num's brigade with Stephens' battery of artillery to occupy and hold Lexington, and went myself with General Barnum. A large force of the enemy's cavalry was reported in sight in and around Lexington. On reaching a hill overlooking the town and within easy artillery range of it, I posted my artillery and advanced the skirmish line. The rebel cavalry retired before us and the town was occupied and held by Barnum's brigade without any opposition. Cold rain all day, freezing as it fell, along the route of March; country hilly; soil poor and sandy; population, poor whites and very few of them; distance, eleven miles and a half. Lexington, the country seat of the district, is quite a pretty place. Private property was strictly protected while my troops occupied it and no houses were burned.

February 16, my division in the rear, covering the entire trains of the corps, moved at 10 a m. on the Two-Notch road toward Columbia, following the other divisions which had advanced disencumbered; crossed the newly projected railroad from Columbia to Graniteville, on which the rebels had until within a few days been working a very large force of negroes; my troops captured a large quantity of shovels and pickaxes yesterday on this road near Lexington. At the point where we crossed this railroad the Two Notch road enters the road from Lexington to Columbia, on which we advanced and found the corps encampment within four miles and a half of Columbia; roads hilly, but generally good; soil and inhabitants both poor; water in this region scarce; distance, seven miles. February 17, my division in the center, following the First Division, marched at 9 a.m. to Leaphart's Mill, on Twelve-Mile Creek; there we found the Fourteenth Corps marching toward the Saluda River, and encamped with the rest of our own corps, while the Fourteenth Corps, Kilpatrick's cavalry, and our wagon trains were to push forward and cross the Saluda at Hart's Ferry during the night, if possible. Two corps of the rebel Army of the Tennessee (Cheatham's and S. D. Lee's) were reported to be to-day beyond Lexington, moving across the Saluda River; the aggregate force of the two corps is estimated at from 5,000 to 8,000; distance, five miles. February 18, moved forward early in the morning, but were detained by the trains ahead from crossing the pontoon bridge at Hart's Ferry until 11 a.m. ; crossed the River and moved forward in advance of the corps, following the route of the fourteenth Corps toward Freshly's Mill, which is on Board River, near the mouth of Wateree Creek, at which point the Left Wing was to cross; encamped at 4 p . m. at Ravencroft's Mill, the wagon train of the Fourteenth Corps being parked a mile ahead; weather delightful; roads generally good; country very hilly and well farmed; north of the Saluda the soil changes to a slaty clay, with quantities of silex and occasional granite boulders; it is well watered with running streams; distance, eight miles.

February 19, my division in rear, moved at 2 p.m. Following the Alston road two miles, we turned to the right on the road leading to Freshly's Mill, sending Mindil's brigade one mile and a half up the Alston road to hold it. Half a mile beyond the divergence of the road I found the First Division trains in park, moving out very slowly by a made road through the woods. Parked my train, waited two hours for the trains preceding, and then took the main road to Freshly's Mill, over which by considerable corduroying, my trains moved without difficulty. Encamped in line faced to the rear on the right of the First Division, my right resting on the River near the mill. Weather warm and pleasant; country of the same character as on yesterday's March; roads good generally, but very miry for two miles before reaching the