P. P. Brown, je. One hundred and fifty-seventh New York Volunteers, The Second Brigade-Colonel Hallowell, Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers, commanding- was made up of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers, five companies of the One hundred and second U. S. Colored Troops, and the Thirty-second U. S. Colored Troops; a section of Battery F, Third New York Artillery, Lieutenant E. C. Clark, commanding; a detachment of the Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry, under Major Webster, and a detachment of the First New York Volunteer Engineers, Lieutenant Waterman, completed the force, which numbered 2. 700 effective men. The armed transport Savannah and the transports Hooker and Planter, with rations and ammunition, were ordered up the Santee River to Murray's Ferry, there to await my orders. A naval force of armed tugs and launches, under Commander Stanley, U. S. Navy, also proceeded to the same point. On the 5th of April I marched from Georgetown, taking the road on the south side of Black River. The country passed through during the first two days' march was poor and sandy. As we neared Kingstee detachments were sent down to destroy the bridges over the Black River, but the enemy had already done that work. On the 7th Major Webster was sent to Murray's Ferry with orders for the transports to ascend the Santee to the Camden railroad bridge, or as near that point as possible.

On the morning of the 8th we reached the bridge across Brewington Swamp and found it burned. As the reconstruction of the bridge, which was 120 feet in length, would have consumed the day, Ii moved on to Manning, ten miles farther west, keeping the south side of the Pocotaligo River, a branch of the Black. The cavalry drove a small force of the enemy out of Manning. A causeway, a mile in length, with six bridges, here crossed the Pocataligo River and swamp. These bridges had all been fired by the enemy, but were not entirely destroyed. During the night of the 8th Hallowell's brigade was crossed on the stringers which remained of the bridges, and the bridges, and the bridges themselves rebuilt under the direction of Major Place, First New York Volunteer Engineers, and the whole force crossed on the morning of the 9th. I ordered Colonel Hallowell's brigade to turn the enemy's position on the left by taking a plantation o the main road between Dingle's Mill and Sumterville. As soon as the head of the column came in sight of the mill pond the enemy opened with their two guns. Our skirmishers were pushed forward to the edge of the pond, which was skirted with dense thickets, shutting out everything from view on either side. Lieutenant Clark's section of Napoleons returned the fire from the enemy's battery. Learning from a negro that the swamp could be crossed on the enemy's right, I directed

Colonel Brown to order Lieutenant-Colonel Carmichael, with the One hundred and fifty-seventh New York Volunteers, to make the attempt. This he succeeded in doing, gained the enemy's rear, charged and routed him, capturing a battle-flag and two guns. Colonel Hallowell met a small force of the enemy's cavalry. In the skirmish his guide disappeared, and he was unable to gain the main road. This prevented the capture of the enemy's whole force. Colonel Hallowell was ordered to rejoin the main column, and the march was resumed toward Sumterville. The rebels