New Berne alone. If so, he will want all accumulation of supplies taken there. I am now looking for the return of a staff officer sent to Wilmington, and when he gets back will know whether vessels are to be stopped at Beaufort or not, and will direct accordingly.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Cheraw, S. C., March 3, 1865-1. 40 p. m.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi:

GENERAL: General Blair entered here at about 11. 30 a. m., skirmishing with the enemy's cavalry. Hardee left with the last of his troops this morning. General Mower pushed with all his might, and tried to save the bridge, but could not do it. We have 17 pieces of artillery as far as counted, about 2,000 muskets, and 1 building containing ammunition. The enemy's skirmishers are on the other side of the river. General Blair will encamp here to-night, and General Blair will encamp here to-night, and General Logan about eight miles to the rear, on Thompson's Creek. I send you Fayetteville Observe of the 27th instant [ultimo]. An expedition was sent to break the railroad, with instructions to make a very small break, as I thought you may want to use the road for some purpose.

Very respectfully,

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
In the Field, Chesterfield, S. C., March 3, 1865-2. 30 p. m.

Major-General HOWARD,

Commanding Right Wing;

GENERAL: Your dispatch, of 3. 30 p. m. of yesterday, from Black Creek, is just received. I wrote this a. m. to General Blair a letter* to be sent you, which may reach you before this, but will repeat. Slocum took Chesterfield yesterday, driving Butler's cavalry to and through the town, but the enemy broke one of the bridges and burned the other. Both are now repaired, and Slocum will push one division down on the north bank so as to uncover your crossing; but send me word as soon as you are over, that the Twentieth Corps may cross over to the Pedee toward Sneedsborough, where I want his wing and the cavalry to cross over. Of course I am a little impatient to get across Pedee before Beauregard can swing around from Charlotte and Salisbury and oppose our crossing. Once across pedee, I don't fear the whole Confederate army, for if need be we can swing in against the right bank of Cape Fear and work down till we meet our people, but I shall aim to reach Fayetteville and Goldsborough, where I know Schofield must now be. I have ordered Davis from McManus' Bridge via Mount Crogham to Sneedsborough, and Kilpatrick is above him toward Wadesborough. Roads are very bad up here, either quicksand or red clay. The country is also poor; still thus far we find forage, bacon, and corn meal. I met at Winnsborough Mrs. Aiken, wife of the very Colonel Aiken you report as killed in the fight with Duncan. She was a Miss Gayler, of Mobile,

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*See 6 a. m., p. 666.

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