This was signaled. I telegraphed a copy to Captain Elder, at Pine Tree, and ordered him to act accordingly.

At 10. 30 a. m. the following was signaled from Captain Elder:

I have received orders from Colonel Savage to fall back to his camp, as the enemy are in heavy force.

At 10. 45 a. m. the following was brought to me by an orderly from Captain Roche, Twelfth New York Cavalry:

Captain ROCHE:

You will fall back with your entire force, inclusive of the Ninety-ninth at Red House, to the line of this camp, leaving vedettes to give information of an approach.

JAS. W. SAVAGE,

Colonel.

Upon receipt of the foregoing I sent the corporal and 3 of his men (cavalry) to order my guards in on the Tuscarora road, and to retire one-fourth of a mile in their rear until within 1 mile of camp, where he was to stay till ordered to retire, sending 1 man to warn me of the approach of an enemy, and if forced, to fall back as slowly as possible, this to enable those men coming off picket to equip themselves with their effects. I had all my command under arms awaiting them. I had sent my only means of transportation (one wagon) with Corp. Thomas Jones, of Company, E, acting commissary sergeant, and Matthew Kirkham, private of Company E, to Batchelder's Creek to draw rations for first ten days of February.

Lieutenant Carpenter, signal officer, and his men passed me at 11 a. m., saying he had been bidden good-by from Pine Tree and could not communicate with Batchelder's Creek. Such being the case I, with him, thought he should retire. The guards all arrived in, and allowed me to start on my retreat at 12. 20 p. m., informing the vedettes when we were under way. They, by direction, with me fell back, keeping a proper distance in the rear to warn me of any approach of an enemy. I left 1 sergeant and 4 men to guard the stores, camp and garrison equipage until I endeavored to get transportation from Rocky Run, with orders, if the enemy came, to escape through the woods to the rear.

My line of march was along the road to Pine Tree till I came to the road which, passing to the rear of Captain Elder's camp, meets the Trent road about half a mile this side of Pine Tree. Until arriving in the Trent road I had 3 cavalrymen one-third of a mile in advance; thereafter all the cavalry remainder that distance in rear. Upon arriving at Rocky Run, finding every one gone and the camp on fire, I sent back my orderly to the Red House and ordered the men whom I had left as a guard to follow into New Berne, which same they did, arriving about one and a half hours after the main body. About 1 1\2 miles this side of Rocky Run I was overtaken by a corporal and 3 men, who had been out by order of Colonel Savage to find me. He was in rear of their camp, and as I passed to the right of it we missed each other.

About 2 miles outside I was met by a company, commanded by Captain Myers. Twelfth New York Cavalry, sent out by Colonel Savage to escort us in. Up to this time we had not hurried much from the fact that we saw no enemy, but as we were told the enemy had shown himself along the road and there was danger of being cut off, I ordered the men to step out, which act, with the heavy load they had of all their effects, caused the line to lengthen some. I arrived within the works about 4. 30 p. m.