refugees (white and black), all useless wagons, stock, &c. were ordered to be sent to Wilmington, which was done. No material change in the position of my command took place during the 14th. General preparations were made for the advance on Goldsborough. Morgan's and Carlin's divisions were ordered to hold themselves in readiness to march unencumbered with their trains in the movements of the Left Wing in the direction of Averasborough. On the morning of the 15th, in accordance with instructions, following the Twentieth Corps, marched to Taylor's Hole Creek and went into camp for the night. March 16, I ordered the troops to be in readiness to march at an early hour, but, owing to the exceedingly bad roads encountered by the troops in advance, it was quite late in the morning before my column had gotten entirely upon the road. The firing a few miles in front indicated that the enemy had been found by the advance of the Twentieth Corps, and about 10 a.m. I received orders to send forward a brigade to the front. Tadly blocked up with wagons, pack mules, &c., that the troops were compelled to march through the woods; this was very difficult to do, in timber so thick, and ground so swampy. Mitchell's brigade, of Morgan's division, was ordered to push forward, and on arriving at the front was placed on the left of the line of the Twentieth Corps, already formed, and which had but a short time previous, after some very severe fighting, carried the enemy's first line of works, capturing three pieces of artillery.

Mitchell's line had been formed but a few minutes, when a general advance and attack was ordered. This brigade moved forward in conjunction with the troops on its right, and the second line of the enemy's works were carried, the heaviest fighting being done by the troops of the Twentieth Corps. An advance beyond the works just captured disclosed the enemy's main lines, strongly intrenched running across the main Fayetteville and Averasborough road and covering the road leading from Averasborough to Bentonville and Goldsborough. In order to ascertain how far the enemy's works extended in the direction of the River to our left the other two brigades of Morgan's division were ordered up, and came as promptly to the front as the nature of the roads and their obstructed condition would permit. Fearing's brigade was at once deployed, and promptly drove in the enemy's skirmishers, and formed on Mitchell's left within musket-range of the enemy's works. In compliance with orders General Morgan pushed Vandever's brigade between Fearing's left and the River, and after considerable severe skirmishing drove the enemy's outposts into his main works, which were found to extend to the River-bank, and considerably refused at that point. The enemy was now at all points in Morgan's front driven into his works, and a heavy fire from a strong skirmish line kept up until near sunset, when, in compliance with orders, the troops threw up some temporary breast-works and bivouacked in lines of battle for the night.

Carlin's division was massed in reserve during the evening and took no active part in the operations of the day.

Baird's division left Fayetteville and marched with the general supply train for Cox's Bridge via Troublefield's Store.

On the morning of the 17th it was discovered that the enemy had evacuated his position, and was retreating in the direction of Raleigh. My loss in killed and wounded in this engagement, principally in Morgan's division, was 126. * The heaviest part of the fighting was done in

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*But see revised table, p. 64.

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28 R R-VOL XLIVII, PT I