every direction, and the reeling incendiaries dashed, torch in hand, from street to street, spreading dismay wherever they went. General Woods used every exertion to quell the riot, and his troops aided him in fighting the conflagration, and to their exertions is due the preservation of such portion of the city as escaped the fire. Toward morning General Oliver's brigade, of Hazen's division, was ordered into the city, and this force, in addition to that from the First Division, restored order. The next morning the provost system was more thoroughly organized, and, under command of Brevet Brigadier-General Woods, the city was perfectly quiet.

On the 18th ultimo the Second and Fourth Divisions were ordered to destroy fifteen miles of the Columbia Branch of the South Carolina Railroad, and leaving a strong camp guard moved from the city. During the course of the day instructions were issued that the divisions should bivouac on the road in the event of not accomplishing the destruction of the same before night-fall. Details were furnished from this corps while in Columbia to destroy certain Government stores that could not be used by our army, and during the destruction of some ammunition a sad explosion took place, killing and wounding 1 officer and 23 men. Upon investigation it was found to have occurred from purely accidental causes, and that no one was chargeable with undue carelessness. The troops remained in and around Columbia during the 18th and 19th, the work of destroying railroad and public stores in the city being continued. My mounted infantry was in the meanwhile dispatched to destroy the railroad bridge across the Wateree River, and accomplished their work thoroughly and successfully, burning on their return all bridges and trestling up to the point where General Corse was working.

During the night of the 19th General Hazen's division returned to camp near the city, but the Fourth Division remained in camp on the railroad, with orders to move on the next morning to a junction with the other divisions of the corps to the north of the city, in the direction of Muddy Springs. During the 19th ultimo a refugee train was organized, consisting of those of the inhabitants of Columbia and of the neighboring country who desired to go north with our army, and an equal distribution was made of the same among the several divisions. To this train accessions were made daily during our march through the country, and with the negroes who abandoned their homes at different places along our line of march the trains grew to great size. The corps broke camp from around Columbia the morning of the 20th of February, and moved north in the direction of Winnsborough, leaving the South Carolina Railroad and line of march of the Seventeenth Corps far to the left. Owing to the scarcity of water in the neighborhood of Muddy Springs the troops were moved several miles farther in advance than was intended, and encamped on Rice Creek, the Third, Second, and Fourth Divisions reaching that point, with the First Division a little in advance of Muddy Springs. The rear guard of the army had been drawn from this division, and before leaving Columbia Brevet Brigadier-General Woods had driven all stragglers and camp followers before him and moved his command from the city in good order. The movement was continued on the morning of the 21st. The character of the country was hilly and barren, and but little forage for man or animal could be procured, the corps encamping three divisions on Dutchman's Creek, with General Woods' division at Longtown, on the direct Winnsborough and Camden road. The next day the corps moved to the Wateree, the left column, via Poplar Springs, to Peay's

Ferry, at which place it was directed to cross the river. General Woods was instructed to move along the road to Nichols' Ferry, demonstrate at that crossing, but moving his command to Peay's Ferry by the most direct left-hand road. No signs of the enemy were discovered at either crossing, and the pontoon was laid without interruption. General Hazen crossed his command, taking up position on the opposite side of the river. The rest of the corps encamped ready to cross in the morning. On the 23d of February the corps continued crossing the Wateree, and on reaching Liberty Hill broke into two columns, the left, consisting of the First and Third Divisions, moving to Flat Rock Church; the right, composed of the Second and Fourth Divisions, to the neighborhood of Red Hill Post-Office. The object of the continued movement was to strike the system of roads leading from Camden to Cheraw, across Lynch's Creek, by Tiller's and Kelly's Bridges, and to attain this object the left column was moved on the morning of the 24th of February to West's Cross-Roads, the right column making Big Pine Tree Church on the Camden and Cheraw road. Detachments from the Second and Fourth Divisions entered Camden, destroying all public stores and buildings to be found in the place. No enemy was encountered on this detour. The following morning this column was moved up abreast of the other divisions into position near Pine Tree Church, with one brigade at McCaskill's Cross-Roads, making communication complete. While our troops remained at West's Cross-Roads the enemy's cavalry maneuvered on our flanks, and succeeded in picking up a few of our foragers and stragglers, but no serious inconvenience was experienced from their presence. On the morning of the 26th the corps marched to Lynch's Creek, the Fourth and First Divisions to Tiller's Bridge, and the Second and Third to Kelly's Bridge and prepared to cross that stream. The rains of the previous week had so swollen this stream that, although the bridge remained, the water on each side was deep enough to swim a horse, and presented in its then condition an almost insurmountable obstacle to the crossing of our trains. On reaching the creek, however, General Corse pushed his division across, his men wading up to their armpits, holding above their heads their muskets and cartridge-boxes. On attaining the other bank he skirmished with and drove Butler's division of rebel cavalry, and took position covered with works to hold and protect the crossing. The first serious detention that the corps had met with since the opening of the campaign was the swollen crossing of Lynch's Creek; too wide to be bridged, too deep to be forded, the only feasible plan was to wait till the water subsided before attempting to cross our trains, but in the meantime our whole available pioneer force was engaged in building a footbridge for the infantry. The same character of stream was found at Kelly's Bridge as at Tiller's Bridge, presenting the same obstacles to a crossing at that point.

