Today in History:

151 Series I Volume XLVII-I Serial 98 - Columbia Part I

Page 151 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.

Second Division, Twenty-fourth Army Corps.

February 17. -This division received marching orders.

February 18. -Embarked on transports of Federal Point; sailed to Smithville; marched up the south side of Cape Fear River to Fort Anderson, where the division recrossed the river to the north side. February 22. -Entered Wilmington N. C. Since then it has been doing garrison duty in and around Wilmington.

March 1 to 15. -This division was doing garrison duty at Wilmington, N. C.

March 15. -Marching orders were received. The division left Wilmington at 1 p.m. same day.

March 22. -Formed a junction with Major General W. T. Sherman's army at Cox's Bridge, about eighty miles from Wilmington, where it remained until the 26th.

March 26. -It came to its present position, Faison's Station, N. C., on the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad.

First Brigade, Second Division.

March 15. -This command left Wilmington, N. C., and after a seven days' march reached Cox's Bridge, on the Neuse River, where it remained three days.

March 25. -The brigade marched to Faison's Station, on the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad, where it is now [March 31] in camp.

Second Brigade, Second Division.

Owing to the want of blanks, and in the absence of all company and regimental records, the monthly return for January was not made out until March 8.

February 11. -In the morning the brigade left camp at Federal Point, N. C., in heavy marching order, and moved up the military road to within a few hundred yards of the enemy's works near Sugar Loaf Battery, one regiment of the brigade being deployed as skirmishers, where it remained until the afternoon of the 12th, when the brigade was ordered back and bivouacked in the woods about one mile from the enemy's works.

February 14. -In the evening moved up the beach about six miles and then countermarched and returned to camp, where it remained until the night of the 7th, when it moved in heavy marching order and crossed the river to Smithville. Remained there until about 3 p.m. on the 18th, when it moved to the front in the direction of Fort Anderson, arriving there on the afternoon of the 19th and recrossed the river at dusk.

February 21. -In the morning the brigade was sent out with the First Brigade on a reconnaissance to the left and rear the Cape Fear River to ascertain the enemy's position, where we found them strongly intrenched, and one regiment (the Forty-eighth New York Volunteers) had a sharp skirmish. At night we marched back to the position occupied by us in the morning.

February 22. -The enemy having evacuated their works marched into Wilmington, and during the afternoon moved on to Northeast Station, where we encamped and remained during the month.

The monthly report for February left this brigade encamped near Wilmington, N. C., where it remained until March 15, when, at 1 p.m., the brigade broke camp; was formed in line and marched to Northeast Station, where it bivouacked for the night.


Page 151 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.