at Lumpkin's Station; still guarding train. 5th, marched in an easterly course seventeen miles. 6th, marched in southeasterly course twenty miles. 7th, marched in southeasterly course fourteen miles, and camped one mile from Savannah River and twenty-seven miles from the city. 8th, moved south five miles; crossed Ebenezer River, enemy demonstrating in front. 9th, moved scout seven miles; struck rebel fortifications on main road leading to Savannah. 10th, enemy fell back and we advanced four miles, reaching Savannah and Charleston Railroad. 11th, moved down the railroad and went into position, relieving a part of the Seventeenth Corps, the right of the regiment the city. December 12, relieved by Twentieth Corps and moved with the brigade two miles to the right; went into position with the right of the regiment near the canal, and some four miles from the city; remained in this position the fall of Savannah.

There was issued to be regiment by the brigade commissary from and including the 16th of November, the date of leaving Atlanta, up to 21st of December the following amount of rations: Six days' rations bread, six days' rations bacon, six days' ratios soap, six days' rations salt, twenty-four days' rations coffee, eleven days' rations sugar, nine days' rations beef. The rest required to subsist upon was foraged off the country. I am unable to give the amount brought into the regiment, but I do know the men did not suffer-in fact, they lived well.

The regiment destroyed two miles of railroad, brought and turned over 23 head of mules, 11 head horses, and 22nd head of cattle. Number of negroes that followed the regiment into camp, 23. Cotton and cotton gins destroyed, none.

In conclusion I must say that both officers and men performed the march in fine spirits; none were lost through sickness or fatigue.

I am, captain, with much respect, your obedient servant,

M. R. VERNON,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment.

Captain J. S. WILSON,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 2nd Brigadier, 2nd Div., 14th Army Corps.

Numbers 72. Report of Captain James R. McLaughlin, Ninety-eighth Ohio Infantry. HDQRS. NINETY-EIGHTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, Near Savannah, Ga., December 29, 1864.

SIR: *

On the morning of the 16th [November] the Ninety-eighth, with the remainder of the division which formed a part of the Left Wing, Army of Georgia, left Atlanta, moving on the Augusta road. We struck the railroad near Covington, destroying about a quarter of a mile, which is all the railroad destroyed by the Ninety-eighth during the entire trip. The regiment only drew about three days' rations after leaving Atlanta until we arrived outside the defenses of Savannah. With this exception the regiment subsisted entirely off the country.

The captures made by the regiment are as follows: Horses 20; mules, 30; cattle, 75. Number of darkies following the regiment, 12. During

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*For portion of report (here omitted) relating to operations in North Georgia and North Alabama, see VOL. XXXIX, Part I, p. 642.

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