The 27th and 28th of February were consumed in building footbridges and in futile attempts to put in pontoons, for the broken and irregular character of the bottom rendered it impossible to do so with success. But several deep holes were bridged and sunken corduroy put in wherever the water had subsided sufficiently to admit of work on the bottom. The water having fallen sufficiently to warrant an attempt at crossing our trains, on the 1st of March the crossing was attempted, and by raising our hard bread and ammunition five or six inches in the beds of the wagons the Fourth Division train and a portion of the First Division passed over with little or no damage, but before General Woods could pass the whole of his train it was necessary to build

another bridge of considerable length, so that it was not until the morning of the 2d of March that he succeeded in crossing the last of his wagons. General Hazen, if anything, met with greater obstacles at Kelly's Bridge, for just after his bridge had been completed and the wagons were crossing it gave way, and the whole work had to be done over again. But he commenced crossing the same day as General Woods, and the whole of his division, with all the transportation of the Third, was over by the evening of March 2.

On the morning of the 1st General Corse had moved out to Black Creek, on the Camden and Cheraw road, and on the 2d crossed his command. The same day the First Division, General Woods commanding, moved to New Market, crossing Big Black Creek, which bid fair to be as bad as Lynch's Creek, but toward midnight we were able to get in pontoon-boats sufficient to bridge the main part of the stream, and the whole of the command was crossed without loss to our ammunition or subsistence. General Hazen moved from Kelly's Bridge, encamping near the forks of the road west of the creek, and lent every assistance in putting in the pontoons. General Smith could only reach Kellytown, where he camped for the night. The next morning the movement was continued on Cheraw, the Fourth Division moving along the direct Camden and Cheraw road to Thompson's Creek, where the division was encamped. The First and Second Divisions moved by plantation roads across from the New Market and Society Hill road to the Cheraw road, thence in rear of the Fourth Division to Thompson's Creek, where the First Division was also encamped in position. The Second Division did not succeed in reaching this advanced position, and as the Seventeenth Corps had entered Cheraw there was no necessity for pushing the division farther than they could move during daylight. The Third Division, crossing Black Creek at Rocky Ford, moved along the Camden and Cheraw road, encamping in the neighborhood of the Second Division. The next morning, the 4th of March, the corps entered Cheraw and took position to the north of the town, being encamped across the plank road. The roads leading into Cheraw were very much cut up by the passage of heavy army trains and required a great deal of work before our trains could be passed over them, but our indefatigable pioneer corps worked faithfully here, as always, and smoothed the way for our troops and trains. Before entering the city a mounted force was organized, consisting of the Seventh and Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, the Twenty-ninth Missouri Mounted Infantry, and a detachment of thirty mounted foragers from each division, the expedition under command of Col. Reuben Williams, Twelfth Indiana Infantry, for the purpose of striking the railroad junction at Florence and destroying the public stores at that place and as much of the railroad as the expeditionary character of the force dispatched could accomplish. This expedition returned with out having entered Florence on account of the presence of the enemy in considerable force, but Colonel Williams succeeded in destroying most of the bridging and trestling between Cheraw and Florence, and fully accomplished in this respect the design of the expedition. For the purpose of foraging upon the country and of using certain mills General John E. Smith's division crossed the Great Pedee at 6 a. m. the 5th ultimo, and moved to position on Phill's Creek. General Hazen crossed the same day after the Seventeenth Army Corps, and encamped in support of the Third Division. On the withdrawal of the Seventeenth Corps the provost guard for the city was drawn from the Fourth Division, which remained in the city as rear guard for the army. The

rest of the corps crossed the Pedee the 6th of March, the Fourth Division encamping near Easterly's Mills, the First Division in the neighborhood of Quick's Church, with the Third and Second Divisions in the same positions as on the day before. During the campaign every opportunity was seized to work all grist and flour mills met with in the country, and on encamping for the night the mills in the neighborhood were regularly assigned to the different divisions. Virtually living upon the country, it was necessary to husband our supplies and put under contribution all the resources of the country.

The whole corps having crossed the Great Pedee, the movement on Fayetteville was commenced on the 7th ultimo, and the corps broke camp, moving forward in three columns to Crooked Creek, the Fourth Division via Irby's and Easterling's Mills; the First Division on a plantation road to the left, running into the road on which the Fourth Division was marching at Goodwin's Mill; the Third and Second Divisions, in that order, via Quick's Church. This column was delayed until a late hour in the day by the passage of the Twentieth Corps, which crossed our pontoon and moved through our camps, passing in the direction of Rockingham. The movement was continued the next morning on two roads, that to the right leading to Springfield and Laurel Hill and the other more directly to Laurel Hill. The First and Fourth Divisions moved on the right road, the Second and Third on that to the left. About midday a severe storm set in, continuing without intermission during the rest of the day and night; the roads becoming almost impassable for our trains, the greatest exertions were necessary to bring them into camp by morning. The Second and Third Divisions reached Laurel Hill, the rear of the Third Division getting into camp at 1 a.

m.

