Moved on toward Robertsville and reached it with three brigades. Finding the road for nearly three miles through Black Swamp utterly impassable for trains, I left Barnum's brigade with the trains on the other side of the swamp and set heavy details at work during the night corduroying the road. Distance marched by the advance brigades, nine miles. February 5, employed 1,500 men all forenoon completing the road through the swamp. By noon the head of the train had crossed. At 1 p.m. I moved my command and encamped at a crossroad near Trowell's farm, eight miles from Robertsville. Near Mr. Trowell's house we found three soldiers of our Army, who, according to the testimony of negroes, had been pointed out by Mr. Trowell to some of Wheeler's cavalry and by them shot in cold blood. Their bodies were found in the bushes not far from the house, where they were thrown by the murderers. I had them buried and Trowell's house and other property destroyed, and he was taken with us to be tried as accessory to the murder. Roads to-day after leaving Black Swamp were quite good; weather clear and warm; distance, nine miles. February 6, moved at 6 a.m., taking the road to Lawtonville, passing through which followed the road toward Beech Branch; encamped near Mears' Store. The roads to-day were bad; weather warm. Toward evening it began to rain. The country passed through yesterday and to-day had been quite a rich one. The planters had fled to the upper country and the plantations now looked desolate. Most of the supplies had been carried off by the divisions preceding me.

February 7, heavy rain last night and all to-day; weather cold; moved at 8 a.m. ; roads in very bad condition, requiring much corduroying. At noon reached Coosawhatchie Swamp, and found it much swollen by the rain, the water three feet and a half deep, and 300 yards wide, with treacherous bottom. There was no bridge for even infantry to cross; 600 pioneers and axmen were still at work constructing a foot bridge and corduroying the entrance to the water. By 4 p.m. my command began to cross; the three leading brigades, my artillery, and a good share of the train crossed during the afternoon and night, Selfridge's brigade encamping on the South side to cover the trains while crossing. The bottom of the stream worked into deep holes of a quicksand nature, so that it was necessary frequently during the night to halt the trains, send the pioneers waist-deep into the stream and construct corduroy road three or four feet under water, pinning it down to prevent it from floating. In this way about one-half of the train crossed during the night, which was dark and rainy, thus adding to the discomforts of the occasion. But I had received orders from Major-General Slocum, commanding Left Wing, who was with my column, that we must push forward as rapidly as possible, and no effort was spared. Portions of my command were, therefore, kept all night at work getting the trains across in the manner described; distance, six miles and a half. February 8, moved at 6 a.m. for Buford's Bridge, on big Salkehatchie River, leaving Colonel Selfridge with orders to push forward the remainder of the train with the least possible delay. The weather was clear and very cold; roads miry, but had been considerably repaired a few days previous by the troops preceding us; crossed Jackson's Branch, and afterward the Big Salkehatchie at Buford's Bridge. This crossing is a succession of twenty-three small bridges, with intervening causeways, in all over half a mile long. The stream is wide, deep, and swampy. On the northern side of it was of it was a strong line of works, with four embrasures, which commanded the bridge or causeway so completely that any direct attack against a force holding those works