and until those who escaped capture had scattered and concealed themselves in the woods. The enemy's force was ascertained to have been about 3,000 commanded by Major General W. M. Gardner, with eighteen pieces of artillery in charge of Colonel J. C. Pemberton (late Lieutentant-General Pemberton). The fruits of this victory were 18 pieces of artillery with caissons, forges, and battery wagons complete, 17 stand of colors, and between 1,200 prisoners and the possession of the town, with its immense depots and arsenals, and the Salisbury Prison. Miller's brigade was recalled from the pursuit and ordered to destroy the railroad eastward. At the same time Major Hambright, provost-marshal, and Major Barnes, of my staff, were ordered to secure the prisoners and ascertain the locality and amount of stores, with a view to their destruction. Colonel Palmer, with his brigade, came up late in the afternoon and reported that he had been entirely successful, having destroyed two large factories, 7,000 bales of cotton, cut the railroad once north of Greensborough and in three places between that place and the Yadkin River, and captured over 400 prisoners, and that Major Wagner, who was detached at Jacksonville, had also rejoined and reported the destruction of all the bridges on the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad to within four miles of Lynchburg, Va. Colonel Palmer was directed to destroy the railroad south of Salisbury in the direction of Carlotte.

At 2 p.m. on the 13th Major Barnes reported the destruction of all rebel supplies to be complete. From the preceding afternoon up to this time the air had been constantly rent by the reports of exploding shells and burning magazines. For miles around the locality of the city was marked during the day by a column of dense smoke, and at night by the glare from burning stores. Major Barnes reported having destroyed the following stores: 10,000 of arms, 1,000,000 rounds of ammunition (small), 10,000 rounds of ammunition (artillery), 6,000 pounds of powder, 3 magazines, 6 depots, 10,000 bushels corn, 75,000 suits of uniform clothing, 250,000 blankets (English manufacture), 20,000 pounds of leather, 6,000 pounds of bacon, 100,000 pounds of salt, 20,000 pounds of sugar, 27,000 pounds of rice, 10,000 pounds of saltpeter, 50,000 bushels of wheat, 80 barrels turpentine, $15,000,000 Confederate money, a lot of medical stores, which the medical director said were worth over $100,000 in gold. The work of destruction complete, the command marched from Salisbury at 3 p.m. on the 13th, bringing away 11 of the 18 pieces captured artillery; the remaining 7 pieces were destroyed and abandoned for lack of animals to bring them off. On the 15th the command reached Lenoir, and as it had been determined to send the captured artillery and prisoners to East Tennessee from this point, the 16th was occupied in returning the prisoners and refitting the artillery. On the 17th Major-General Stoneman left the command. Up to this time General Stoneman had been with the division, and as stated in the beginning of this report, all movements were made in accordance with his plans. Colonel Palmer, whose brigade was at Statesville, was ordered to establish his headquarters at Lincolnton, and watch the line of the Catawba. With Miller's and Brown's brigades I moved toward Morganton, and when arriving at the Catawba River, two miles and a half east of that place, the bridge was discovered to be torn up, the ford blockaded, and the passage of the river disputed by Major-General McCown with about 300 men and one piece of artillery. Major Kenner, Eighth Tennessee Cavalry, was sent up the river about two miles to cross and get in the enemy's rear. Another battalion of the same regiment was dismounted and placed as near the