stream, he could not finish until another portion of the train arrived. February 18 we took up the bridge at the Saluda River and marched to Broad River, arriving at the latter about 2 a.m. on the morning of the 19th, after passing over some very bad road through a very swampy country. We finished the bridge partially constructed by Major Downey. The River had a width of 640 feet, and by the time the bridge was completed the pontoon sent to the Army of the Tennessee reported. February 20, took up the bridge at 10 p.m. and marched all night; reached camp of the Twentieth Army Corps at 5 o'clock on the morning of the 21st; halted two hours and fed, and then resumed our march on the Winnsborough road.

February 22, marched on the road to Rocky Mount, reaching Catawba River at 5 p.m., and threw a bridge across during the night of 660 feet. This bridge was laid just below the rapids, and at that time the River was low and the current not very rapid; but on the night of the 23rd it commenced raining rapidly. On the 23rd and 24th the Twentieth Army Corps and cavalry crossed. The hill on the opposite bank being very steep, and becoming almost impassable from increasing rain, the trains progressed slowly in crossing. February 25, River still rising and the current becoming so rapid that I had to place heavy timbers on the lower end of the boats to prevent them from sinking or filling with water. During the 25th about two-thirds of the train of the Tenth Army Crossed and stopped at dark on account of the hill on the opposite bank. It commenced raining at 7 p.m., and I accordingly sent word to the quartermaster in charge of the remainder of the train that had not crossed that he had better cross it immediately; and consequently the teams were soon ready at the bridge, but made slow speed. At 12 p.m. the same night some 400 feet, midway the span, broke loose and washed violently away. February 26 we took out the remainder of the pontoons and made hasty preparations to span the River some 500 yards below, and at that time received orders from General Davis to suspend operations until further orders. February 27, to-day we laid our second bridge, 680 feet in length. Here the current was not so rapid, and by 11 p.m. we completed the bridge when the troops commenced crossing. February 28, the army all being crossed we took up the bridge at night.

March 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, we marched from the Catawba to the Great Pedee River, reaching the latter at Haile's Ferry 11 p.m. During the bridging of this River General Buell took command, I, myself, being so afflicted with the rheumatism that I could not render much assistance. The bridge was commenced at 1 p.m., the River being 920 feet in width, and, as we only had in train some 820 feet of boat and 460 of balk and chess, we were necessarily compelled to procure a greater portion of the material. The men worked all night, but on account of the rapidity of the stream and considerable difficulty in getting anchors to hold we progressed slowly, and the bridge was finished at 3 p.m. March 7, army finished crossing and General Buell being ordered forward with the advance the bridge was taken up at night. March 8, I moved out with General Morgan's division; marched some twenty miles and camped at 10 p.m. March 9, in obedience to orders I reported with my command to Major-General Williams, Twentieth Army Corps, on the road near McFarland's Bridge, and on the night of the 10th threw a bridge of 320 feet over backwater and Rockfish Creek. March 11, I left Captain Smith with two companies to take up the bridge when the troops and all the trains crossed, and I marched with the remainder of the command at 6 a.m., and reached camp within two miles and a half of Fayetteville on the Cape Fear River at 9 p.m.