Adams commanding, was sent to the railroad on our right to create a diversion and also effect a crossing between the Gulf railroad bridge and a point known as the Hermitage, nearer the coast. On the 14th the division was united and placed in position near the forks of the Little Ogeechee, Wood's division on our left, John E. Smith on our right. No effort was made to assault the enemy's lines, which were separated from ours by the north branch of the Little Ogeechee and the rice swamps that abound on either bank of that stream. On the night of the 19th I obtained permission to attempt a lodgment on the other side, which was successfully made by Lieutenant William Pittman, Eighty-first Ohio Infantry, with the men who volunteered for the purpose. Having demonstrated the practicability of crossing a column I desired to push a sufficient force over during the night, and move the division over the following day and assault the enemy. The general commanding, deeming it not expedient, directed me to withdraw my men, which was done without any casualties or without awakening the suspicions of the enemy as to what we were doing. On the morning of the 21st Savannah was found to be evacuated by the enemy, and in accordance with orders I moved my division into the city and went into position on the east side of Savannah, my left resting on the river, my right occupying Fort Brown. The march was in some respects an arduous one, [but] proved on the whole to have been pleasant and even beneficial to the command. The health of the men was never better nor were they ever in better spirits or condition than when they took possession of Savannah.

On reference to memoranda I find that we have obtained on the march, beyond what was necessary for daily issue, 1,000 head of cattle, about 300 head of horses and mules; that nearly seven miles of road were corduroyed and thirty bridges built by the pioneer corps of this division.

The list of casualties is exceedingly small.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN M. CORSE,

Brigadier-General.

Major MAX WOODHULL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Fifteenth Army Corps.

No. 32. Report of Brigadier General Elliott W. Rice, U. S. Army, commanding First Brigade. HDQRS. FIRST Brigadier, FOURTH DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS, Savannah, Ga., December 29, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following as my report of the recent campaign which resulted in the capture of the city of Savannah, as participated in by the First Brigade, Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army Corps:

In compliance with orders from headquarters Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, Brigadier General J. M. Corse commanding, the brigade destroyed its camp in connection with all property, public and private, for which transportation was not furnished, and left the city of Rome, Ga., at 8 a. M. on the 11th day of November, 1864. From thence I