Today in History:

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

Page 543 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.

Numbers 104 Report of Captain George W. Cook, One hundred and twenty-fifth Illinois Infantry, of operations March 19-23.


HEADQUARTERS 125TH ILLINOIS INFANTRY,
Goldsborough, March 30, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit to your a report of the operations of this command from March 19 up to the time of reaching this place.

Owing to the casualties in this (Third) brigade, Second Division, on the 19th, I was ordered to take command of this regiment at about 3 p.m. Just at this period the regiment with the rest of the brigade had been driven from a position parallel with the Goldsborough road. Colonel James W. langley had performed the regiment in the open field on the left of the Twenty-second Indiana. Here I took command and had every man to get a load of rails and then moved the regiment forward to the edge of the timber, where we built temporary works. The Twenty-second Indiana Joined on my right, and a portion of the Twentieth Army Corps on my left. We scarcely had time to get our temporary works completed when the enemy advanced, as we supposed, in two lines of battle, but they were handsomely repulsed.

I never saw men and officers fight with more determination to win than at this time. Here our loss was 1 man killed and 1 wounded. We then sent our skirmishers in our front and remained here over night.

At 8 a.m. on the morning of the 20th we were moved to the right in rear of the First Brigade, in works that the regiment built on the 19th instant. Here I was ordered to send twenty men and two non-commissioned officers to bury the dead. They buried twenty-seven rebels, including two officers; carried two wounded off the field. At 8 p.m. my regiment was moved on the front line on the left of the Second Brigade, the Eighty-sixth Illinois on my left. Here we formed temporary works. we picketed our immediate front, built skirmish pits, and strengthened our Maine line of works. 21st, nothing of importance transpired to-day but picket firing. O had one man severely wounded. On the morning of the 22nd we found the enemy gone. We marched eight miles in direction of Goldsborough and camped for the night. 23rd, marched at 8 a.m., arrived at this place at 7 p.m., since we have been resting from our labors.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE W. COOK,

Captain, Commanding.

Captain CHARLES SWIFT, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 105. Report of Captain William H. Snodgrass, twenty-second Indiana Infantry, of operations January 20-March 23.


HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-SECOND INDIANA VOLUNTEERS,
Goldsborough, N. C., March 25, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Twenty-second Indiana Volunteers, and Company B, detachment Thirty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, on the campaign from Savannah, Ga., to this place:

January 20, left camp at Savannah as rear guard of the brigade; marched nine miles and camped at Pooler Station, on the Macon and


Page 543 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.