strongly posted on the causeway and bridge crossing the stream. By direction of Brevet Major-General Woods, commanding First Division, I deployed three regiments, namely, the Twenty-seventh Missouri Infantry, Colonel Curly; Thirty-first and Thirty-second Missouri Infantry, consolidated, Major (now Lieutenant-Colonel) Seay, and the Twenty-sixth Iowa, Major Lubbers, and, throwing forward a strong line of skirmishers, advanced to the bank of the river, intending to cross in line of battle and drive off the enemy. It was found, however, that the passage of the stream was impracticable for so large a body of troops, as the river flowed through a dense cypress swamp nearly a mile wide, in which in many places the water was waist deep. I therefore pushed forward the skirmishers only, who with great difficulty advanced through the swamp, and under the fire of the enemy carried the bridge and causeway and drove him from the opposite bank of the river. In this affair I lost none in either killed or wounded. The next day the march was resumed, and continued form day to day until the 6th day of February, when the brigade reached Bamberg, a station on the Augusta and Charleston Railroad, and immediately commenced the destruction of the road. On this day and the following the brigade utterly destroyed the track for a distance of four miles, burning the ties and twisting by the use of hooks and levers, the iron rails. On the 11th of February I also completed the destruction of one mile of the track of the same road, near Lee's Turnout, reheating the iron, which had only been bent, and twisting the same.

Nothing deserving special mention occurred after the 11th instant until the 15th of February, when the First Division approached the Little Congress River, where is struck the enemy's cavalry in force. This brigade, being the rear of the division, took no part in the heavy skirmish of that day until after the enemy had been forced across the stream and driven from his works upon its bank. After passing the river a line of battle was formed in the open fields of a large plantation, this brigade occupying the extreme left. To the left and front of the brigade was a high ridge, affording the enemy a commanding position, and this was occupied by a considerable force of the enemy's cavalry. I ordered the Twenty-sixth Iowa Infantry, Major Lubbers commanding, to deploy as skirmishers, and keeping a large reserve to carry to the ridge. The order was executed handsomely, the enemy was driven off, and the ridge held. On the 17th day of February this brigade marched into and through Columbia, and encamped about a mile and a half outside the town. About 9 o'clock at night I received an order from Brevet Major-General Woods, commanding First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, to march into the city and relieve the Third Brigade of the same division, which was on provost guard duty I am satisfied by statements made to me by respectable citizens of the town that the fire was first set by the negro inhabitants. A gale was blowing, and the city being chiefly built of wood, the fire was exceedingly hard to control, but the strenuous exertions of the officers and men of the brigade at least two-fifths of the city was saved from destruction.

On the next day, by order of Major General O. O. Howard, commanding Department and Army of the Tennessee, I was appointed post commander hundred and third Illinois, Fortieth Illinois, and Ninety-seventh Indiana had in the meantime been ordered to report to me for duty. I at once appointed Colonel Reuben Williams, Twelfth Indiana Infantry, provost-marshal of the post, and by means of his efficiency