The infantry of the First Division, with a portion of the supply train, also reached Laurel Hill, but the remainder of the train was parked some four miles back in the direction of Springfield. The roads became so bad that it was necessary to corduroy nearly the whole dis tance before the trains could be gotten up. General Corse did not move farther than Springfield, and reconnoitered during the night for a fresh road to Laurel Hill. In accordance with orders from department headquarters I moved on the morning of the 9th the Second Division of my corps along the direct road to Gilchrist's Bridge; the Third and First Divisions, in that order, on a road to the left, striking into the Rockingham and Gilchrist's Bridge road, then down that road to the bridge, while the Fourth Division was ordered to follow the Second Division on the direct road. The rains we had had for some days past had swollen all the streams and flooded all the swamps which seemed as it were the road indicated for our march. The entire reach of Jones' Creek, at the crossing, a swamp, had to be corduroyed, and the country was of such a treacherous character that a horseman leaving the main road would most certainly mire. The Second Division succeeded in reaching Gilchrist's Bridge and by putting in four pontoon-boats completed the crossing. But the trials that this and the other divisions endured in struggling through the succession of swamps between Lumber River and Little Rockfish Creek beggar description; to be fully appreciated the scene of their operations should have been visited; the whole corps worked night and day as pioneers until the treacherous country was passed. No sooner had the Second Division fairly commenced crossing Lumber River than the rain set in with great violence, completely washing the bottom out of the roads. General Hazen pushed two brigades, with a few wagons, through to Mill Swamp, parking his train in some open fields about

two miles from Gilchrist's Bridge. The remaining brigade was left with his trains. General Smith found good roads till the severe rains of the afternoon set in, when the roads were so bad that in places no ground could be found solid enough for the animals to stand upon, and the wagons had to be pulled out of the mire by relays of men. His Second Brigade succeeded in crossing Lumber River, and pushed on in the direction of Randallsville, the point indicated in the order of march for his whole division. His train and First Brigade did not get nearer the river than four miles, where the trains were brought into park and the troops bivouacked for the night. The First Division, moving in rear of the Third, only succeeded in wholly crossing Jordan's Creek by 3 p. m., and during the night pulled up to the neighborhood of the First Brigade of General Smith's. The roads that had been pretty good in the morning, when the Third Division passed, were impassable without corduroying before night. The Fourth Division broke camp at daylight from Springfield and moved by plantation roads to Laurel Hill and commenced crossing Jordan's Creek about 3 p. m. The whole of this division had not crossed the swamp along the creek before the heavy rain commenced, sinking the bottom of the whole road that had borne General Hazen's train in the morning. General Corse moved on until 9 p. m., corduroying almost every foot of the road and making about four miles from Jordan's Creek. One of the swamp bridges had sunk and his command bivouacked, with Juniper Swamp and Creek, swollen into quite a stream, flowing between his brigades. Each divis ion had heavy working parties on the roads all night, preparatory for an advance in the morning. With things in this condition I received your Field Orders, No. 57, directing me to move my command across Little Rockfish Creek. Circumstances were such that it was impossible to comply with this order, but I issued instructions to my division commanders, urging them to push forward their commands in the morning to the farthest point attainable. General Hazen was directed to close up his command on Bethel Church and report to headquarters the moment that he was ready to move forward. To the other divisions similar instructions were issued, Generals Smith and Woods to move via Randallsville and General Corse to follow General Hazen. Strong working parties from all the divisions were engaged from an early hour in the morning corduroying the road; it was impossible to move a wagon from the direct road; the country was a perfect quicksand. The corduroying through the swamps had to be made with trees, felled and split, and in some places fastened down with heavy stringers.

The movement of the 10th was a repetition of that of the preceding day. General Corse had rebuilt the bridge across Juniper Creek, crossed his whole division, and moved to Lumber River, then to the position occupied by General Hazen the night previous, massing his troops and trains till the road should be clear for his advance, General Hazen's train having but fairly stretched out. Col. Wells Jones' brigade had been working through the entire morning on the road through Raft Swamp and across Mill Swamp, and the trains of this division drew out about 12 m. reaching and going into park at Bethel Church that night. General Hazen moved his other brigades forward about 3 in the afternoon, with orders to repair the roads in advance for the movement of his train, the same character of quicksand country being met with. During the night General Corse completed such parts of corduroying as General Hazen had omitted, and moved his supply and ordnance trains some three miles in advance of his infantry bivouacs, parking them in the neighborhood of the trains of the Second Division, about