of the roads did not reach that point until the night of the 4th. On the morning of the 4th instant the brigade of Colonel Boughton left New Berne and moved forward to the division rendezvous at Core Creek, forming a junction with the remainder of the division at about noon of the 5th, at which time I arrived with my staff. Just before sunset on this day a detachment of the One hundred and thirty-second New York Volunteers of the brigade of Colonel Claassen moved up the railroad and occupied the abandoned intrenchments of the enemy at Gum Swamp, and at daylight the next morning the remainder or that regiment re-enforced this detachment at the front mentioned, thus making that position secure. At 9 a. m. of this day the infantry of the brigades of General Harland and Colonel Boughtown moved up the railroad to Gum Swamp, while the Artillery, cavalry, and wagon trains of the division marched upon the Dover road to the same place, at which point the First and Third Brigades bivouacked for the night. The provisional troops of Colonel Claassen's brigade were engaged the greater part of the night in repairing the roads between Core Creek and the division camp, and the One hundred and thirty-second New York Volunteers of the same brigade, with Graham's cavalry moved up the Dover road toward Wise's Forks. At the railroad crossing at Tracy's Swamp a small force of the enemy was found intrenched but Colonel Claassen's skirmish line and the howitzers of Captain Graham soon opened the road to Wise's Forks, which point was reached at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Colonel Claassen immediately threw out strong parties on the Trent, Dover, British and other roads to secure the position.

In accordance with orders from the Major-general commanding the brigades of General Harland and Colonel Boughton left camp about 9 o'clock and moved up the railroad for the purpose of establishing a line on which to operate against the enemy's position at Southwest Creek. The First Brigade took the advance with orders to move up the railroad to the intersection of the railroad the Trent road, thence down the Trent road to the junction of the Trent and Neuse roads, thence up the Neuse road to the crossing of Southwest Creek. General Harland was directed, as soon as he arrived, to report at once if he saw signs of the enemy. Colonel Boughton, commanding Second [Third] Brigade followed commanding in the rear of General Harland, and was directed to move forward to a position on Southwest Creek at the crossing of the railroad. General Harland was directed, in his part of the execution of the movements, not to leave the railroad, to go down the Trent road until Colonel Boughton was established at the position before referred to. As the column advanced the advance guard encountered the pickets of the enemy near the British road; the skirmish line was vigorously pushed forward and by 2 o'clock had driven the enemy across Southwest Creek into their works, which appeared to be very strong. The enemy immediately opened with two guns. One section of General Harland's battery went into position on the railroad and immediately returned the fire, endeavoring to silence their guns, but this was not accomplished. The section was then withdrawn. Shortly after General Harland sent another section through the woods to a position on the right of the railroad, and with the assistance of the skirmishers of the Ninth New Jersey Volunteers soon succeeded in silencing the enemy's guns. The enemy were discovered strongly intrenched all along the Kinston side of Southwest Creek. For this reason the line was formed as follows: First Brigade on right of the railroad, the left resting on the railroad