and clothing during the latter part of the march, have borne with great patience and cheerfulness all the trials and hardships incident to such a campaign.

A list of casualties is herewith transmitted.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GILES A. SMITH,

Brevet Major-General, Commanding.

Captain C. CADLE, Jr.,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 56. Report of Brigadier General Benjamin F. Potts, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade, of operations January 29-March 23.

HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, FOURTH DIV., 17TH ARMY CORPS,
Goldsborough, N. C., March 25, 1865.

CAPTAIN: In compliance with orders this day received, I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the brigade under my command since January 29, 1865, to March 23, 1865:

On the 29th of January last this command left Pocotaligo, S. C., to operate with the army against the enemy in South Carolina.

The evening of the 1st day of February found the command camped between Broxton's and Rivers' Bridges on the west side of the Salkehatchie River. On the morning of the 2nd of February I was ordered, by Bvt. Major General Giles A. Smith, commanding Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, with my command to cross the Salkehatchie River about midway between the two above-named bridges, which crossing I effected at about 5 p.m. of the same day, driving the enemy's pickets before me. The Salkehatchie at this point is abut one mile wide and was considered impassable by the enemy. A short skirmish drove in the enemy's pickets and the command at once constructed a line of defensive works and slept on their arms during the night. When morning came it was discovered that the enemy had disappeared and we took up the line of march with the division to the camp of the corps, near Rivers' Bridge. On the morning of February 4, 1865, the command took up its line of march with the division for the front, passing through Midway, Orangeburg, Columbia, Winnsborough, Cheraw, and Bennettsville, S. C., and Fayetteville, N. C., to a point near Everettsville, N. C., which place we reached on the 19th day of March. There we received orders to move on the road to Mill Creek on Bentonville, and started at 3 a.m. of 20th of March and reached a point near Mill Creek at 4 p.m. and constructed a line of works and advanced a heavy line of skirmishers, where we remained during the night. On the morning of the 21st, in obedience to orders, I advanced my lines about 600 yards and constructed a new line of works, and about 3 p.m. I received orders to advance my skirmish line, which I did promptly and carried the enemy's line of skirmish pits and held them. The enemy occupied their works in my front until about 1 o'clock in the morning of 22nd, when they withdrew and retreated across Mill Creek. At daylight I pursued them with my skirmish line to the road running from the main stage road to Bentonville, where I met the skirmishers of the First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, advancing. Finding no enemy I withdrew my line to the works. My command moved with the division to this place, leaving our position near Mill Creek on 23rd of March, crossing the Neuse River to this point on the 24th instant.