corps near the junction of Whippy Swamp, moved nineteen miles upon a separate road, and forced the crossing at Barker's Mill the same day. The rebel cavalry being in my rear as well as front I encamped a brigade on each side of the bridge, and when ordered to join the corps next day at Rivers' Bridge I left a regiment which held the bridge at Barker's Mill until the arrival of the Fifteenth Corps. A more extended report was made at the time. * The crossing of the Salkehatchie being forced by the First and Fourth Divisions, on the morning of the 6th of February this division moved in advance, the men carrying ten days' rations. The mounted men of the Twentieth Illinois, together with the mounted infantry at corps headquarters, forced the crossing of the Little Salketry, wading through half a mile of swamp and driving a detachment of 600 of Wheeler's command from the farther side. The bridge was rebuilt and the division crossed that night. Midnight of the 9th the division crossed to the support, if needed, of the First Division, which had forced the crossing of the South Edisto. On the 11th I broke camp at 7 a.m., and at noon was with the division well closed up on the North Edisto, a march of fourteen miles, having pushed the rebels back so rapidly the last three miles as to save the numerous bridges over the different currents of the Edisto, and killing, wounding, and capturing a part of the rebel force. Skirmishing across the River was kept up through the afternoon and night. Careful examination, by wading the swamps for several miles up and down stream, disclosed a favorable place for crossing below, to which a road was constructed in the night. Next morning the pontoon bridge was laid and the troops crossed so quietly that the rebel pickets had no suspicion till they saw the advance emerging from the swamp. Orangeburg was evacuated so promptly that the skirmish line only had any firing at the enemy. A more detailed report was made at division did its full share in the destruction of the railroad in the advance toward Columbia. On the night of the 15th the Second Brigade drove the rebel guard from Taylor's Bridge over Congaree Creek and rebuilt the bridge. In consequence of this, turning the left flank of the force disputing the crossing of the Congaree Creek in front of the Fifteenth Corps, this force fell back before daylight and withdrew into Columbia. A more detailed report was made at the time. # The division did its full share in the

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*See p. 405.

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+See p. 406.

#See p. 407.