Until that day we had been in communication with Savannah, Ga., by the Savannah River, but when we left Robertsville (the 3rd [2nd] of February) we cut losses from our communication and base of supplies. We marched toward Lawtonville, and a mile from that place encountered some rebel cavalry, which were soon driven back by a small infantry force and a few pieces of artillery. The regiment broke camp on the 4th [3rd] of February and marched toward Buford's Bridge, where it arrived late in the evening of the 6th of February. My regiment having been detached that day from the brigade, guarding the entire train of our division, I joined the brigade the next morning, crossed Buford's Bridge, and in the evening of that day we struck the South Carolina Railroad near Graham's Station. The next day the regiment destroyed about three-quarters of a mile of railroad and camped about three miles from the camp we occupied the night before. On the 9th we marched to Station Ninety-six on the same road, remained there the 10th, and destroyed during the two days about one mile of track. We left Ninety-six at 8 a.m. on the 11th, crossed the South Branch of the Edisto River and the swamp, which was about two miles long, and arrived in camp at about 11 p.m. ; marched next day toward the North Branch of the Edisto River; camped about two miles from the River; crossed the River on the 13th, and marched on the 14th toward Columbia Cross-Roads. My regiment had the advance, it being the first in the order of March in the corps. I had ridden ahead of my advanced guard about one-quarter of a mile, accompanied by Captain Reynolds, acting assistant inspector-general Third Brigade, and by Captain McConnell, of your staff, when we butted against a squad of rebel cavalry numbering about fifty men. Captain Reynolds, who had dismounted to make some inquiries at a house, was captured. The rebels fired at me and Captain McConnell. I hurried back, brought my avant guard forward on double-quick, drove the rebels and captured one of them. In chasing the rebels we had advanced about two miles ahead of the brigade, and while out there I received orders from you to March three miles farther to a plantation on the road with a number of wagons, which I had orders to fill with forage, and then return to camp. I marched six miles instead of three; did not find a house on the road; had some skirmishing with the rebel cavalry, and as it was getting dark and a heavy rain began to fall I returned to camp without any forage. On the 15th we crossed Congaree Creek and arrived at midnight near Lexington Court-House, where we camped.

Broke camp at 7. 30 a.m. on the 16th and camped in the evening of that day three miles from Columbia. On the 17th we marched toward the Saluda River, which we crossed next day on a pontoon bridge, and marched till 12 o'clock, night. This March was very hard and fatiguing, the road being very bad and the woods through which it led on fire for a distance of about three miles. Left camp on the 19th at 9 a.m. and crossed the Broad River on the 20th of February. On the 21st we marched through Winnsborough and camped three miles from the town, where I captured a rebel while forming the picket-line of the division. On the 22nd we crossed Big Wateree Creek, guarded the train, and had a very hard and tiresome March, arriving in camp near Catawba River at 2. 30 a.m. February 23. Received orders to March at 5 o'clock the same morning, the troops having had only two hours' rest. We crossed the Catawba River and had to assist the wagons getting across, the banks of the River being very high and the road bad; camped that evening about five miles from the River. February 24 we marched about one mile and then camped, the Seventeenth Corps marching on