office has urged it forward for several days, but it has not yet arrived. Not a single man of my command was captured by the enemy, so far as I can learn.

I have forwarded 150 prisoners (not wounded) to Major-General Gilmer, with a request that he would dispose of them as the commanding general may direct. Among them are 3 negroes. What shall I do with the large number of the enemy's wounded in my hands? Many of these are negroes. I have one major, of the First North Carolina (negro) Regiment, and some other officers. A complete list will be forwarded as soon as it can be prepared.

The returns will show that I will have more wounded than I at first supposed. The list will probably reach between 600 and 700, 300 or 400 of whom will be fit for duty in a few weeks, being but slight flesh wounds. I think that we encountered nearly the entire force of the enemy in this district.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOSEPH FINEGAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Brigadier General THOMAS JORDAN,

Chief of Staff, Charleston, S. C.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EAST FLORIDA,
Baldwin, February 25, 1864.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that my command occupied this place yesterday, the enemy having retreated to Jacksonville, burning the warehouse containing his stores. Before leaving they threw into a small pond at this place 120 boxes of ammunition. My ordnance officer has recovered the balls, the powder, of course, being destroyed. Everything indicates a hasty flight on the part of the enemy. My cavalry are in front, with orders to proceed to the vicinity of Jacksonville and watch their movements.

The abolitionists will either reorganize on a much larger scale and come out again, or retire to some other field. They had brought a locomotive around from Fernandina to Jacksonville, with the intention of using it on the roads that cross at this point. I will have at this position two railroads for the supply of my command.

Colonel Anderson, with the Fifth Georgia Cavalry, has not yet arrived. If he had been the victory would have been much more complete. All that I wanted was an efficient cavalry force to have captured a large number of the enemy.

Brigadier-General Gardner informed me from Tallahassee that he had been ordered by the commanding general to take command of the troops operating in this district. I replied that it would give me pleasure to serve under General Gardner or any other superior officer whom the commanding general might assign to the command, as soon as he should arrive in the district and assume the responsibility of the movements and supply of the troops, but that in the mean time the interests of the service required that I should command until my successor arrived. A copy of this letter I had the honor to forward yesterday, for the information of the commanding general. I submitted it to Colonel Harris and Major Lay, of the commanding general's staff, and they both concurred in the propriety of my decision.