Numbers 197. Reports of Bvt. Brigadier General William Cogswell, Second Massachusetts Infantry, commanding Third Brigade, of operations January 16-March 24 and April 10-June 1.

HDQRS. THIRD Brigadier, THIRD DIV., 20TH ARMY CORPS,
Goldsborough, N. C., March 30, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that on evening of January 16, 1865, I assumed command of this brigade, pursuant to section III, General Orders, Numbers 16, headquarters Twentieth Army Corps, Savannah, Ga., January 16, 1865. The brigade was then stationed at Hardee's Farm, S. C., and consisted of the following regiments: Twentieth Connecticut Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel Philo B. Buckingham commanding; Twenty-sixth Wisconsin Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel Fred. C. Winkler commanding; Thirty-third Massachusetts Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel Elisha Doane commanding; Fifty-fifth Ohio Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel E. H. Powers commanding; Seventy-third Ohio Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel Samuel H. Hurst commanding; One hundred and thirty-sixth New York Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel L. B. Faulkner, afterward Major H. L. Arnold, commanding. The effective force of the command was at that time, officers, 88; enlisted men, 1,399. On the morning of the 17th four regiments of the brigade moved to Hardeeville on the Union Causeway, two regiments, the Twenty-sixth Wisconsin Infantry and One hundred and thirty-sixth New York Infantry, remaining to guard the division supply train from the Savannah River to this latter place. These two regiments joined the brigade on the following day, the 18th. The brigade was encamped on the south side of the town of Hardeeville, where drills, guard mountings, and dress parades were resumed and the camp put into as tolerable condition as the nature of the ground and weather would admit, until the morning of the 29th, when, at 7 o'clock, it broke camp and marched north and easterly toward Robertsville, S. C., to a point seven miles south of the latter place. January 30, marched to Robertsville and encamped on the south side of that town. January 31, the brigade moved about one mile and a half from the camp of the day before on the Sister's Ferry road, relieving the First Brigade, First Division, Twentieth Army Corps, Colonel Selfridge commanding, and holding that road.

February 1, the brigade remaining at this last point, the Seventy-third Ohio Infantry and One hundred and thirty-sixth New York Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Hurst commanding, were engaged in corduroying the Sister's Ferry road. February 2, marched northerly to near Lawtonville, guarding part of wagon train of division. At or near Lawtonville four regiments of the brigade were formed in two lines of battle on the left of the Second Brigade of this division, the remaining two regiments being sent as a support to the right of the line of the division. These lines were advanced about 200 yards to a swamp, and then withdrawn, and the brigade was placed in camp where it had first formed line. February 3, at 8. 30 a. m., marched through Lawtonville with wagon train northerly to Beech Branch Post-Office. February 4, marched northeasterly through and beyond Smyrna. February 5, marched toward Buford's Bridge on the Salkehatchie. February 6, at 7. 30 a. m., moved a short distance with the wagon train; then leaving the train, crossed the Salkehatchie, and moved northerly in the direction of Graham's Post-Office, on the South Carolina Railroad. February 7 at 7. 30 a. m., moved to the South Carolina Railroad and