Today in History:

1418 Series I Volume XLVII-II Serial 99 - Columbia Part II

Page 1418 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.

from Charlotte to Raleigh? Have you any information from the enemy's cavalry? Can you of anything to insure the safety of the trains? General Hampton thinks that the enemy is marching on Goldsborough, and that his right will strike the Wilmington railroad at or below Faison's Depot. Butler is to-night at Blackman Lee's, on the Clinton and Smithfield road, about six miles from this point. General Hampton will unite Dibrell with him to-morrow. He desires you, after you have sufficiently covered General Hardee's movements, to send all the cavalry you can spare to join him on the Smithfield and Goldsborough road.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. B. McCLELLAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION,
Draughan's Cross-Roads, March 17, 1865 - 7 a. m.

Major McCLELLAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

You will please inform General Hampton that a scout who went inside of the enemy's picket last night to recover the body of one of his men, reports that they saw two large camps, both on the Goldsborough road - the farthest camp from Graham's Bridge was about two miles, the other between that and the bridge. The Yankees told all the citizens that they would move on the Goldsborough road this morning. The scout thinks there is a brigade of cavalry in front; that they saw a great many horses in the camps. A great many were straggling in the country around camps. Our captures yesterday, about 40. Loss, 1 killed, and 1 lieutenant missing.

Very respectfully,

G. G. DIBRELL,

Colonel, Commanding.

P. S. - In understand the Third Alabama has gone on the Smithfield road. Shall I send a regiment on that road?

G. G. D.


HEADQUARTERS WILLIAMS' BRIGADE,
March 17, 1865.

Colonel G. G. DIBRELL:

COLONEL: I inclose a dispatch from Captain Howell, which I received late last night. By the "straight forward" road he means the Stallings Bridge road. Jackson's is the intersection of the Clinton road with the Goldsborough and Graham's Bridge road, six miles from the picket base, and is the road which the Second South Carolina picketed yesterday.

Respectfully,

W. C. P. BRECKINRIDGE,

Colonel, &c.

[Inclosure.]

MARCH 16, 1865.

COLONEL: My scouts on the straight forward road found the enemy camped at, or near, the mill, and on the right and left as far as they could see. The scouts on the left-hand road found the enemy camped


Page 1418 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. Chapter LIX.