attempted to make another stand, but were easily driven. Our loss in the affair at Dingle's Mill was twenty-six. That of the enemy was larger. A number of his dead and wounded were left on the field. Among the former were two Artillery officer. Sumterville was occupied on the evening of the 9th. Here another gun was taken, which had been abandoned by the rebels in their flight.

On the 10th detachments were sent up and down the railroad to destroy the bridges and trestle-work. At Sumterville there were destroyed 4 locomotives, 8 cars, carpenter shops, car and blacksmith shops, machine-shop with the stationary engine, freight depot, and store-houses, together with offices and quarters for the employs, and 1. 000. 000 feet of lumber. On the same day Major Webster, with the cavalry detachment, destroyed the railroad buildings, with one locomotive and a small train of cars at Manchester. On the 11th the column moved to Manchester. Upon arriving there the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers was sent down the railroad to Wateree Junction, while the One hundred and seventh Ohio marched to Middleton Depot, and thence along the Camden railroad to the same point. Eight locomotives and forty cars were destroyed near the Wateree trestle-work, which is three miles in length. A mile of this was burned, as were also some bridges. As the rations of bread, sugar, and coffee were exhausted on the 12th, I sent the wagons and pack-mules to Wright's Bluff, on the Santee, to obtain additional supplies. The wounded and the contrabands, of whom there were large numbers, were also ordered to the same point, to be embarked on the transports. These trains were under escort of the Thirty-second U. S. Colored Troops. The command remained encamped at Singleton's, three miles from Manchester, until the 15th, awaiting the return of the wagons and pack train. Reconnaissances were made to Statesburg and as far as Claremont Station on the road to Camden. Information was gained that the enemy had been re-enforced by two small brigades of cavalry under Major-General Young and was intrenching at Boykins' Mill.

On the afternoon of the 15th the column moved out on the direct road to Camden. The enemy was soon met and sharp skirmishing was kept up until he was driven back far enough to uncover a road leading to the main road between Sumterville and Camden While the Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteers pushed the enemy's skirmishers back to Statesburg, our main column took the former road, and by a night march reached the latter. On the following day the march was continued by the way of Bradford Springs and Spring Hill, with some attempt on the enemy's part to impede our progress. Camden was occupied without opposition on the evening of the 17th, and it was then learned that the locomotives and trains had been removed to Boykins' Mill, eight miles below. Ii moved from Camden on the morning of the 18th, sending five companies of the One hundred and second U. S. Colored Troops to follow the railroad and destroy it. No opposition was encountered until we reached Boykins' Mill on Swift Creek. The road here leads close by the mill, with mill-ponds and swamps on the left and swamp on the right extending to the Wateree. The rebels had cut the dam, flooding the road, and had taken up the bridge across the stream. The land on the opposite side was higher and the enemy had thrown up an epaulement for two guns and an infantry parapet. The railroad crossed the swamp 300 yards to the right of the highway, and here also were rifle trenches. Hallowell's brigade was in advance, and the skirmishers of the Thirty-second U. S. Colored Troops were pushed forward