Numbers 238. Report of Brigadier General Thomas H. Ruger, U. S. Army, commanding First

Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, of operations March 3-10.

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS,
Raleigh, N. C., April 25, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the First Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, in the movement of the column operating from New Berne, N. C., up the Neuse River, under the command of Major-General Cox, then commanding the District of Beaufort, from the time of leaving New Berne to and including the 10th day of March, 1865, and the action fought on that day near Kinston, N. C.:

The division left New Berne in obedience to orders on the 3rd day of March and marched to Batchelder's Creek, a distance of nine miles. Transportation being limited, the troops carried, in compliance with orders from Major-General Cox, seventy rounds of ammunition per man on the person. I also required to be carried intrenching [tools] to the amount of 100 axes, 100 shovels, and 20 pickaxes to each brigade.

The organization of the division was as follows: First Brigade - Colonel John M. Orr, One hundred and twenty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, commanding: One hundred and twentieth Indiana Volunteers, Colonel A. W. Prather; One hundred and twenty-fourth Indiana Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel H. H. Neff; One hundred and twenty-eighth Indiana Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel Jasper Packard; One hundred and eightieth Ohio Volunteers, Colonel Willard Warner. Second Brigade - Colonel John C. McQuiston, One hundred and twenty-third Indiana Volunteers, commanding; One hundred and twenty-third Indiana Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel D. C. Walters; One hundred and twenty-ninth Indiana Volunteers, Captain David Bennett; One hundred and thirtieth Indiana Volunteers, Colonel Charles S. Parrish; Twenty-eighth Michigan Volunteers, Colonel W. W. Wheeler. Third Brigade - Colonel Minor T. Thomas, Eighth Minnesota Volunteers, brevet brigadier-general of volunteers, commanding; Eighth Minnesota Volunteers, Major George A. Camp; One hundred and seventy-fourth Ohio Volunteers, Colonel J. S. Jones; One hundred and seventy-eighth Ohio Volunteers, Colonel J. A. Stafford; Company F, First Michigan Volunteer Light Artillery, Captain B. D. Paddock; Fifth Illinois Light Battery (Elgin Battery), Captain A.m. Wood.

On the 4th day of March the division marched to Core Creek, a distance of nine miles. On the 7th day of March it marched to Gum Swamp, a distance of five miles. The movement thus far was without incident worthy of particular mention so far as the division is concerned. The limited amount of transportation prevented any movement separating the column any considerable distance from the point of completion of the repair of the railroad. On the 8th of March I received orders about 11. 30 a.m. from Major-General Cox to move with two brigades from my camp at Gum Swamp to Wise's Cross-Roads, where he then was at the position occupied by General Carter's command. Orders were soon after given to leave but one regiment at Gum Swamp.

The division moved as ordered. Upon arriving at Wise's Forks I was ordered to pass my command by the right flank of General Carter's command, which was covering the roads converging to that point known as the Dover and Trent roads, and strike the enemy on the flank. The enemy, afterward found to be Hoke's (rebel) division, had attacked and captured or dispersed two regiments of General Car-