Massachusetts Volunteers and the Fifth Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, was transported by railroad to White's house, about 1 mile from Core Creek, where they were afterward joined by the remainder of the brigade and the Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania, with some cavalry and artillery. At dusk the Twenty-seventh was sent, with the Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania, both under the immediate command of Colonel Jones, of the Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania, by an unfrequented path to the rear of the enemy's outpost, at Gum Swamp, some 8 miles from Kinston, N. C. At midnight the remainder of the column moved up the Dover road (to which they had previously marched from the railroad) to attack the enemy in front.

May 22.-At daybreak the advance of the United States troops on the Dover road encountered the enemy's pickets and drove them in. The main body then came up and annoyed the enemy with desultory skirmish firing until about 10 a. m., when Colonel Jones (who had succeeded in reaching the enemy's rear) made a dash upon their position, and, in conjunction with the troops in front, succeeded in capturing 165 prisoners. Our column now slowly retired, closely followed by the enemy with cavalry and artillery. He shelled our near for some time, but without effect, and about 9 p. m. our troops bivouacked behind Core Creek.

May 23.-At daylight our pickets were attacked, but the enemy's advance was driven back by a few well-directed shell. A move was then made toward the railroad, but it was soon discovered that the enemy had crossed Core Creek, on the line of the railroad, and were reoccupying in force. Accordingly Colonel Jones, wishing to avoid another action, made his way through a dense swamp, striking the railroad several miles below White's house, and, taking the cars awaiting there, returned to New Berne about 5 p. m. The prisoners on their arrival were paroled by the following staff officers of this division: Captain Judson, assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenant Horton, acting commissary of musters; Lieutenant Allen, acting aide-de-camp. The pickets at Batchelder's Creek were shortly after attacked, and the Forty-fifth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, of the First Brigade, was sent out.

Numbers 4. Report of Colonel George H. Peirson, Fifth Massachusetts Infantry, commanding Second Brigade.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, FIRST DIV., EIGHTEENTH A. C.,
New Berne, N. C., May 17, 1863.

By reason of the lamented death of Colonel J. Richter Jones, Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, a most gallant, earnest, devoted, and loyal-hearted soldier and patriot, and the commander of the late expedition to the enemy's outpost, know as gum Swamp, it devolves upon the undersigned, being the senior officer present, to make as complete a report thereof as possible for the information of the commanding genera. The forces comprising the expedition consisted of Lee's brigade (Twenty-fifth, Twenty-seventh, Fifth and Forty-sixth Massachusetts Regiments), under the immediate command of the undersigned; the Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Curtiss; three pieces of Battery H, Third New York Artillery, under