Bentonville, N. C., March 22, 1865. The enemy left about 2 a.m. Our brigade was ordered to follow them to Mill creek, about three miles, which we did almost on the double quick, the 26th Illinois in advance pushing their rear guard. The brigade went to Mill creek, but our skirmishers went a mile further, [...]

March 21, 1865. We moved out this morning just before daylight and got within 50 yards of the Rebel skirmish line, but nothing going forward on our right or left, we returned to our original position. Had one man in Company H slightly wounded. We could have held our advanced line just as well as [...]

One and one-half miles from Neuse River, March 20, 1865. We moved about a mile north and then west for five miles. Pushed some Rebel cavalry before us all the time. Our brigade was in advance and lost about 25 men. We are about two miles east of where the battle was fought yesterday by [...]

Twelve miles from Goldsboro, and six from railroad, March 19, 1865. Made 15 miles. Only two bad swamps. Very heavy artillery and musketry on our left (14th and 20th Corps) all day. Hear this evening that our men suffered heavily. General Lee is said to be here. Opinion is divided as to our having a [...]

Four miles north from Smithfield’s, N. C., March 18, 1865. Fifteen miles, good roads, men only waded in swamps. Whole corps in camp before dark. Well settled country and oceans of forage. Our foragers and the 7th Illinois “mounted thieves” had a nice little fight to-day. Came near scaring Wade Hampton’s chivalry out of their [...]

Beaman’s Cross Roads, March 17, 1865. About 12 miles, more than half of which had to be corduroyed. Roads awful. If a wagon pulls off the corduroy, it drops to the hub. There are two or three inches of black sand on the surface covering quicksand unfathomable. No one need tell me that bad roads [...]

Two miles from left bank of Black River, N. C., March 16, 1865. About 14 miles to-day. About a dozen swamps, as many showers, three hard rains, and an awfully rough march. The men waded, I should think altogether, one-half mile of water from ankle to waist deep. They went through every swamp yelling like [...]

Left bank, Cape Fear River, Opposite Fayetteville, March 15, 1865. Everything valuable to the Rebels has been destroyed, and we are about ready to push on to Goldsboro. Fayetteville is about a 3,000 town, nearly all on one street. There was a very fine United States Arsenal burned here, some 20 good buildings, all of [...]

March 14, 1865. It is supposed we will be here two or three days, to get some shoes up the river.

Fayetteville, N. C., March 12, 1865. We are camped a couple of miles from town. Marched about 13 miles to-day. Had to put down pontoons at both branches of Rockfish creek. At the town of Rockfish, the 17th A. C. burned a factory, throwing about 150 women out of employment. One of our gunboats came [...]

Davis Bridge, Rockfish Creek, March 11, 1865. Ten miles to-day, full seven of which had to be corduroyed. The worst road I ever saw. The 17th corps occupied Fayetteville to-day. The foragers took the place. It is as large as Columbia and has a large arsenal. Heard of two or three men being captured by [...]

Randallsville, N. C., March 10, 1865, 12 p.m. Ten miles to-day, most of which we had to corduroy. Our regiment in rear of the division and corps. Crossed the Lumber river about 4 p.m. Fine country. We had reveille at 3 this morning, and the rear of train with our 1st brigade did not get [...]

Four miles south of Montpelier, N. C., March 9, 1865. Rained nearly all last night and poured down all day. Our regiment had the advance of the division, but we followed J. E. Smith. He is the poorest traveler in the army. We had to corduroy all the road after him. Only made four miles. [...]

Five miles north of Laurenburg, N. C., Laurel Hill, March 8, 1865. One hundred and twelve miles of steady rain, and the best country since we left Central Georgia. Looks real Northern like. Small farms and nice white, tidy dwellings. Wheat fields look very well. In the cornfields rows are five feet apart, and one [...]

Goodwin’s Mills, 16 miles northwest of Cheraw, March 7, 1865. About 11 miles to-day and in camp at noon. The 14th and 20th had come down and cross at Cheraw. We are waiting on them. That expedition to Florence was a failure. Our men got the town but were driven out before they destroyed a [...]

Five miles northeast of Cheraw, S. C., March 6, 1865. Crossed the Peedee this morning. Just after we passed through the town a 12th Indiana boy seeing some powder scattered on the ground threw a coal on it. It communicated with a concealed ammunition magazine and made a fine explosion, killed and wounded 20 or [...]

March 5, 1865. The 17th and all our corps, except our division, have crossed the river. We follow in the morning. The enemy did not attempt to oppose us. The boys say that an intercepted dispatch from Hampton to General Butler reads: “Do not attempt to delay Sherman’s march by destroying bridges, or any other [...]

Cheraw, S. C., March 4, 1865. We were from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on this little five miles. The 17th have their pontoons down and have a division across. Hear that the enemy is fortified a short distance back from the river. Can hear no firing. Our foragers took Society Hill last night. This [...]

Five miles south of Cheraw, S. C, March 3, 1865. General Wood says we have made 24 miles to-day. Our whole corps on one road and hardly a check all day. This is Thompson’s Creek, and the Rebels under Hardee thoroughly fortified it. Logan’s orders are to carry the works to-morrow, but as usual the [...]

New Market, S. C., March 2, 1865. A disagreeable, half drizzle, half sprinkle, all last night and to-day. Our brigade in advance and made 10 miles. Poor country, but pretty well settled. Many of the men have had no breadstuffs for three days. They drew two days of hardbread February 18th, and have foraged everything [...]

Left Bank Lynch’s Creek, March 1, 1865. We have finally got across this deuced creek. It has delayed us fully four days, more than any three rivers did before. Our division train is yet to cross and may not get over in 24 hours. We are getting hungry for the first time, having foraged the [...]

February 28, 1865. High water still keeps us here. We will probably get off to-morrow. It is thought we will cross the Great Peedee at Cheraw; there is so much swamp lower down that might trouble us. A thousand rumors afloat to-day. The citizens have it that Grant has whipped Lee since the Hatcher Run [...]

Tillersville, February 27, 1865. We have half a mile of bridging to build before we can get across this Lynch’s creek, the rains have swollen it so much. Our 6th Iowa foragers we thought captured are all right. They got across this creek before the freshet and it cut them off. The 97th Indiana men [...]

Fullersville, S. C., Sunday, February 26, 1865. Sixty hours of rain terminated at daylight this morning, but it has not hurt the sandy roads a particle. We made 11 miles in four and one quarter hours, and are now waiting for a bridge to be completed over this creek, “Lynch’s.” We think now we are [...]