into the swamp, but the water was too deep for them to effect a crossing. the one hundred and seventh Ohio, of Brown's brigade, was ordered to try to turn the enemy's right, but the creek could not be forded. The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers was sent down to find a passage on the enemy's left. They discovered the remains of a bridge which had been burned, and in attempting to cross on a stringer, which was still standing, they received a sharp fire from the rebels posted behind intrenchments, and lost several men. The Twenty-fifth Ohio was placed on the edge of the swamp between the railroad and highway, ready to charge across the railroad. The detachment of the One hundred and second U. S. Colored Troops (Major Clark commanding) was ordered to get through on the left of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, and by the aid of a negro guide they succeeded in crossing on a log. The One hundred and seventh Ohio was at once ordered to their respective positions, which was done, and the enemy gave way. The train which had been standing on the railroad track also moved off. A few platform-cars and one locomotive were found here. These, with the station buildings and some cotton, were destroyed. On the evening of this day Colonel Chipman, with the remaining wing of the One hundred

and second U. S. Colored Troops, joined the column. Colonel Chipman had been ordered to march from Nelson's Ferry and join me at Statesburg. Finding the enemy in considerable force he had been obliged to leave the direct road and follow our column around. The rebel cavalry had given him constant annoyance, and he had had skirmishing all the way. We bivouacked three miles beyond Boykins' Mill.

After marching a short distance on the 19th the enemy's skirmishers were met behind barricades in the road, from which they were driven by our skirmishers. A Little farther on we met with some slight resistance, the enemy opening from two guns in the road. He soon withdrew and fell back to the other side of Rafting Creek, at Dingle's Mill. The position resembled that at Boykins' Mill. The mill dam had been opened and the swamp was not fordable, while in the road the water was waist-deep, and any force attempting to cross here was exposed to a fire from the enemy behind rifle-trenches and with two guns commanding the road. Colonel Baird, with four companies of the Thirty-second U. S. Colored Troops, and the One hundred and seventh Ohio Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Cooper, was moving down the railroad, which at this point is a mile distant from the high down the railroad, which at this point is a mile distant from the high road, and was threatening to cross. Colonel Hallowell was directed to order Colonel Chipman, with the One hundred and second U. S. Colored Troops and four companies of the Thirty-second U. S. Colored Troops, to make a detour of several miles to our left, which would turn the swamp and bring him in the enemy's rear. About noon musketry was heard on the other side, followed by the fire of the enemy's guns. Brown's brigade was at once pushed over and the enemy retreated in great haste, one of his brigades, with the wagon train and Artillery, taking the road toward Providence, while the other brigade kept the road to Statesburg. This last brigade undertook to dispute the passage of Beech Creek, a small stream which had been swollen by the recent rains. The Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteers and the One hundred and fifty-seventh New York Volunteers charged through the water waist-deep and drove the rebels through Statesburg. The detachment of the Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry took up the pursuit and followed them four or five miles, taking a number of prisoners and causing them