and, in company with the other regiments and being third in line of your brigade, were en route toward Kinston at about 9 o'clock a.m., continuing the march until about 10 o'clock p.m., when it went into camp about 13 miles from New Berne, on the Trent road. It recommenced its march in the same order at 9 o'clock on the morning of December 12, and nothing of note having transpired again encamped with the other regiments of yours and the preceding brigades about 28 miles from New Berne.

Our march was again resumed on the morning of Saturday, the 13th, at about 9 a.m., and continued for about an hour, when our regiment was detached from your brigade and left, with two pieces of Riggs' battery, Captain Lee, to guard and hold certain cross-road and the approaches from the rear and front of the center road of the three roads leading to Kinston.

The artillery having been placed with excellent judgment and skill by Captain Lee in position to completely command the approach in front from Kinston, the Forty-sixth was drawn up in line of battle behind and in support. Pickets were thrown forward on the Kinston road and one company (F), under Captain Conwell, was detached and posted at two angles of a triangle, some 200 yards in our rear, formed by a cross by-road connecting the road on which our main body was posted and the road taken by the main body of the army, so that no approach upon either road could be made by the enemy without our receiving timely warning. We held this position until sundown, when I received orders from Major Hoffman to advance my command 4 miles nearer to Kinston up the road on which we were then posted, and to hold and occupy certain cross-roads indicated until further orders. This order we executed, making the march after nightfall. I detached Company D (Captain Grimes), to march some 50 yards in advance, and then threw forward 10 men, under Lieutenant Knapp, as an advance guard against surprise. Having arrived at the position indicated, the artillery was placed in position by Captain Lee, the infantry drawn up in line in support in the edge of the woods skirting the cross-road; the several roads thoroughly picketed; the main road in front and a cross road leading to the right by Captain Grimes' company, divided so as to make three posts, in charge, respectively, of Captain Grimes, Lieutenant Knapp, and Lieutenant Bronson; the road in our rear picketed with two posts from Captain Kingsbury's company (B), and the road leading to the left and toward the position of the advance of the army, and the road in our immediate right and left front by detachments from Captain Lincoln's company (G). Our baggage train I brought forward and placed on our left, on the cross-road leading to the rear of the advance, and of course between our left and our pickets. The men were then ordered to lie upon their arms, and of course no camp fires were allowed. This position we occupied undisturbed until morning, our pickets bringing in one prisoner, whom I delivered to the care of the rear guard; and then, in pursuance of an order from Major Hoffman, received about midnight, we proceeded at 7 a.m. of the next day to rejoin the main body, arriving just in time to take our proper place in line, where we continued until, the advance becoming engaged near Kinston, we were sent by your orders forward to support a battery, not then, however, engaged. After the engagement at Kinston was over we under your orders resumed our former position in line, and entering Kinston encamped there with the rest of your brigade.

Resuming our march on the following morning (Monday) we preserved our place in line until, the advance being engaged at White Hall with the artillery, under your orders we passed forward following the Twenty-