and destroyed a portion of the road. The march turned over to Corps Quartermaster, and the was resumed, until the enemy's works were balance of the stores were used in subsisting reached in front of Savannah, when I took up a the negroes, and otherwise disposed of by the position with the brigade in line of battle, about Corps Quartermaster. In addition to the above, three quarters of a mile from the enemy's outer about two thousand bushels of rice were threshed, line of works. Distance marched this day, ten and left in the mill on the island. miles. December eleventh, at three o'clock, by your order, I reported to Brigadier-General commanding corps, from whom I received instructions to take my command to Argyle Island, in the Savannah River, secure the rice and other public property there, and to make a reconnoissance on the South-Carolina shore. I succeeded in crossing two companies that night. December fifteenth, in compliance with previous orders from Brigadier-General commanding corps, I crossed five companies of my regiment to the South Carolina shore, driving the enemy from the plantation known as Izard's, and made a reconnoissance in the country for about two miles, gaining much valuable information respecting the country and roads. After a stay of about one hour, the enemy made their appearance in my front in strong force. Being entirely isolated from the balance of the army, with limited means of transportation, I deemed it prudent to withdraw my small force, and return to the island. This I accomplished successfully, although vigorously pressed by the enemy. I immediately reported to the BrigadierGeneral commanding corps, and applied for a force sufficient to enable me to recross to the South-Carolina shore in safety, and to occupy the plantation, if thought necessary or desirable. The Second Massachusetts infantry was sent me; but before I could effect a recrossing, the boats were ordered to the Georgia shore, to transport your entire brigade to the island and SouthCarolina shore. The arrival of the balance of the brigade, with the Colonel commanding, relieved me of the command and responsibility of the expedition. December nineteenth, I recrossed my regiment with the balance of the brigade, under the orders of the Colonel commanding, to the South-Carolina shore, and occupied my original position. December twentieth, skirmished all day with the enemy. December twelfth, crossed the balance of my command this morning. While crossing, I discovered three rebel steamers coming down the river. Two of them proved to be gunboats, by almost immediately becoming engaged with our battery on shore. I immediately deployed two companies to intercept them, if possible, and pick off their gunners. Before the skirmishers could reach a position where their fire could be effective, the two gunboats had retreated, making their escape up the river. While changing their positions, the two gunboats had both run into the third vessel, which afterward proved to be the armed tender Resolute, which had so disabled her, that her wheels could not revolve. When my troops came up to her, the officers and crew had lowered the small boats, and were busily engaged in getting in their baggage and other personal property, and would have succeeded in making their escape in a few minutes more. After one volley from my men, resulting in the wounding of the executive officer of the boat, the vessel was surrendered, immediately boarded by my troops, and brought to the Georgia shore. The following is a list of the arms and supplies found on board, which, with the boat, were turned over to Captain Whittlesey, Corps Quartermaster, by order of BrigadierGeneral Williams, commanding corps: ten short Whitney rifled muskets, sabre bayonets, accoutrements complete; ten Whitney rifled muskets with bayonets and accoutrements; five barrels of flour, six barrels of beef, half a barrel of molasses, half a barrel of vinegar, half a barrel of rice, six bags of coffee, three boxes of bread, one box of candles, five hundred pounds of bacon. The prisoners, except the wounded officer, who was left on board in care of the surgeon of the boat, consisting of five officers and nineteen men, I beg leave to report, in conclusion, that so were turned over to Major W. Parks, Provost- excellent have been the arrangements, adopted Marshal of corps, by order of Brigadier-General by the Colonel commanding brigade, for foraging, commanding corps. December thirteenth and and so ample the facilities given the men, while fourteenth, the entire time was occupied in on the road, to gather potatoes, turnips, and collecting boats, reconnoitring the island, and securing the rice and such other property as could be found, of which the following is a partial list five large barge-loads of rice in sheaf, two hundred and