showed that a heavy line of intrenchments covered the line of Southwest Creek, from the upper Trent road crossing to the Neuse River, and that Kinston was also fortified by a well-constructed bridge-head on the south side of the Neuse, flanked by extensive field-works on the north bank of the river. On the 2nd of March Carter's division was ordered to move by the Neuse road to the intersection of the Dover road, and leaving one brigade there, move thence by the Dover road to the crossing of Core Creek, Palmer's division to march by the railroad, sending Artillery and wagons under escort in rear of Carter's division. Heavy rains so increased the difficulties of moving through a country, which at best is an almost continuous swamp, that it was not until the evening of the 4th that the two divisions reached their destination.

On the 4th Ruger's division, having arrived at New Berne, was ordered to join Palmer's at Core Creek, which it did on the evening of the 5th, at which time also the repair of the railroad was completed to Core Creek. On the 6th Palmer's and Carter's division were moved to Gum Swamp, seven miles above Core Creek, where the Dover road crosses the railroad. The cavalry on the Trent road was ordered to advance as far as possible and open communication with the column by way of Wise's Forks if practicable. One squadron and the company of Captain Graham, with two mountain howitzers, were detached and ordered across to the Neuse road to picket and observe it, and the brigade of Carter's division rejoined the command. Claassen's brigade, of Palmer's division, being thrown forward as an advanced guard, reached Wise's Forks, three miles above Gum Swamp, and opened communication with our cavalry on the lower Trent road, driving back an outpost of the enemy at the forks after a brisk skirmish. It was then definitely ascertained that Hoke's division had arrived at Kinston, from before Wilmington, and joined Whitford's brigade. Regarding it important to get command of the position at Southwest Creek, in order to control roads which would enable us to move to right or left, which could not be done in the swamps, and although the railroad had only been completed two miles beyond Core Creek, and our troops were short of rations, I ordered, on the morna farther advance. Palmer was ordered to send Claassen's brigade forward to the Dover road crossing of Southwest Creek, one mile and a half in front of Wise's Forks, and to send his other two brigades up the railroad to the same stream; to put one of them in position upon the best ground he could find to command that crossing, and this being done to send the other to hold in like manner the crossing at the Neuse road. Carter's division was ordered to support Palmer. The cavalry on the left was ordered to reconnoiter the road known as the British road and, if possible, to again possession of the crossing of Southwest Creek at the upper Trent road, two miles to the left of the Dover road crossing, and at the Wilmington road, two miles and a half still farther to the left. Ruger's division was ordered from Core Creek to Gum Swamp, and reached the latter place about noon.

The quartermaster's department at New Berne was ordered to prepare some light-draft steamers with barges to ascend the Neuse River with supplies whenever we should obtain a position near the mouth of Southwest Creek, where the stores could be landed and the boats used to effect a crossing of the river in case it should become advisable to operate by the northern (left) bank of that stream. The rebels were known to have an iron-clad steamer at Kinston, but it was supposed to draw too much water to descend the river, although the recent rains had at that time swelled the stream to such an extent that it was regarded