Numbers 23. Reports of Colonel Wells S. Jones, Fifty-third Ohio Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations January 14-March 24.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, SECOND DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS, Bamberg, S. C., February 8, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that in obedience to the order of General Hazen I marched my brigade this afternoon to Cannon's Bridge on the Edisto River. I found no enemy on this side of the river, but found him in works on the north bank. At the point where the works are, and for a long distance both below and above the bridge, there is a swamp about 600 yards wide on the south side of the river. I threw forward a line of skirmishers through the swamp to the main stream, and found that the bridge had been burned; that there was a line of works along the banks of the river several hundred yards in length with an embrasure in it covering the road. The works seemed to be well manned; the men could be seen and heard all along them. I think that a crossing might be effected here without very much difficulty, as the main stream does not seem to be very large. The distance from this camp to the bridge is about five miles. The road is a very bad one. I believe that one-fourth of it is covered with water. After exchanging some shots with the enemy, having learned all that could be learned about his position and strength without making a positive attack, I withdrew my line and returned to camp.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. S. JONES,

Colonel, Commanding.

Captain G. LOFLAND,

Asst. Adjt. General, Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps.

HDQRS. SECOND Brigadier, SECOND DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS, Near Goldsborough, N. C., March 30, 1865.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to orders received from headquarters Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of this brigade in the late campaign form Savannah, Ga., to Goldsborough, N. C.:

On the 14th of January the brigade marched with the division from Savannah to Thunderbolt, a point on the Savannah River, where it embarked on the evening of the 15th and the morning of the 16th for Beaufort, S. C., where it arrived on the night of the 16th. On the morning of the 17th it went into camp near Beaufort, where it remained until the 17th it went into camp near Beaufort, where it remained until the 27th, having assisted to make a corduroy road across Port Royal Island. On the 27th it marched with the division to near Port. Royal Ferry, where is remained until January 30, when it marched to Pocotaligo, where it remained in bivouac until February 1, when it again marched with the division toward, the Augusta and Charleston Railroad, passing through McPhersonville, Hickory Hill, Angley's, and arrived at Bamberg, at point on the railroad about fifteen miles west of Branchville, on the 7th of February. Went into position and built temporary works about a mile northwest of the town.

February 8, in obedience to on order from General Hazen I made a reconnaissance with my brigade to Cannon's Bridge, on the South Edisto River. Found the enemy intrenched on the north side of the