sixty bushels of threshed rice, nine barrels of syrup, fourteen mules and two horses. The mules, horses, and sheaf rice were December twenty-first, the brigade recrossed to the island, my regiment guarding the rear. The enemy pressed my regiment hard at times, but we finally succeeded in gaining the island late at night, without loss. December twenty-second, crossed from the island to the main Georgia shore. Marched seven miles, and went into camp in my present position. My casualties in this expedition were one man killed, and three wounded. The total number of casualties during the campaign is as follows: one man killed, one officer wounded, three men wounded. other vegetables at the resting places, that I have experienced no difficulty, during the entire march, in subsisting my men and animals on the country, obtaining all that was needed, excepting coffee and sugar. I beg leave also to report that on the march, twelve bales of cotton were discovered, which had been secreted in the woods, and were burn- WILLIAM HAWLEY, COLONEL ROBINSON'S REPORT. NEAR SAVANNAH, GA., December 28, 1864. On the fifth of September, the entire brigade was encamped near Atlanta, Georgia, having marched to that place from Montgomery Ferry, on the Chattahoochee River, on the day previous. At this time and up to the twenty-seventh, at which date I rejoined the brigade from sick-leave, it was commanded by Colonel Horace Boughton, of the One Hundred and Forty-third New-York volunteers. From this officer I have received no report, and shall therefore limit myself to the time of actual command. I On the twenty-eighth, by order of BrigadierGeneral A. S. Williams, commanding division, I formally resumed command of the brigade. found the troops at this time in good health, with tidy, well-policed camp, and well supplied with clothing, arms, and food. Daily drills in company and battalion tactics had been established, under which exercise the troops seemed to be rapidly improving in discipline and efficiency. tions of artillery in charge of about four hundred wagons at Flat Shoals, I took the remainder of the troops and wagons, and marched down the left bank of the South-River in quest of forage. I succeeded in loading most of the train by nightThough the country was poor and unproductive, fall. On the following day, the eighteenth, leaving the Second brigade, Third division, and two sections of artillery at Flat Shoals in charge of the loaded wagons, with the remainder of the troops and wagons I crossed South-River. Here I found a country more fertile than that foraged the day previous, and succeeded without difficulty in obtaining enough corn to load the entire train. A slight resistance offered by the enemy's cavalry was easily overcome without loss. The expedition at nightfall rejoined in safety the detachment left at Flat Shoals, and on the next day, the nineteenth, returned to Atlanta. The quantity of corn brought in amounted to about (11,000) eleven thousand bushels. The troops obtained besides this a considerable quantity of fresh beef, fresh pork, poultry, sweet potatoes, and other species of provisions. The immediate command of my brigade during this expedition was intrusted to Lieutenant-Colonel E. S. Salomon, of the Eighty-second Illinois volunteers, who was the senior officer present. I take pleasure in acknowledging the efficiency and zeal, with which Lieutenant-Colonel Salomon discharged the duty thus devolving upon him. On the twenty-first, the work on the fortifications was resumed by my brigade, which furnished a detail of two hundred men for that purpose. On the twenty-fourth, this detail was reduced to one hundred men. On the twenty-fifth, I received an order to join with my brigade a foraging expedition to be sent out on the following day under the command of Brigadier-General Geary. According to directions my command reported to General Geary on the Decatur road at six A.M., on the twenty-sixth, and was assigned, in connection with a battery of artillery, to the duty of covering the rear of the column. Passing through Decatur at eleven A.M., my command reached Stone Mountain at half-past nine P.M. Early on the twenty-seventh, by General Geary's direction, I sent out two regiments, the One Hundred and First Illinois and Eighty-second Ohio veteran volunteers, to assist in loading wagons with corn. They returned to camp at half-past six P.M., having succeeded, in spite of the very inclement weather and prowling detachments of hostile cavalry, in loading one hundred and ninety-six wagons. On the fourth of October, the Twentieth corps, having been charged with the sole occupation and defence of Atlanta, a new chain of defences around the city was commenced. A detail of seven officers and three hundred and fifty men to work upon these fortifications was now required