HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Freshly's Ferry, Wateree Creek, February 18, 1865-Dark.

Captain DECHERT,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: Please inform the general that I am completely disappointed and thoroughly disgusted. The bridge is not yet done, and the commander of the pontoon train (Major Downey) has proved himself a complete failure. The boats, as I before informed you, have run out before reaching the opposite shore, and now (the leventh hour) this officer is in doubt whether or not the remaining distance can be trestled. Please ask the general to have about ten boats forwarded from the rear as soon as possible. Nothing further from the enemy.

Very respectfully,

JEF. C. DAVIS,

Brevet Major-General, Commanding.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
February 18, 1865.

I sent a dispatch this afternoon informing the general commanding of the movements of the enemy above us on the river. I see by the dispatch just received that it has not been received. Cheatham is crossing with a force estimated at 13,000 men. Kilpatrick is at Alston, and reports the enemy crossing above Alston.

JEF. C. DAVIS,

Brevet Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS LEFT WING, ARMY OF GEORGIA,
Five Miles South of Freshly's, S. C., February 18, 1865.

Major-General DAVIS,

Commanding Fourteenth Corps:

GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs me to acknowledge the receipt of your communication, and to say that he will send a division early to-morrow morning to the position now occupied by General Carlin. He directs that you commence destroying the railroad toward Alston as soon as you cross the river, and if possible destroy the railroad bridge below Alston. The Twentieth Corps will cross the river as soon as your corps is over.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBT. P. DECHERT,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL
HDQRS. FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, FIELD ORDERS,
Freshly's Mills, S. C., Numbers 12.
February 18, 1865.

The movements of the corps to-day will be as follows:

General Blair will cross the Broad River, and, moving up the river to a point two miles this side of Alston, will destroy the railroad to that point (together with the railroad bridge at that place if not already destroyed), and will encamp to-night at Larkin's Mill, near Pearson's Island.