in front of the first. Here, owing to the depletion of our ranks from casualties and straggling, we were forced to halt and await the enemys advance, He soon appeared in our advance, but was easily checked. Conld the re-enforcements that were afterward brought up have been put in at this time I doubt not that our success would have been com- plete. They did not, however, come up until just before dark, when it was too late for them to accomplish but little. My lines remained in this position until after night, when I was ordered to withdraw to the position occupied in the morning. The troops nnder my command, with but few exceptions, acted with that gallantry and daring which has ever characterized them on the field. My thanks are specially due Col. P. V. Green, commanding Govans brigade; Lient. S. P. Hanly, acting assistant adjutant-general, and M. H. Hopkins, acting assistant inspector-general, for the zeal and energy displayed by them on this occasion. For further details you are respectfully referred to the accompanying reports of brigade commanders. I am, sir, very respectfnlly, your obedient servant, J. A. SMITH, Brigadier- General, Commanding. Capt. J. COBBS, Acting Assistant Adjutant- General. No. 301. Report of Brig. Gen. John D. Kennedy, C. S. Army, commanding tiion ncrs brigade, of operations March 19. HEADQUARTERS CONNERS BRIGADE, Camp near Smithfield, N C., March 81, 1865. CAPTAIN: I respectfully submit the following report of the part taken by this brigade in the action near Bentonville, N. C., March 19, 1865: By order of Major-General McLaws I formed line of battle in an open field on the right of a road intersecting the main Fayetteville and Goldsborongh roads. The enemy shelled us so vigorously that I moved the line to a set of temporary works in the edge of the wood in our front. This was about 5 p. m. We remained at this point nutil near 6 p. in., when Lieutenant-Col- onel Roy, of Lieutenant-General Hardees staff, ordered me to advance in the direction of the firing. I did so, obliqning to the left so as to uncover Harrisons brigade, which had immediately preceded me in the same direction. This oblique movement was performed very hand- somnely by the brigade under a terrific shelling. On approaching the musketry fire I halted the brigade, the left of it extending across the above-mentioned road, the center almost on it. Maj. Gen. D. H. Hill directed me to march to Major-General Walthalls left and join on to him. A staff officer was sent to show me where to extend. The bri- gade was then fronted and moved to the line, but instead of extending to the left of Walthalls line only a part of the brigade did soabout one regiment, certainly not more than two; the rest of it came up to a