from and daily furnished by my brigade. This work was continued with but little interruption on the part of my command down to the fifteenth. On that date the brigade was designated to accompany a foraging expedition, consisting of three brigades of infantry, a division of cavalry, a battery of artillery, and seven hundred and thirty-three wagons, sent out on the following day, and to the command of which I had the honor to be appointed. The infantry, the Third brigade, First division; the Second brigade, Second division, and the Second brigade, third division; the artillery, Captain Sloan's battery; On the twenty-eighth, by direction of General and the train under charge of Captain E. A. Geary, I proceeded with my brigade, a section of Graves, Assistant Quartermaster, rendezvoused artillery, a battalion of cavalry, and about three on the Decatur road at six o'clock A.M. The ex-hundred wagons, across Yellow River, in the dipedition marched at half-past six A.M., and was joined at one P.M. by Colonel Garrard's division of cavalry at Avery's Cross-Roads. The head of the column encamped at Flat Shoals at seven P.M., and by ten P.M. was joined by all the troops and trains. On the seventeenth, leaving the Third brigade of the First division and two sec rection of Lawrenceville. I found here a productive country, and had no difficulty in loading the entire train. My command returned toward Buckshin at three P.M., crossing Yellow River upon a bridge, which, though partly burned by the enemy the day previous, was nevertheless easily rendered passable for the train. The col umn reached Buckshin at sundown, and pushed forward, following the remainder of the expedition, which had already preceded us on its return march. Reached Stone Mountain at half-past ten P.M., and encamped three miles beyond Stone Mountain Station at about midnight. On the following day my brigade formed the van-guard of the expedition, and returned without accident to its encampment at Atlanta. During this expedition my brigade secured about (6000) six thousand bushels of corn, besides the usual amount of provisions, and other promiscuous articles. country, containing no organized army, yet thoroughly infested with enemies, clear to its natural boundaries, the ocean. There was nothing left for us to rely upon but ourselves, our leader, and the God of battles. Moving out on the Decatur road, my brigade passed the village of Decatur at two P.M. Our first day's march terminated near Stone Mountain, about fifteen miles from Atlanta. Early on the morning of the sixteenth, I was directed by General Jackson, commanding division, to take my brigade and commence destroying the Georgia Railroad at a point about half a On the thirtieth, orders were issued to send mile beyond my encampment. Extending my all surplus baggage to the rear, and such pre-brigade along the track, I succeeded in thoroughparations began to be made as clearly indicated ly destroying about two miles of it by ten A. M. the approach of a great movement. No farther After this was accomplished, having been assignwork was done on the fortifications, and all at- ed as rear-guard of the corps, my command awaittention was given to putting the command in the ed the passage of the troops and trains. This best possible condition to march. On the fifth was not completed until five P.M., at which hour of November, at one P.M., I received an unexpect- my brigade marched from Stone Mountain. My ed order to move my brigade immediately. In a column crossed Stone Mountain Creek at ten, and very short space of time the column was moving Yellow River at half-past eleven P.M. It encampout the McDonough road, every one supposing ed on the left bank of Yellow River, near Rock this to be the initial step of the campaign, but Bridge Post-Office about midnight, having marchthe sequel proved otherwise. Proceeding about ed about seven miles. three miles, the troops bivouacked for the night, and on the following day marched back to their camps near the city. The payment of my command, which had been but partially completed, was now continued. On the eighth, the Presidential election was held in those regiments entitled by law to vote. My brigade, still the rear-guard of the corps, marched from its camp near Rock Bridge at noon on the seventeenth. It crossed No Business Creek at one, Big Haynes Creek at five, and Little Haynes Creek, at Summer's Mills, at seven P.M. My column was greatly detained by the trains, which moved very slowly, owing to the heavy loads carried in the wagons, and the diffi- ́ cult places in the road. My command did not when it reached a point near Flat Creek. The distance marched on this day was about thirteen miles. On the ninth, at daybreak, a violent cannonade broke suddenly out on the south-eastern side of the city. The cause