On the 17th at 8 a. m. I moved with four brigade and battery upon the Wilmington road under orders to advance toward Fort Anderson, with a view to develop the nature of the approaches to that work and the force holding it, also at or near Reeves' Point, to communicate with the general commanding department, who was upon a vessel in the river, and to receive new orders according to circumstances. About three miles from Smithville we encountered the enemy's cavalry out-posts, which retired skirmishing. The country being an almost continuous swamp the march was slow. It was found also that the road did not approach the river near Reeves' Point, difficult swamps, and morasses intervening until the Wilmington road crossed Governor's Creek, where it forked, the right fork turning toward the river and the left keeping on to Orton Pond, the two roads meeting at Fort Anderson and then crossing Orton Creek. At the crossing of Governor's Creek some stand was made by a battalion of the enemy's cavalry, but they retreated on the advance of the column after a slight skirmish. At this point I ordered Casement's, Sterl's, and Moore's brigades to advance till they should pass the junction of the Brunswick road with the left - principal - fork of the Wilmington road, and with Henderson's brigade I advanced on the right fork until we approached the river about two miles below Fort Anderson and three miles above Reeves' Point. Here I opened signal communication with the fleet under Admiral Porter and with the flag-ship of the general commanding the department, who himself joined us when our approach to the river was known. Communication was made with the column on the west fork of the road and a line of vedettes across the whole front established, when, it being nightfall, the command encamped under orders to advance at 7 o'clock in the morning. Distance marched during the day, ten miles.

In accordance with orders the command advanced on the morning of the 18th. The enemy's line of infantry vedettes was met about half a mile in front of their works and were quickly driven into their line of intrenchments, which were found to extend continuously from Fort Anderson, on the river, to the foot of Orton Pond, a distance of 800 yards. The ground in front of the works was entirely open for 200 or 300 yards, and the breast-works themselves were well made, covered with abatis, and commanded by the Artillery fire of the fort. The enemy also opened a brisk Artillery fire from a battery in position near the right - our left - of their line. After a personal reconnaissance the general commanding the department directed that two brigades intrench a line of the edge of the open ground in front of the enemy and reaching from Orton Pond to the river, and that when this line should be so far progressed that the force could safely hold it I should proceed with the two remaining brigade, and battery to the head of Orton Pond, there to be joined by Ames' division of General Terry's command, and with the whole to proceeded by way of Russell's plantation around Orton and Terrapin Ponds to the rear of Fort Anderson, the whole distance supposed to be about twenty-five miles, and no practicable route through the swamps between Orton and Terrapin Ponds being at that time heard of. Moore's and Henderson's brigades were detailed to remain in the trenches, which at 2 o'clock were reported sufficiently progressed to be held, and Casement's and Sterl's brigade, with the battery, were drawn out and put in motion for the head of Orton Pond. After a march of six miles the head of the pond was reached and was pound to be fed by a creek bordered by a deep marsh about 100 yards in width and crossed by a narrow causeway. Some cavalry vedettes of the enemy were met just before reaching the creek,