two miles from camp to the Greenville and Columbia Railroad to assist in destroying it, after which the command returned to camp for the night. At this camp orders were received to destroy all surplus baggage, which was done, the extra transportation being required for the conveyance of rations for the men. The column now moved on the Winnsborough road, crossing the Little River at Ebenezer Church, until within five miles of the town, when it diverged to the left to White Oak Station, on the Charlotte and South Carolina Railroad. From here our direction was north of east to Rocky Mount Post-Office, on the Catawba River, near the northeast corner of Fairfield District, where the command arrived on the evening of the 23rd. On the 24th the pontoon bridge being completed this command crossed over with the exception of the Eighty-sixth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, which was detailed as guard for the division supply train. Before the whole train could cross the River the bridge gave way and crossing was suspended until a new one could be constructed, which was not until the night of the 27th, when the remainder of the train was moved across. In consequence of recent very heavy rains the earth was perfectly saturated with water, converting it into a continuous quicksand. Man and beast sank into it wherever they went. The roads had to be corduroy when the trains moved.

For three days this command was continuously employed in repairing the roads and in lifting wagons and teams out of the mud. This brigade having charge of the train during the crossing and also during the first day's march to Warrenton, its duties were well calculated to test the physical endurance of the best troops in the service. From the crossing of the Catawba we took the Chesterfield road, leaving the town to the right, crossed the Great Pedee River eight miles north of Cheraw and entered the State of North Carolina fourteenth miles South of Rockingham on the 7th of March. This marching between the rivers will be memorable as the first marching ever done on such roads with an equal amount of labor, having traveled twenty-five miles a day over the worst of roads, taking our heavy supply and ordnance trains into camp with us each night. We now directed our course toward Fayetteville, N. C., crossing the Lumber River (Little Pedee) at Graham's Bridge. Here we met with another of our dreadful quicksand experiences; having charge of the train, after crossing the bridge, which we destroyed on the 9th, the rain began soon to fall in torrents; the earth seemed to melt beneath our feet; then followed all our horrible experiences of the crossing of the Catawba River.

No description can do justice to the events that followed. Suffice it that this command corduroyed the road for the greater part of twelve miles during that afternoon and night, arriving at camp at 8 o'clock next morning. Men and officers alike put forth their best efforts to accomplish the apparently impossible task of transporting our train through ten miles of quicksand. Officers and men were compelled to work for hours at a time through the whole night in torrents of rain and mud from one to three feet deep. Troops that can move a train of 150 wagons over such roads as those were cannot be stopped by any physical hindrances whatever. After resting an hour for breakfast the command again moved forward in the direction of Fayetteville, where we arrived on the 11th at about 2 p.m. without any casualties, the city being at that time in possession of the troops of our corps. On our arrival at Fayetteville we went into pleasant and healthful camps, which we were permitted to occupy but for a short time. We crossed the Cape Fear River on the night of the 12th, and on the 15th,