of this was hardly comprehend-get into camp until one hour after midnight, ed, but it soon became apparent, that a hostile force, either great or small, had appeared in front of our works. The firing soon shifted to our right, in front of General Geary's division, and began My brigade marched, following the Second brito be mingled with musketry. My brigade was gade of the First division, and charged with the soon afterward ordered to move to the support of protection of about one hundred wagons, at eight General Geary, whose lines were reported as A. M., on the eighteenth. It passed Alcooy Mounbeing dangerously threatened. In a few minutes tain at eleven, and crossed Alcooy or Alcofaumy column was in motion down Whitehall street, hatchie River at half-past eleven A.M. At halfthe troops keeping step to their martial bands, past one P.M., it reached Social Circle, on the and the colors floating in the breeze. I had hard-Georgia Railroad. Here it emerged into a fine, ly reached the suburbs of the town, however, when I was informed by Major-General Slocum, that the enemy, about in number, under the rebel General Iverson, had been driven off, and that my brigade would not be needed, and might return to its camps. I thereupon countermarched my column and moved it back to its old position. level, open country with a good road, which enabled us to move along briskly. At eight P.M., my command passed through Rutledge Station, and at ten P.M. encamped five miles west of Madison. My brigade marched at forty-five minutes past seven A. M., on the ensuing morning, November nineteenth, leading the division and corps, and passed through the village of Madison, and marched in a southward course on the Eatonton road. At twelve M., it encamped three miles south of Madison. The aggregate distance marched on this and the preceding day was about twenty-five miles. Excepting the changes incident to the reorgan-unencumbered with wagons. At ten A.M., it ization of the army, no further event of importance transpired until the fourteenth, when the final marching orders were received. On the fifteenth, at seven A.M., my brigade filed out of its encampments and made its final exit from the city of Atlanta. Behind us all means of communication and supply had been utterly destroy- On the twentieth, my command resumed its ed, and the town itself was a blazing ruin, aban-march at a quarter past seven A.M. It moved in doned alike by citizens and soldiers to the harsh rear of the division, and was charged with the fortunes of war. Before us lay a vast stretch of protection of about three hundred wagons, in cluding the pontoon and a large portion of the Second division train. Considerable rain had fallen, which rendered the road heavy and retarded the movement of the column. It crossed Sugar Creek at half-past eleven A.M., and Clark's Fork at one P.M. The country now being traversed was quite fertile, and afforded an abundance of all kinds of supplies. A considerable number of fine horses and mules were also brought in. By this means the transportation of my brigade was greatly improved. At seven P.M., my command reached a point about four and a half miles from Eatonton, and encamped. The distance marched this day was about twelve miles. On the twenty-first, the morning dawned dark and lowering, with occasional gusts of rain. My brigade was again assigned to duty as rear-guard of the corps. A battery of artillery accompanied my command, which was unencumbered with wagons. Our march commenced at eleven A.M. At one P.M., the column being temporarily delayed by the breaking of a tongue in an artillery carriage, the rebel cavalry appeared in our rear and made a slight demonstration. It was driven off precipitately by the Sixty-first Ohio veteran volunteers, which constituted my rear-guard. At four P.M., my command marched through the village of Eatonton. At nine P.M., the column having been tediously delayed, I discovered upon investigation, that about sixty wagons had become almost hopelessly stalled in a sort of quagmire. My troops were at once put to work lightening out these wagons, and were thus employed for about two hours, when the march was resumed. My brigade encamped six miles from Eatonton at midnight, having marched ten and a half miles. the ridge beyond. The distance marched on this day was about fifteen miles. On the twenty-fifth, at six A.M., my brigade continued its march, again being the van-guard of the division and corps. Bluff Creek was passed at seven, and the column reached Hebron Post-Office at eight and Buffalo Creek at nine A.M. Over Buffalo Creek, a wide swamp stream, was a series of bridges, nine in number, all of which had been destroyed by the enemy. According to directions, I detailed a regiment, the One Hundred and First Illinois volunteers, to assist in