March 16, the division marched at 7 a.m. toward Taylor's Hole, and after marching a few miles received orders to push forward the troops and ammunition train to assist the Third Division, which was engaged with the enemy, who occupied an intrenched position at the junction of the Smithfield and Raleigh roads, to cover the passage of his trains over Black River. On arriving at the scene of action we found Colonel Haney had been seriously engaged and had been relieved by General Cogswell's brigade, of General Ward's division, and I was ordered to take position on the right of the Third Division, and move forward and engage the enemy. Colonel Hawley was put in position on the right of the Third Division, and General Robinson on the right of Colonel Hawley, and the line was moved forward, driving the enemy back a considerable distance, until it was found the enemy's line outflanked the line on the right it was halted until Colonel Selfridge should arrive. Colonel Selfridge was soon in position on the right of General Robinson, supported on his (Colonel Selfridge's) right by the cavalry under General Kilpatrick, and moved forward to a line with General Robinson. At attack of the enemy was repulsed by the fire of our line, and the cavalry charged them, but owing to the springy nature of the soil were unable to follow up the advantage. Our line was reformed and closed to the left. No attack was made by either party during the remainder of the day, but constant and heavy firing was kept up. Appended to this report is a list of casualties occurring in the command during the day*. The Second Brigade, Colonel Hawley, was relieved at 5 p.m. by Brevet Brigadier-General Hobart's brigade, of the Fourteenth Corps, and placed in reserve on the right of the line, in line of battalions in mass, and ready to support any part that might be threatened.

On the morning of the 17th it was ascertained that enemy had evacuated his position, retreating by the way of Averasborough. Much delay occurred in crossing Black River and the command did not cross until the 18th, and then pushed for Cox's Bridge, making, however, very little progress, as we were obliged to corduroy almost the entire distance marched. March 19, the command marched at 7 a.m. toward Cox's Bridge, in near of the Fourteenth Corps, arriving about 11 o'clock at the Smithfield Cross-Roads, where we left two regiments, the Forty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers from the First Brigade, and One hundred and first Illinois Volunteers, from the Third Brigade, to be relieved by General Ward's division. The command was ordered to leave the trains and push forward to the assistance of the Fourteenth Corps, who were actively engaged with the enemy. The One hundred and fiftieth New York Volunteers was detached and posted on a cross-road lading toward Smithfield, by order of the corps commander. On arrival at the scene of action General Robinson's brigade was placed in position on the left of the Cox's Bridge road, with three regiments (Sixty-First Ohio, Thirty-First Wisconsin, and Eighty-second Ohio Volunteers) in the front line, and two regiments (Eighty-second Illinois and One hundred and forty-third New York Volunteers) in the second line. Brevet Brigadier-General Buell's brigade, of the Fourteenth Corps, being on General Robinson's left and another brigade on his right, Colonel Hawley' brigade was massed in the open field on the left of the road, about half a mile in rear of General Robinson's line.

Report having been received from forages that a column of infantry was moving to our left, with the supposed object of turning our left and capturing our trains, Colonel Hawley's brigade was moved to the

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*Embroiled in table, p. 64.

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