HDQRS. FOURTH DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
On Goldsborough Road, two Miles from Neuse River, March 19, 1865.

Major MAX. WOODHULL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Fifteenth Army Corps:

MAJOR: I have the honor to report the movements of my division for to-day as follows: Breaking camp at 8 a. m. I moved in rear of the First Division of this corps to this point, a distance of fifteen miles, where a portion of my command is now in position and intrenching themselves as well as they can under the circumstances. At this hour (12 midnight) I have but five regiments of my division up to this point, one brigade having been placed in position six miles to the rear, as is supposed by the order of the major-general commanding corps, the Sixty-sixth Illinois Volunteers of the Second Brigade being left on the Smithfield road. A portion only of my brigade trains have yet mad the crossing of Falling Creek. The remainder, with train of headquarters military division, are still on the other side, and from the appearance of the swamp at present it would seem impossible to get them over for several hours. My pioneer corps is all engaged in assisting my train across, and the tool wagons of the brigades are still on the opposite side of the creek, which will prove a serious obstacle to the rapid construction of my works, but as soon as I can bring forward the corps of pioneers and furnish the tools the work will be prosecuted vigorously, and I think I can hold my position with the troops of my division now at hand. One of my staff officers just in reports it impossible to pass any more wagons over Falling Creek until a bridge is constructed.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN M. CORSE,

Brevet Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Falling Creek Church, N. C., March 19, 1865.

Major-General BLAIR,

Commanding Seventeenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: General Slocum reports having met a very large force and thinks that Johnston's whole army is confronting him. The general commanding directs that you do not move farther forward at present, but that you get your trains well closed up, so that you may put them under guard and be ready to move up, disencumbered of wagons, to the support of the Left Wing at a moment's notice, and for that purpose you reconnoiter carefully all roads leading in this direction. The inclosed dispatch* is from General Sherman, who wishes you to send it by some careful, trustworthy person though to General Schofield, who is supposed to be advancing on Goldsborough, and is probably near Kinston.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. M. VAN DYKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

FALLING CREEK, [March 19, 1865]-4. 30 p. m.

Major-General BLAIR, Jr.:

DEAR GENERAL: General Sherman has concluded to concentrate here. Please mass your trains close where they are, and move up here

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* See Sherman to Schofield, 5 p. m., p. 910.

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