ment before he reaches the road to Wilmington behind the rebels. I order Moore across to the old Wilmington road, so called to stop any retreat in that direction, and with the two brigades under Casement push down upon the rear of the enemy. They are evidently taken by surprise, and we charge over them, capturing their 2 pieces of Artillery and nearly 400 prisoners, including the colonel commanding the brigade. We also take 3 battle-flags. Our loss was about 30, caused chiefly by the few discharges of cannon they were able to make before our men could reach their lines. Moore fails to come to time on the old Wilmington road, and the remainder escape that way. The action ended just at nightfall. I have the bridge repaired during the night, ready to move in the morning.

Tuesday, February 21. - Marched toward Wilmington, meeting no opposition. The bridges along the road were destroyed, causing much delay in repairing them, but in spite of delays my advance reached the Brunswick Ferry, opposite Wilmington, a Little after noon. The enemy had a few skirmishers on Eagle Island, between us and the city, and had sunk and partly destroyed their pontoon bridge at this place. We get up some of the boats, and with them ferry over a regiment (Sixteenth Kentucky). These skirmish across the island, about one mile and a half, and find some of the enemy on the farther side of it with a piece of Artillery posted so as to rake the road, which is very straight and flanked by impassable swamps on both sides. I keep the regiment there, ordering them to make the best cover they can, and set to work to raise and repair the rest of the pontoon-boats. The rebels immediately begin to burn the supplies and stores in Wilmington, the smoke rising in columns more immense than any I have ever seen. I send a dispatch to General Schofield, informing him of my progress and of these indications of evacuation by the enemy, but before I can get an answer I receive his dispatch, sent earlier, in which he informs me that General Terry has made no headway, and orders me to withdraw my command and cross the river to Terry's support. I start one brigade, and send him a dispatch urging him not to remove all of my troops, as I am sure the enemy is evacuating. A second dispatch reiterates the order to move, and I start another brigade at midnight, and prepare to move the rest, when to my great satisfaction I got a third dispatch countermanding the order as to two of the brigades, and stating that my dispatches had not come to hand when the orders to move were sent.

Wednesday, February 22. - As I expected, we enter Wilmington this morning without opposition, and as it is Washington's birthday we hail the event as a good omen. The enemy has retreated up the line of the Goldsborough road. I complete the repair and relaying of the rebel pontoon bridge, and by noon cross the Brunswick River and the island to the ferry across Cape Fear River (the channel on the west of the island is called Brunswick River), and so into Wilmington with my troops. General Terry, being on the same side of the river, marches through in pursuit of Hoke. My troops are put in camp around the town, and I assume command of the place. Assigned One hundred and fourth Ohio to duty as provost-guard, and fix my headquarters temporarily at the house of a Doctor Bellamy, a fugitive rebel.

Saturday, February 25. - Receive orders to proceed to New Berne and take command of the troops there, consisting of General Innis N. Palmer's command, which has been there for some time; General Meagher's Provisional Division, which is made up of detachments belonging to Sherman's Army, waiting for an opportunity to rejoin him;