having sent the few sick that were in the command to Wilmington, we again marched on the Raleigh road, the Eighty-fifth Illinois Volunteers Infantry having been detailed to remain at Fayetteville with the supply train. Frequent skirmishes with our advance had already convinced us that the enemy was in our front in some force. I was not surprised whet at noon on the 16th I was ordered to move the troops of my command past the trains in advance of me and go into line on the left of General Mitchell, about four miles from Averasborough and near Smith's Ferry on the Cape Fear River. Before I could get into position rapid skirmishing commenced and continued with more or less severity during the afternoon. Moving into position on the left of General Mitchell, I commenced pressing my lines forward, making a right half wheel, expecting to envelop the rebel right. Contrary to the expectation of all, we found works in our front and extending far to our left to a very deep ravine. Halting the main line, it being in easy range, I then sent a heavy line of skirmishers to the left in order to develop the rebel right and extend our lines to the Cape Fear River about 1,000 yards to my left.

The River at this point was quite narrow and the banks very precipitous. The rebel lines were found to extend to the bluff a few hundred feet from the water's edge. My skirmishers were afterward relieved by the First Brigade of this division, which advanced its main lines to this point. Receiving an order from you at this time to extend my left until I should make full connection with the First Brigade I immediately ordered my reserve, consisting of one regiment, the One hundred and twenty-fifth Illinois Volunteers, and two companies of the Twenty-second Indiana Veteran Volunteer Infantry, that had been relieved from the skirmish line by the First Brigade, Second Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, to the left of my line, advancing them far beyond the skirmish reserves, and in fact putting them upon the main skirmish line. This placed the left of my lines upon a ravine, on the other side of which was the right of the First Brigade line. It being too hot here for men to move about with any safety we were not able to commence the work of fortifying until protected by darkness. We soon had a good line of works, making our lines sufficiently secure against any attack from the front, building a strong line of rifle-pits along our whole front. The mistiness of the atmosphere and the dense undergrowth made our observations so obscure as to leave us in considerable doubt in regard to the real position and strength of the rebel works, except on our right, where they were plainly visible. We remained in this position with but little fighting until early next morning, when I sent my inspector with orders to advance the skirmish line and developed the position of the enemy. He immediately showed our lines out a mile and a half, but could discover no signs of the enemy, his works having been abandoned in the night. The left of my lines was but seventy-five yards from that of the enemy and the right from 150 to 175 yards. The forces were immediately assembled and we moved in the direction of Goldsborough. Near Black River I, with the division, diverged from the main road about one mile to an old bridge, which the rebels in their haste had but partially destroyed. Our pioneers soon repaired it so as to make it quite passable. Here the roads became somewhat harder, but bogs and swampy creeks frequently lay across the way, the passage of which was easily accomplished by wading. The Mingo creek, especially, was deep and wide; the men were several times compelled to wade through water up to their waists.