Today in History:

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

Page 709 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.

point. The command camped for the night within seven miles of Goldsborough; distance marched, eleven miles. March 24, marched to Goldsborough, seven miles, and went into camp about two miles from town, the right of the brigade resting near the Weldon railroad. March 26, changed position of camp. The brigade now lies about three miles from Goldsborough, on the Snow Hill road. The left of the brigade line rests on this road and connects with the Third Brigade, Second Division, Twentieth Army Corps; the right connects with the First Division, Seventeenth Army Corps.

The March from Savannah, Ga., to this place has been a long one and one attended with much hard labor and exposure on the part of the troops of this command, all of which has been borne with cheerfulness. Notwithstanding the short allowance of rations issued to the troops, they have not suffered very materially for want of food. The country throughout the entire distance over which we have marched has furnished abundant supplies of meal, potatoes, bacon, and beef, with a few exceptions. Had the supplies gathered in the richer portions of the country been properly bushanded, it is very probable that the troops would have had full rations nearly the entire time of the March. The command has suffered more on the account of the want of shoes and trousers than for anything else. The health of the command during the campaign has been very good, notwithstanding the exposure which they have en upon a March such as this has been.

For the cheerful manner is which the various duties and labors of the campaign have been performed by the officers and men of the command, I beg leave, through you, to render my acknowledgments.

Accompanying this report please find reports from Lieutenant S. D. Conner, acting commissary of subsistence, and Lieutenant O. F. Gibbs, acting assistant quartermaster, showing the amount of supplies estimated to have been gathered in their departments. In regard to the subsistence, it should be remarked that the amount of supplies reported by Lieutenant S. D. Conner includes only the supplies which were issued to the troops by him, and goes not include the articles obtained by the details from each regiment which were sent out daily. In regard to the forage report, it should be stated that all the forage (corn and fodder) used at the headquarters of the brigade and regiments does not enter into this estimate.

Annexed please find a nominal list* of the casualties which have occurred in the brigade since leaving Savannah, Ga.

To the members of the staff I am indebted for valuable assistance rendered on the campaign and for their diligence and attention to duty.

Respectfully submitted.

ARIO PARDEE, JR.,

Brevet Brigadier-General, Commanding Brigade.

Captain W. T. FORBES,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

Report of stores captured during the campaign by the commissary department of First Brigade, Second Division, Twentieth Army Corps.

Corn meal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. 500

Flour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. 000

Beans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. 000

Rice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. 000

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*Nominal list (omitted) shows 4 enlisted men killed, one commissioned officer and 13 enlisted men wounded, and 24 enlisted men missing.

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Page 709 Chapter LIX. THE CAMPAIGN OF THE CAROLINAS.