of their position and the condition of the roads. At 9 a.m. the two other divisions of the Twentieth Corps had passed some time, and those of the Fourteenth Corps which were to pass me did not come up, although I waited for them over an hour. The road being thus clear, I moved forward at 9 a.m. with Barnum's brigade, the Michigan Engineers, and Sloan's battery, leaving General Pardee and Colonel Mindil to bring forward the train when the disencumbered divisions of the Fourteenth Corps should have passed them. My object was to repair the road in advance of the train, and to gain possession learned was burned. At 12 m. I reached a point five miles from my camp, when my route diverged to the right from the plank road. Here I found the advance divisions of the corps massed and moving out on the plank road. From there I marched toward Graham's Bridge, repairing much of the road, which was on flat, quicksand ground, and in many places covered with standing water. Within three miles of the bridge I selected a camp for the main body of the troops and trains, and went forward myself with standing water. Within three miles of the bridge I selected a camp for the main body of the troops and trains, and went forward myself with the Michigan Engineers and 100 men from the One hundred and eleventh Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers, having learned that the enemy held the crossing being intrenched on the opposite bank, and that twelve mounted foragers from my headquarters had been left as pickets there by Captain Nolan, of my staff, who had been at the place. A message was brought me from Major O'Connor, stating that he foundartillery holding both Maxwell's and New Bridges. I sent him orders to demonstrate during the night at New Bridge, and, if the enemy left during the night, to cross at that point and join me on the other side of the River. A very heavy rain had set in during the afternoon, and lasted all night. Shortly before dark I reached the bridge, and after examining the position posted my artillery so as to cover the crossing, brought forward four regiments from Barnum's brigade, and gave directions to the engineers to prepare timber to construct the bridge at daylight. The roads over which my trains moved to-day became very bad under the effects of the train. The plank road which was worn out, and which passed through swampy land, had to be repaired throughout, and on the road leading from the plank road to my main camp, the crust fell through, involving the trains in quicksand and rendering it necessary to corduroy more than tow-thirds of it. About one-half of the train reached the camp during the night; the remainder, with Mindil's brigade, encamped at the junction of the two roads; distance marched to our main camp, ten miles.

March 16, at daybreak this morning, the enemy having retreated, the Michigan Engineers began the reconstructions of the bridge and by 11 a.m. finished it. The bridge was sixty yards long, with four spans built on cribs; the two center cribs and spans had been burned, and all the planks were burned. South River, also called Black River, here is a dark, rapid stream sixty yards wide, and was at this time eighteen feet deep, and water rising; the crossing is a good one, but owing to the rain the roads on each side had to be corduroyed, as well as the entire road from my wagon camp to the bridge. The rear of my train reached that camp at noon to-day. At 1 p.m. the head of the train commenced crossing the River. With Barnum's brigade, the Michigan Engineers, and Sloan's battery I moved again in advance and corduroyed nearly the entire road for five miles, when I encamped at a cross-road on H. T. Jackson's farm. Here I met Major-General Howard with the Fifteenth Corps, which had left its original route and marched across to my roads, by order of Major-General Sherman, to be within supporting