Numbers 143. Reports of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick H. Harris, Thirteenth New Jersey Infantry, of operations January 14-March 24 and April 10-May 24.

HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH NEW JERSEY VOLUNTEERS,
Near Goldsborough, N. C., March 26, 1865.

SIR: In obedience to circular of the 25th instant I have the honor to make the following report of operations of this regiment from time of entering Savannah and during recent campaign:

December 22, 1864, entered Savannah and built camp within two miles of the city. December 30, reviewed in city of Savannah by General Sherman. December 31, changed camp one quarter of a mile to the left to camp previously occupied by troops of Third Division, of this corps, in which we remained until January 14, 1865.

January 14, 1865, in obedience to Special Orders, Numbers 4, reported with regiment to Brigadier-General Easton, chief quartermaster, Military Division of the Mississippi. Were ordered by him to report to Colonel Lockman, One hundred and nineteenth New York Volunteers, commanding provisional brigade, for duty at grand depot, Savannah. The regiment moved from camp, outside of the city, to Warren Square, Savannah. January 16, were relieved from duty in provisional brigade per General Orders, Numbers 9, with instructions to report to former command; received orders from brigade headquarters to move at 7 a.m. 17th instant, and joined brigade as it marched through the city. January 17, marched at 9 a.m., crossed Savannah River to Hutchinson's Island, thence to Palmetto Island. By direction of Colonel Hawley, commanding brigade, remained on island to assist brigade train across the island. While engaged at this we received orders from Brigadier-General Jackson, commanding division, to assist division train and encamp on South Carolina shore until further orders; received orders about midnight from division headquarters to detail 100 men to lay corduroy on Palmetto Island at once, timber for which was being brought on wagons. January 18, remained in camp on South Carolina bank of River; engaged in laying corduroy and assisting division train across the island; received orders to await Captain Schoeninger's corps supply train and headquarters trains and assist them across the island. January 19, in consequence of the passage of part of the Fifteenth Corps train on this road, our supply train did not move across the island. About noon it commenced to rain, and before night the roads became impassable, and wagons were stalled in every direction. January 20, the storm continued with great violence, the water rising rapidly, and before 9 a.m. the dikes had given away, and the whole of that part of the country began to be submerged. Being apprehensive that the water would continue to rise and overflow the place where our camp was, and the freshet in the River would carry away the bridge so as to prevent our return, I applied to General Slocum (in the absence of brigade, division, and corps commanders) for permission to go to Savannah, and by his order we returned and reported to Captain Whittlesey, chief quartermaster Twentieth Corps, for orders, going into camp on Warren Square. January 20 to 27, remained in camp on Warren Square, the continued storms making it impossible to move the trains. January 27, marched from Savannah, on Augusta pike, parallel to Savannah River, in a northwesterly direction twelve miles, guarding corps supply and headquarters trains. January 28, marched four miles on Augusta pike, when turned to the left and took Middle Ground road,