their reconstruction. While this work was going on, the rebel cavalry made a demonstration on the pickets on the left bank of the stream. At the instance of the General commanding division, I at once despatched five companies of the One Hundred and First Illinois volunteers to reenforce the picket-line. The enemy at once withdrew, and the bridges were completed without further annoyance. The remainder of my brigade crossed Buffalo Creek at half-past three P.M., and the entire command, excepting the five companies of the One Hundred and First Illinois volunteers, left to cover a sideroad, pursued its march toward Sandersville. Having ascended a plateau three miles from the creek, lively skirmishing was overheard toward the front, which proved to be the cavalry advance engaging the rebel force under Wheeler. As the enemy appeared to be charging down the road, I was directed by the General commanding division, to throw my command immediately forward into line, extending across and covering the road. My troops came up promptly on the double-quick, and were in a very short space of time advancing in a steady line of battle. Contemporaneously with this movement, a line of At a quarter past seven A.M., on the twenty- skirmishers, consisting of two companies from second, my march was continued. My command the Thirty-first Wisconsin volunteers, and two moved in the rear of the division, and was from the Eighty-second Ohio veteran volunteers, charged with the protection of about four hun. had been thrown forward, covering the front of dred wagons. The weather had now cleared up, the brigade. My line of battle had not advanced but the column still moved slowly. My brigade but a short distance, when, it not being deemed did not cross Little River until half-past twelve necessary to push it any farther, it was, by diP.M. From that point the march was resumed rection of the General commanding division, haltagain at three P.M., on the direct road to Milledge- ed, and the troops put in camp. My skirmish ville. My brigade marched into Milledgeville at line, however, under direction of two officers of half-past seven P.M. Passing through the town my staff, Captain A. E. Lee, Acting Assistant and crossing the Oconee River on a wooden Adjutant-General, and Captain Cyrus Hearrick, bridge, it encamped on the left bank at nine P.M., Acting Aid-de-Camp, steadily advanced, and having marched seventeen miles. On the twen- without hesitation and without loss drove the ty-third, my brigade remained in camp near the enemy from a commanding position, from which Oconee Bridge. This day's rest enabled the for- he had charged our cavalry half an hour previaging parties to collect a considerable quantity ously. Not content with this, my skirmish line of provisions and a number of horses and mules. pursued the enemy and drove him through woods At six A.M., on the twenty-fourth, my brigade and open fields one mile farther, when it was by resumed its march, leading the division and corps. my order halted and withdrawn. On the ensuBeing charged with the duty of advance- ing day, the twenty-sixth, my brigade resumed guard, it was unencumbered by the trains. Our the march at a quarter past six A.M., following line of march pursued the Oconee through a the Second brigade, which was in advance of the sparsely settled, broken, piney country. My division and corps. This brigade, at seven A.M., column crossed Beaver Run at eleven A.M., and commenced skirmishing with the enemy's cav at a quarter past twelve P.M. crossed Town Creek. At three P.M., my brigade crossed Geem Creek, and at half-past four P.M. encamped on alry at the point where it had been left by my skirmishers on the evening previous. Soon afterward, a detachment of rebels having been dis cumbered. My column crossed Great Coat Creek at half-past twelve, and arrived at Bethany at half-past one P.M. At half-past three P.M., it crossed Boggy Girt Creek, and at nightfall encamped two and a half miles from the Ogeechee River. By direction of the General commanding division, I sent forward a regiment, the Eightysecond Ohio veteran volunteers, with orders to proceed as far as the Ogeechee, and then encamp for the night, picketing well the bank of the covered observing our movements on a side-road leading to our right, I was directed to send a regiment to drive them off. I immediately despatched the One Hundred and First Illinois volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Le Sage. This regiment charged the enemy and drove him precipitately to the woods, capturing one prisoner and discovering about one hundred bales of cotton, which was burned, including the cotton-gin. The regiment then rejoined the brigade, which had by this time resumed its march toward San-river. dersville. My column reached that village with- On the morning