In this charge my brigade took 2 pieces of artillery and 56 prisoners, and wounded and killed a very large number of the rebels. Number not known, but judging from what I saw upon the field their loss in killed and wounded could not have been less than 80 killed and 450 wounded.

Lest my brigade should be itself flanked after entering works, the brigade in following the enemy having changed direction to the left, so as to bring its right flank at least 200 yards to the rear of the first line of works, I caused it to halt until the balance of our division should advance to its support. As soon as the remaining lines moved up we moved forward, the Third Brigade on the right and the Second Brigade in reserve, until the stubborn and heavy fire of musketry and artillery from the enemy's second line of works checked our advance. I gradually pushed forward my line until my skirmish line was within seventy-five yards of the rebel artillery and my line of battle within 150 yards of the enemy's works. At this time the left of my line was completely uncovered, the line son my left not having pushed forward so as to join my line or give me any support, and hence the moment I attempted to advance I not only drew upon my men the fire of the artillery and rebels immediately in my front, but also a cross fire from the works of the enemy on my left. At no time while I was advancing upon the works or before we encamped for the night was there any line of battle on my left which had advanced up nearer than 300 yards of my front line, while the works of the enemy stretched far to my left, strongly defended. We then threw up temporary breast-works of logs on the line already gained, and slept on our arms that night, but found in the morning that the enemy had evacuated during the night. In this affair my brigade lost 12 killed and 71 wounded. *

On the 17th instant our division pushed forward to Averasborough; left the next day, and crossed Black River about noon; hastened forward from the rear to the support of the columns in front which had been attacked by the enemy; fortified our position on the extreme left. Advanced our line on the 20th, at the same time changing direction to the right and then fortifying our new position on the extreme left. Advanced our line on the 20th, at the same time changing direction to the right and then fortifying our new position until the 22nd, when we took up our line of march toward Goldsborough . Crossed Neuse River on the 23rd at Cox's Brigade and arrived at Goldsborough on the morning of the 24th, and went into camp about two miles north of the city, or lines facing north and connected with the Third Brigade, Third Division, on our right and Fourteenth Corps on our left. Distance traveled from Savannah to Goldsborough, about 475 miles.

My report of captures and forage taken is as follows: Horses, 161; mules, 215; cattle, 600; corn, 9,000 bushels; fodder, 230,000 pounds; bacon, 86,000 pounds; flour and meal, 100,000 pounds; sweet potatoes, 1,600 bushels.

With the exception of a few days while passing through a barren country my command has found abundant subsistence in the country both for man and beast. Of the ten days' rations taken at Robertsville only five days had been issued on the 20th instant.

The numerical list of casualties is as follows: Killed, 15; wounded, 91; captured and missing, 59; total, 165.

Under the head of captured and missing are included all persons captured and missing not only in the brigade proper, but in all the various detachments not serving in their respective regiments.

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*But see revised table, p. 65.

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