would have been useless. Encamped three brigades and most of my trains on the north side of the stream. Late in the night the crossing became very bad, and Selfridge's brigade, with fifty wagons, remained on the South side; distance, fourteen miles.

February 9, at daylight the troops and trains left on the South side crossed over after repairing the bridges. Moved at 6 a.m., taking the left-hand road, for Blackville, in accordance with orders received last night from the brevet major-general commanding corps. Found the roads to-day generally good, passing through a well-cultivated rolling country. For the first time in this campaign my foragers found an abundance of forage and supplies; some of them went as far as Barnwell, and all returned well laden. Encamped at 3 p.m. within a mile of Blackville, at which place I reported to the brevet major-general commanding corps, and found the other divisions of the corps. Weather all day cold and freezing; a little snow fell; distance, eighteen miles. February 10, in compliance with orders, at 7 a.m. I moved my command to Blackville, and there disposed of my troops so as to cover the railroad westward. Selfridge's brigade, which had marched to this point with me, was, by order of Brevet Major-General Williams, sent forward on a reconnaissance to Duncan's (or New) Bridge, on the South Edisto. At 1 p.m. I received orders to move to Duncan's Bridge and cross the River, if possible, leading Mindil's brigade to hold Blackville and guard the train. I marched at 2 p.m., eight miles, to Duncan's Bridge, where I found Selfridge had already crossed the River. With my infantry I crossed before dark and encamped on the north side, on the plantation of Mr. Winningham. Neither my artillery nor any of our horses could be taken over until the bridge was repaired. Duncan's Bridge (better known among the inhabitants as New Bridge) comprises six bridges, with causeways connecting them, the entire crossing being about one mile in length. Three of these bridges, including those across the two main channels of the South Edisto, had been burned by the enemy, and required much work to repair them. The country along the Edisto is a rich one, and the resources for subsistence and forage were abundant. Distance, ten miles. February 11, remained in camp, keeping 2,000 men at work repairing the bridges and corduroying the causeways. Mindil's brigade, with our trains, joined me here this evening. The First Division of the corps also crossed to the same point.

February 12, marched at 7 a.m., my division leading, on the road for Columbia via Jeffcoat's Bridge. Near the crossing of the Ninety-six road we met a small force of the enemy's cavalry and exchanged shots with them. On reaching Jeffcoat's Bridge we found it burned, and the enemy holding the north bank of the North Edisto. The only approach to the bridge, except on the road, was through swamp, covered with a dense tangled growth of bushes, vines, and briers. I deployed skirmishers on each flank, from the Fifth Ohio Veteran Volunteers and One hundred and forty-seventh Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, who made their way with great difficulty through these swampy thickets, and drove the enemy from the opposite bank. The main channel here was very deep and the bridge of heavy timbers was effectually destroyed. On the opposite side was another extensive swamp, through which the road was built in form of a causeway. The farther end of this causeway the enemy held and from their position swept the road and bridge with discharges of shell and canister from two pieces of artillery. On each side of the causeway the swamp was