of the thirtieth, the regiment out any further opposition at eleven A.M. Here, sent forward to the river was withdrawn and rethe train being left in charge of the Third divi- | joined the brigade, which marched up the right sion, the troops of the First division, including bank at half-past eight A.M. At one P.M., the my brigade, marched unencumbered toward the column crossed Mill Creek, and halted for dinner Georgia Central Railroad, three miles distant. on Blake's plantation. At half-past four P.M., My command struck the road at Tennille Station my command crossed the Ogeechee River at a at half past three P.M., and immediately began point two miles below Louisville. The bridge the destruction of the track. About one mile here had been ineffectually destroyed by the enwas thoroughly destroyed by my brigade by sun-emy, and was repaired by my pioneer corps. down. My troops were then encamped near the station. The entire distance marched on this day was nine miles. My brigade pushed forward and encamped two miles beyond the river at nightfall. It marched on this day about fifteen miles. On the twenty-seventh, my brigade marched On the morning of December first, the march in the centre of the division at seven A.M. The was resumed in the direction of Birdsville. My route from Tennille pursued a secluded, untrav- brigade moved in the centre of the division, and elled road on the south side of the railroad. The in charge of the division train. However, it did troops being unencumbered, marched rapidly, not leave its encampment near Louisville until and made Jackson's Church by eleven A.M. At noon. During the afternoon it crossed Big Dry half-past four P.M., my command crossed William- Spring and Buck Camp Creeks, all small swampy son's Swamp Creek, and arrived at Davisboro. streams of clear water. The march was very Here the troops were encamped for the night, much retarded by the boggy places in the road. having marched about seventeen miles. My command did not get into camp until half an hour after midnight, when it reached a point about four miles from Birdsville, having marched thirteen miles. At daylight the next morning, November twenty-eighth, my brigade marched down the railroad track three miles, and commenced its destruction. Inasmuch as the track led for the most part ran through a difficult swamp, much of it was composed of trestle-work and bridges, all of which were effectually destroyed. Where the track was laid upon a road-bed, the rail upon one side, with the stringer attached, was unfastened by means of levers, and lifted over against the rail on the other side. Rails and dry wood were then piled on top, and the whole set on fire. The heat would soon spring the rails, still attached to the wooden stringers, into a variety of contortions, and the work of destruction was completed. Thus my brigade, in connection with the other brigades of the division, and alternating with them, proceeded down the track, destroying mile after mile. At nightfall my command reached Spiers's Turnout, and there encamped, having marched eleven miles and destroyed four miles of track during the day. At seven A.M., on the twenty-ninth, my brigade returned about two miles up the track and completed its destruction down as far as Spiers's. The station-house and other railroad fixtures were then burned or otherwise effectually destroyed. At eleven A.M., my command marched singly on the wagon-road from Spiers's. The corps and division headquarter trains were placed in its charge, but it was otherwise unen On the second, my brigade resumed its march at forty-five minutes past nine A.M., leading its division and following the Second division, which was in advance. At noon it reached Birdsville, and at eight P.M. crossed Buck Head Creek at Buck Head Church, and there encamped. The distance marched on this day was about fifteen miles. Shortly after passing Birdsville, having received reliable information that a planter named Bullard, living in that neighborhood, had made himself conspicuous for his zeal in recapturing and securing prisoners from our army escaped from the rebel authorities, I despatched an officer with authority to destroy his outbuildings and cotton. He accordingly set fire to the corn-cribs, cotton-gin, cotton-presses, and a warehouse containing fifty thousand dollars' worth of cotton. These were all consumed, and the owner admonished that a repetition of his offence would bring a similar fate upon his dwelling at the next visitation of our army. On the third, my brigade marched at seven A.M. on the Sylvania road. My command occupied the centre of the division and was unencumbered with wagons. My brigade crossed the Augusta branch of the Central Railroad at noon. The Michigan Engineers having been charged with the destruction of this road, my command |