HDQRS. THIRD DIVISION, TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS,
Near Fayetteville, N. C., March 14, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel H. W. PERKINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Twentieth Army Corps:

COLONEL: General Cogswell has returned from the reconnaissance ordered this morning. He (General C.), with four regiments, marched on the road to Black River, found Butler's cavalry divsion at the river, drove them across, but did not attempt to dislodge them, as they had four pieces of artillery, and it would have caused him to engage his line of battle. Lieutenant-Colonel Buckingham, Twentieth Connecticut, with three rregiments, marced on tthe road to Taylor's Hole Creek. Found the enemy at Silver Run Creek, two miles this side of Taylor's Hole. The enemy, two brigades of Wheeler's cavalry, was in barricades. The skirmish line could not dislodge them, and Colonel B. was ordered not to use his line of battle. He says that he could have driven them could he have used his entire force. Casualties, 1 officer wounded, 1 enlisted man killed and 2 wounded.

Very respectfully, &c.,

W. T. WARD,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding Division.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS,
March 14, 1865.

General WARD, Commanding, &c.:

GENERAL: Orders just received from General Sherman state that the cavalry are to commence crossing the pontoon bridge at 3 a. m. to-morrow morning, and that they are to precede our column. Therefore the general commanding directs that you give them the right of way. In case they have not all passed at 6. 30 you will have to delay your movement till they pass you.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. PERKINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF NORTH CAROLINA, ARMY OF THE OHIO,
In the Field, Kinston, March 14, 1865.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: Soon after the capture of Wilmington I received a letter from the Adjutant-General condemning my use of the steamer Spaulding for my quarters, and inclosing an ordere of the Warr Department on the subject. * I was not before aware of the existence of such an order. I of I had been I hope it is not necessary for me to say that I would not have disobeyed it. When the order was received I had already discontinued the use of the steamer, and did not think it necessary to make any reply to the letter froom the Adjutant-General. But I have been informed that the circumstances were misunderstood by you, and I desire simply to place the matter in its proper light. I arrived in Cape Fear River without tents, wagons, and the few wagons there, and even now, in the department were insufficient to haul supplies to the troops. I had no means of living on shore, nor of moving my camp if I had one. Almost constant use of a steamer was a necessity to me. The troops were operating on both sides of the river. I had to keep habitually in

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*See Townsend to Schofield, February 23, p. 545.

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