A tool train of ten wagons moved with the pontoon trains; the latter consisted of thirty-two wagons, carrying forage, spare chess, and 380 feet of bridge material. The weight, drawn by eight mules, was ascertained by weighing a pontoon wagon with its material two weeks after the campaign closed, and was found to be as follows:

Two boats of canvas and box..................... 305

Transoms........................................ 470

Claw balks...................................... 1,440

Saddle balks.................................... 244

Boat sides...................................... 224

Anchor lines.................................... 175

Anchors......................................... 310

Wagon load...................................... 3,168

Wagon........................................... 1,278

Weight drawn.................................... 4,446

During the march there were rains, which would increase the weight. On the 29th of March the moving column of the Army of the James, consisting of Turner's division of West Virginia troops, of the Twenty-fourth Army Corps, and Foster's (First) division of the same corps, commanded by Major-General Gibbon, and Birney's division of the Twenty-fifth Army Corps, all commanded by Major- General Ord, occupied the left of the Army of the Potomac, intrenched lines resting on Hatcher's Run.

On the 30th an advance was made across the run by Turner's and Foster's divisions, rebel picket-line captured, and a position secured beyond Armstrong's house, with 800 yards of the rebel line of works. Turner's division joined the Second Army Corps by a bridge built over the run. On Turner's right Foster and Birney made the connection with the Sixty Army Corps, still in position behind their intrenched lines. Attempts were made during the night to build intrenchments and cover for a battery, but the ground would not stand, being saturated with water from recent heavy rains, and so spongy that it would not bear the weight of a horse.

April.-On the morning of the 2nd, the successful assault being made and rapidly followed up by an attack on Fort Gregg, which was taken after some desperate fighting, the troops occupied a position entirely surrounding Petersburg. During the night everything was got in readiness for a rapid march in the morning. Starting at 5 a. m., and taking the Cox road, our army made a rapid march toward Burkeville; a part of the engineer force moved ahead to repair roads and bridges; the pontoon trains followed headquarters, to be in readiness in case of necessity. Burkeville was reached on the night of the 5th and occupied during the next day. A small force being sent out to burn the High Bridge at Farmville was met by the rebel advance and captured, after desperate fighting. The troops moved in that direction on the 6th, and engaged a portion of the advance of the enemy, while the cavalry headed them off on the Prince Edward Court-House road. On the afternoon of the 7th the troops entered Farmville, the enemy burning the brigades at this place and retreating across the river. The pontoon train of our army having been well kept up to the front, notwithstanding its overloaded condition, was fortunately able to be used to pass over the artillery and trains of the Sixth and Second Army Corps and enable them to follow in rapid pursuit of the enemy that night. The pontoons were relieved by those of the Army of the Potomac before daybreak, and once more in position for a new march.