destruction of the railroad from Columbia to Winnsborough. At the crossing of the Wateree on pontoons, the division, being the rear of the corps, began to cross just before midnight of the 24th. The breaking of the bridge produced such delay that it was 9 o'clock next morning before the rear regiment crossed in rear of the pontoon trains. The other divisions had gained such and advance the previous day that this division, retarded by the care of the pontoon trains, by continual rains and wretched roads, made worse by the travel of the other divisions, remained in the rear four days. As much as four miles of corduroy were laid in a day, an entire brigade aiding the pioneers. The crossing of Lynch's Creek so delayed the corps that the division overtook in there on the 27th of February and took its place in the column next day. After passing through the rich country about Cheraw and Bennettsville in fine weather, the rains returned as we struck the swamps about the head of the Little Pedee, occasioning severe toil and night marched to get the trains along. May bridges had to be constructed. Over Rockfish Creek, a deep and rapid stream, one was built of fifty feet span clear, and so solid that the trains left it firm and unshaken. Leaving Fayetteville the division was all night crossing the Cape Fear River on pontoons. For the three following nights, until we reached Beaman's Cross-Roads, the division was upon the road all night, repairing roads and helping wagons along, the rear coming into camp by broad daylight.

On the morning of the 20th the head of the corps left camp, near Mount Olive, at 3 a.m. to go to the aid of the Left Wing, but the road was so blockade by the Fifteenth Corps and the two advanced divisions that it was 8 o'clock before the division was stretched out in the road. By 4. 30 p.m. the division had marched twenty miles. It then took position on the right of the line of the army near Bentonville and intrenched. Next day the line was advanced to the ravine, which was crowned on the farther side by the rebel works. The skirmish line was forced across the swamp which fills the bottom of the ravine so close up that the reserves were within 119 paces of the main rebel works. Before daylight the enemy evacuated the works and we entered.

Easy marching thence to Goldsborough closed up the campaign. The swampy soil and the quantity of rain on this march required toil in carrying the trains along, exceeding anything which the division had ever known before. The ordinary marching often, and the attack upon an intrenched position always, required officers and men to wade, sometimes hip-deep. The loss of sleep was exhausting. Having drawn no clothing at Beaufort or Savannah, except sewed shoes, the men were clad in rags and nearly 700, being 18 per cent. of the whole, were entirely barefooted. The command subsisted almost wholly on foraged subsistence. In thirty days three days' rations of hard bread were issued. At times the men were reduced to living on parched corn; at times they feasted upon abundance. The health was unusually good, and the men were never in more exuberant spirits.

The destruction of the railroad was complete, the rails being twisted. The casualties were slight: 4 enlisted men were killed, 1 officer and 21 enlisted men wounded, and 12 enlisted men missing, the names of whom were given at the time of loss.

Appended is an abstract of work accomplished by the command during the campaign.

Captain J. C. Douglass, the experienced assistant adjutant-general of the division, made the labor of my temporary command comparatively