the First and Third Division of his corps, but did not succeed in doing so until the following day. Nearly all the country bordering the River was overflowed by water from one to ten feet in dept. After landing on the side on which Williams' troops were encamped I was obliged to use a row-boat in opening communication with him, yet I had not only to open communication with him but to place at the point he occupied at least 20,000 troops, with an immense train of wagons, numbering at least 1,000. A pontoon bridge was constructed on the 29th, and five days were spent in removing obstructions placed in the road by the enemy, and in building bridges, trestle-work, and corduroy. In addition to the obstacles presented by the flood and fallen timber (most of which was under water) we found torpedoes buried in the road, many of which exploded, killing and wounding several soldiers.

On the evening of February 3 the road was finished so that we could pass from the bridge to the high ground three miles distant, and Kilpatrick's cavalry at once commenced crossing. The troops and trains were kept moving constantly during the night, as well as the day, but the condition of the road was such that the rear of the command was not on the Carolina side until the evening of February 5. Geary's and Corge's divisions followed the cavalry with orders to load their wagons at the depots, which had been established above the ferry, and proceed at once to join their respective corps. Williams had been ordered on the 2nd of February to proceed with the two divisions of his command from Robertsville to Graham's Station on the South Carolina Railroad and report in person to General Sherman. He moved by way of Lawtonville and Duck Branch Post-Office, reaching Graham's Station at 12, noon, on the 7th instant. He met with some opposition from the enemy, particularly near Lawtonville, where barricades had been constructed and the roads blockaded. He soon forced the enemy to retire. His loss was fourteen killed and wounded. I accompanied General Geary on his march from Savannah River to Blackville, at which point he rejoined his corps. General Davis, commanding the Fourteenth corps, was directed, as soon as his wagons were loaded, to move by way of Barnwell to a point on the South Carolina Railroad near Williston Station. He was delayed on account of a deficiency of subsistence stores, being compelled to send to Savannah for a quantity and keep one division awaiting the return of the boat. His entire command reached the South Carolina Railroad at the point ordered on the 12th of February. The railroad was thoroughly and effectually destroyed from Johnston's Station to Williston by the Fourteenth Corps, and from Williston to Graham's Station by the Twentieth Corps. On the 11th of February Geary's and Jackson's divisions crossed the South Edisto at Duncan's Bridge, and encamped on the north side. Ward rebuilt Guignard's Brigade, crossed at that point and rejoined the corps on the north side. On the 12th the Twentieth Corps reached the North Edisto. The enemy had destroyed the bridge and taken position on the north side with two pieces of artillery. He was soon driven away with a loss to us of 3 killed and 10 wounded. The bridge was rebuilt during the night by the First Michigan Engineers, Colonel Yates commanding, and on the following morning the march was resumed toward Lexington.

The Fourteenth Corps crossed the South Edisto on the 13th of February, at Guignard's Bridge, and the North Edisto on the following day at Horsey's Bridge. On the evening of the 15th of February both corps were concentrated within two miles of Lexington. On the morning of the 16th both corps moved toward Columbia, the Fourteenth by way of the Lexington road, and a road to the right