and forty-fourth New York Volunteers, embarked at Hilton Head on steamers on Friday afternoon, the 1st of July, and left the harbor about sunset. Upon opening the sealed instructions given me before starting, I found my destination to be North Edisto, and accordingly steamed in that direction. We arrived off the bar at 2 a .m., but were obliged to wait until daylight before we could cross. Entering the mouth of the river I disembarked my brigade at Seabrook soon after sunrise, and by order of Brigadier-General Hatch, commanding, pushed forward to Haulover Cut, 5 miles from the landing, at the point where we were to cross to John's Island. The One hundred and forty-fourth New York Volunteers had the advance, and when they arrived at the cut, they found a small body of rebel cavalry there, which retired without disputing the passage. Colonel Slidell threw out skirmishers and was secured the approaches on the side of the enemy. The bridge across the cut had been destroyed some time before, and until it should be repaired neither artillery nor wagons could cross over. On reaching that point with the other two regiments of the brigade, I set my pioneer corps at work to rebuild the bridge, in charge of Quartermaster Lehnen, of the One hundred and fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and in less than four hours they built a bridge of 66 feet span, with two abutments and two piers, of sufficient strength to pass artillery and cavalry. General Hatch joined the advance in the afternoon, but toward evening returned to Seabrook. I made the best disposition possible for the safety of the command and the night was passed without alarm.

During the night two regiments of General Saxton's brigade came up, and in the morning the third regiment and the battery reported. General Hatch returned to the front at daylight and assumed the direction of the expedition. The troops advanced at about 8 a. m., my brigade leading, and bivouacked on the main road, about 4 miles from Haulover Cut, near a place called Parker's. We reached there about 11 o'clock, Saxton's brigade coming up about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. We remained there all night. Soon after halting an officer with a small body of cavalry reported to me that there were four pieces of artillery and 200 infantry at a point about 4 miles to our right, which General Schimmelfenning had sent to re-enforce us.

I marched the next morning, the 4th instant, at 5 o'clock, taking the right-hand or lower road, which covered more securely our new base of supplies, which had been transferred to the StoNumbers The day was unusually hot and sultry, and the men suffered severely from the dust and heat. We reached the point where the road branches to the right to go to Legareville about noon, and halted there for the day. Surgeon Robinson, One hundred and fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers, during the march, unfortunately fell into the hands of the enemy. Leaving the camp after the brigade had marched, he took the wrong road and rode into the enemy's lines before he was aware of it. Company G, of the same regiment, following as rear guard, also got off the road and encountered the enemy's skirmishers, but effected its return to the regiment without any loss. A few of the enemy's vedettes were seen on the march and wounded 1 cavalryman in the ankle.

The next day we marched about 5 miles, near to a point known as the Huts, which the advance reached about 9 o'clock. This was found to be a strong position, with an impassable swamp on our right flank and front, and it was concluded to advance no farther. After securing the crossing I sent skirmishers to the front and