this engagement by the troops of the Twentieth Corps, and was exceedingly complimentary to them. My troops behaved well without exception on this occasion.

On the morning of the 17th, after providing for the wounded and burying the dead, in compliance with instructions I marched in the direction of Bentonville in advance of the column moving in that direction. Some three hour's delay was caused in building a bridge across Black River, and my command was only able to reach Mingo Creek, about eight miles distant, by dark, where it went into camp. March 18, moved early, with Morgan's division in the advance. The enemy's cavalry was repeatedly driven from our front during the day's march, and at Mill Creek opened with his artillery, but was soon driven from his position by a brigade of Morgan's, deployed for that purpose. The general-in-chief, arriving at the head of my column at this time, directed General Morgan to halt his command until the rear could close up. This required the greater part of the afternoon, and the troops were subsequently ordered to encamp for the night. Late in the evening the Fifteenth Corps, moving on a road to our right, arrived and went into camp near by us. The Twentieth Corps encamped a few miles to the rear. During the evening General Morgan sent out a heavy reconnoitering party on the road leading to the left in the direction of Smithfield. This party went to the bridge over Mill Creek on this road, and ascertained that the enemy's cavalry in retiring from his front had burned it.

At 7 o'clock on the morning of the 19th the march was resumed for Cox's Bridge, over the Neuse River, on the main road running in that direction. The Fifteenth Corps here diverged to the right, in the direction of the lower crossing of the River near Goldsborough. Carlin's division in the advance had moved but a short distance beyond our picket-line for the night when his skirmishers encountered the enemy's pickets. It was soon observed that the enemy's pickets yielded their ground with unusual stubbornness for cavalry troops. The first prisoners, however, captured proved to be cavalry, and gave no information of an infantry force behind them. Believing that it was only a division of cavalry with a few pieces of artillery obstructing our march I ordered Carlin to attack vigorously and push on, which he did until reaching Cole's house; here the enemy opened with his artillery from behind works on the left of the road, which completely controlled it. The resistance of the enemy's skirmish line was very determined in front of his works, and Carlin deployed his troops and brought forward his artillery, which soon opened fire, and was sharply answered by the enemy's. Buell's brigade, of Carlin's division, had been ordered to make a flank movement to the left, with a view to ascertaining the enemy's position and strength. This movement was in progress when I arrived at the front, and gave orders for this reconnaissance to be pushed boldly; this was done and the enemy's works attacked. Prisoners and deserters captured by this movement gave ample information of the fact that Johnston's whole force was rapidly being concentrated in our front with intention of giving battle.

Major-General Slocum, commanding the wing, being present at the time this information was received, gave orders accordingly for the rapid pushing forward of the troops, particularly of the Twentieth Corps, which were some distance behind. Morgan's division had been ordered to take position on the right of Miles' brigade, of Carlin's division, on that side of the road. As the brigades of this division were successively formed skirmish lines were immediately thrown out and