beginning of the war. He was engineer of Croton Water-works, in New York. Palmer has been quite ill since the 10th, and was yesterday assigned to the district command, and all the troops were reorganized; all the provisional troops, or those returning to Sherman's Army, being put into one division under Greene, Carter taking all the old troops which belonged to the district. Palmer remains behind.

Tuesday, March 21. - Continue the march, meeting a few cavalry, who run at our approach till they get quite near the town of Goldsborough, when we have a brisk Little skirmish. Enter the town in a rain-storm about 4 p.m., Carter's division in advance, Ruger in the rear, and Greene in the center. I put them in position on the north side of the town, covering the Smithfield road: Greene on left, Carter in center, Ruger on the right. The town is much scattered, an is, therefore, a difficult one to cover properly. It has been a place of about 3. 000 people, but has no mark of being particularly attractive. Hear fighting in the direction of Smithfield most of the day, and feel some anxiety till we get dispatches from Sherman in the evening saying he has beaten Johnston.

Wednesday, March 22. - Colonel Twining, of General Schofield's staff, returns from General Sherman with full particulars from him of the battle of Bentonville. Johnston attacked Slocum, who commands the two corps of the Army of the Cumberland (called Army of Georgia), and hit the head of the column with all his force, doubling up the leading division (Morgan's of the Fourteenth Corps) and causing it to retire about half a mile. By this time the rest of Slocum's army was in position and checked the rebels easily. The next morning the Army of the Tennessee (Howard's) came up and struck Johnston's left flank, driving that wing back till his line was nearly in the form of a horseshoe. Yesterday Sherman followed up the movement, partly turning Johnston's position, and last night the enemy retreated in haste, leaving his dead, of whom Slocum reports that he has buried more than his own entire loss in killed, wounded, and missing. Nearly 1,000 prisoners are also taken.

Thursday, March 23. - General Sherman arrived in person this morning. He is full of health and spirits, and is confident that his army is now able to meet the combined forces of Lee and Johnston if necessary. I have spent most of the day and evening with him, and have been much interested in his account of the march from Savannah and his anecdotes of the campaign. The Army of the Cumberland has been moving into town all day and going into camp just beyond my lines.

Friday, March 24. - The First and Second Divisions (Twenty-third Corps) are ordered down the railroad about half-way to Kinston, and the Third Division (my own) is ordered to report to me in place of the First. The Provisional Division of convalescents and recruits for the Armies of t he Cumberland (Georgia) and Tennessee, commanded by General Greene, is dissolved and ordered to report to the several commands to which the men belong. This leaves two divisions, my own and Carter's, under my command. The Army of the Tennessee is coming into town to-day and encamping near the Army of the Cumberland (Georgia). General Schofield informs me that General Sherman sent a dispatch yesterday to the War Department urging immediate action in regard to putting me in permanent command of the Twenty-third Corps.

Saturday, March 25. - General Sherman goes north to have a consultation with General Grant at Fortress Monroe, heaving General Schofield in command of all the forces here as senior army commander.