a vigorous fire, and close in the footsteps of the skirmish line, mounted the enemy's works, which at this moment were surrendered without further struggle. To the Eighty-third Ohio too much praise cannot be awarded for the manner in which they advanced over the abatis, preserving a magnificent and perfect line, and being the first to enter the enemy's works. Their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel W. H. Baldwin, has proven himself, by his unflinching courage and remarkable coolness on this occasion, to be every inch a soldier and a man. To my regimental commanders-Colonel Clark, of the Third-fourth Iowa; Colonel Kelly, One hundred and fourteenth Ohio; Colonel Black, Thirty-seventh Illinois, and Lieutenant-Colonel Leake, Twentieth Iowa-I am indebted for the splendid manner in which they led their commands, which so materially assisted in the fall of Blakely. To my staff officers is due the reward of soldiers. Hereto attached is a list of casualties in the command from the date of the commencement of this report.*

I have the honor to be, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

F. W. MOORE,

Colonel Eighty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Commanding Brigade.

Captain GEORGE MONROE,

Asst. Adjt. General, Second Division, Thirteenth Army Corps.

No. 35. Report of Brigadier General William P. Benton, U. S. Army, commanding Third Division, of operations March 17-April 12.

HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, THIRTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Mobile, Ala., April 12, 1865.

MAJOR: Pursuant to the direction of the major-general commanding Thirteenth Army Corps, I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the forces under my command since leaving Fort Morgan, Ala., to the date hereof:

On the 17th of March my command, consisting of the Third Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, to which was temporarily attached the First Brigade, Second Division (same corps), commanded by Colonel Henry Bertram, marched at daylight from Fort Morgan and Navy Cove, and led the advance of the Thirteenth Army Corps to the North Fork of Fish River, a distance of forty miles. Our route was up the peninsula to Bayou Portage, thence northerly to Dannelly's Mills, on the river above named. Until we reached Bayou Portage the command encountered no obstacles to its progress, but here it entered upon a treacherous crust, beneath which no bottom was discoverable. Here began a toilsome march, in which the command was compelled to corduroy the road the greater part of the way. Animals found no firm footing but the corduroy, and wagons and artillery elsewhere moved not over the roads, but through them, if they moved at all, which was often only when the animals were taken off and men substituted. In the midst of this, an incessant and deluging rain, commencing when the command was duly mired and lasting eighteen hours, would have made the roads impassable but for the indomitable perseverance of all,

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*Embodied in table, p.111.

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