JUNE 20-23, 1864.-Expedition from Batchelder's Creek to vicinity of Kinston, N. C., and skirmish (22d) at Southwest Creek.

Report of Colonel Peter J. Claassen, One hundred and thirty-second New York Infantry.*

HDQRS. OUTPOSTS CAMP CLAASSEN, 132nd Regiment N. Y. INFTY., Batchelder's Creek, N. C., June 23, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor herewith respectfully to submit my report as regards the doings and results of an expedition toward Kinston, N. C., said operations being in conformity with personal instructions of the commanding general.

The forces assigned to me for this purpose were as follows, viz: The One hundred and thirty-second Regiment New York Infantry, 331 men strong; Fifteenth Regiment Connecticut Infantry (Colonel Upham commanding), 349 men strong; a light battery (Third New York Artillery), four 3-inch guns, Captain Mercer commanding, 77 men strong; a detachment Twelfth New York Cavalry, composed of Troops B and D, Captain West Commanding, 75 men strong. A force of the Ninety-ninth New York Infantry, having reported for duty to me, were left in conjunction with portions of the One hundred and thirty-second New York Infantry to guard this front during my absence.

In the afternoon of Monday, June 20, 1864, a detachment of the One hundred and thirty-second New York Infantry, composed of Companies D, I, and K, under command of Captain Thomas B. Green, of the One hundred and thirty-second New York, was sent with a good guide to take a position flanking the enemy's strong work on Southwest Creek, about three miles and a half this side of Kinston, to lay hid in a swamp until 10 p. m. June 21, 1864, then to assail Southwest Creek intrenchments, while I moved on the direct front. The success that this move met with is almost entirely due to the endurance and determination displayed by Captain Green, his officers and men.

On the morning of the 21st, at precisely 5 o'clock, the balance of my forces started as follows: A detachment of two companies of the One hundred and thirty-second New York Infantry and two companies of the Fifteenth Connecticut Infantry, with one piece of artillery, the whole under command of Lieutenant Colonel George H. Hitchcock, marched up the Neuse road to a point called Mosely Creek. The balance of my force, under my immediate command, moved up the Dover road to a point known as Dover Depot. It had been agreed upon that at sharp 10 p. m. of June 21, 1864, all three bodies of troops were to advance, capture, and fight up to Southwest Creek, there to unite and advance upon Kinston, if practicable. The result has shown that each column did its work, and when my advance guard reached Southwest Creek mill-dam I found Captain Green was occupying the enemy's works, where he had captured 5 officers and some 40 men, including the commanding officer of Kinston, Colonel Folk, C. S. Army, several horses, &c., killing and wounding some 20 of the enemy, with a loss to him of 1 man killed and 1 man missing. Previous to advancing my center column up to Southwest Creek I caused the artillery to be parked at Wise's Forks. This point has a fine square, where the Trent and Dover roads unite direct, and the Neuse road by the British road. Five companies of the One hundred and thirty-second New York Infantry were left here to support the artillery, together with one troop of cavalry. My baggage train, ambulance, &c., were so arranged that in case we being obliged to

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*See also reports of Jourdan, p. 817, and Savage, p. 819.

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