On Broad River, 8. C., February 16, 1865.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. C. R. WOODS,
Commanding First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps :
GENERAL: General Logan having received instructions from Major-
General Howard to effect a crossing of the Broad River as soon as pos-
448 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. [CHAP. LIX.
sible and to push a brigade into Columbia to-night directs me to request
you to push one of your brigades across the stream and throw up a
bridge-head covering the crossing. Leaving a sufficient guard in this
work, you will please push this brigade into Columbia along the direct
road, so that the city may be occupied by daylight. In making this
movement you will please instruct the commanding officer of your
advance brigade to move cautiously on the city with a good advance
guard and flankers thrown out along the column. Should he meet with
too serious opposition he will foil back slowly on the bridge-head and
there hold his position. It will be understood, however, that the oppo
sition must be serious, as it is necessary to occupy the city by au early
hour to-morrow. As soon as the bridge has been laid you will please
cross the rest of your command and move in support of your advance
brigade.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
MAX. WOODHULL,
Assistant Adjutant- General.
HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Near Columbia, S. C ., February 10, 1865.
Maj. MAX. WOODHULL,
Assista n t Adjutant- General :
I have the honor to report that in obedience to orders I sent for
ward my skirmish line at daylight this morning, and that they found
the country west of the Congaree and Saluda Elvers evacuated by the
enemy. At 8 a. m. the division moved opposite Columbia, and soon
after to the crossing of the Saluda, near Saluda Factory, where two
regiments were crossed in boats, driving away the enemy, and after
wards the entire division crossed and pushed on to the Broad, but
failed to save the bridge. Early this morning two men were wounded
from the shots of the enemy across the Congaree Biver. My head
quarters are at the white house, about a half mile west of the Broad
Biver.
I am, respectfully,
W. B. HAZES ,
Major-General.
SPECIAL ORDERS, ) HDQRS. SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
No. 43. } Near Columbia, #. C., February 16, 1865.
Division commanders will cause their white pioneer corps to report at
once to Captain Kossak, chief engineer, at the houses that are near the
battery that is playing on the city.
II. Division commanders will cause all animals in their commands
ridden by unauthorized persons to be seized at the crossing of the
Broad Biver. They will dispose of the serviceable animals in their
batteries, escort companies, trains, and quartermaster s department.
The worthless ones will be shot.
III. The following are the orders for to-morrow:
Maj. Gen. J. A. Mower, commanding First Division, will have the
advance in crossing the river, and will be prepared to move at day
light, but will not move until he receives orders.
Brig. Gen. M. F. Force, commanding Third Division, will be prepared
to move at 7 o clock, and will follow the First Division.
(HAP. LIX.] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. UNION. 449
Bvt. Maj. Gen. G. A. Smith, commanding Fourth Division, will be
prepared to move at 8 o clock, and will follow the Third Division.
The trains will move with their respective divisions.
By command of Maj. Gen. F. P. Blair:
C. CADLE, JR.,
Assistant A djutant- General.
SPECIAL } IIDQRS. FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
FIELD ORDERS, > Zion Church, 8. C.,
;N T o. 11. ) February 16, 1865.
The corps will move to-morrow as follows:
General Carlin will move at 6 a. m., taking the main road from
Columbia up the Saluda Elver via the Dutch Church; at that point
taking the right-hand road until nearly opposite Eleazar or Eockville
Post-Office, and thence striking across to that point.
General Morgan will move at G a. m., crossing the Saluda Eiver, and
taking the road via South Oakville Post-Office and Metts , and oppo
site the mouth of Wateree Creek, or Freshly s, at which point he will
receive further instructions.
General Baird, with the trains of the corps, will move at 7 a. m. on
the direct road to Columbia until he reaches Draft s house ; thence
take the left-hand road, via this point, and, crossing the river, will take
the road used by General Morgan s division.
Corps headquarters train, with the reserve artillery and ammunition
train, the First Michigan Engineers, and the pontoon train, will move
at 7 in the rear of General Morgan s division.
By order of Bvt. Maj. Gen. J. C. Davis:
A. C. McCLTJEG,
Lieutenant- Colonel and Chief of Staff.
ORDERS.
HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH CORPS,
Xcar Columbia, 8. C., February 16, 1865.
This command will march to-morrow to Zion Church as follows:
First Division at 8 a. m., Second Division at 9 a, m., Third Division at
10 a. m. Each division will cover its own train. General Jackson will
march one unencumbered brigade in the advance. General Ward will
inarch two regiments as rear guard. One section of artillery will
accompany the rear guard; the balance of the artillery will march
immediately in rear of the advance brigade. The Michigan Engineers,
with their trains, will follow the artillery, starting at 8 a. m.
By command of Brevet Major-General Williams:
CITAS. MOYEE,
Actiny Assistant Adjutant- General.
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY COMMAND,
In the Field, Lexington, 8. C., February 16, 1865.
Major-General SHERMAN:
GENERAL: I have at my headquarters a discharged Confederate
soldier, who left Eichinond Saturday evening last at 6 p. m. He left
Columbia yesterday evening. He reports E. E. Lee and Longstreet
29 R R VOL XL VII, PT II
450 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. [CHAP. LIX.
stopping at the Palmetto House. He thinks that, all told, militia and
regular troops, the enemy has not over 20,000 effective men. Only a
portion of S. D. Lee s corps is in Columbia. Longstreet s corps, or a
portion of it, was expected, but Grant s attack on Burgess and Arm
strong s Mills, near Petersburg, delayed the departure. A large portion
of Wheeler s cavalry is now in and around Columbia; the remaining
portion was in my rear at noon to-day, but is at this present moment
crossing the river about fifteen miles above this point. Major- General
Hampton is in Columbia, with two brigades of cavalry, Butler s and
Young s, but not mounted. Their horses are now up in Fairfield Dis
trict; have been sent for, and are not expected before Sunday. Seven
teen hundred Federal officers were yesterday at noon still in Columbia,
confined near the asylum. Nearly 20,000 of our prisoners he reports
now in a large stockade on the Charlotte and Columbia Kailroad ten
miles from Columbia. I don t fear Wheeler and Hampton combined,
even without supports. Wheeler s men have thrown away and I have
destroyed upward of 1,500 stand of arms in the various stampedes
my people have given different portions of his command since leaving
Sister s Ferry. In the fight near Aiken, in which one of my regiments
(the Ninety-second Illinois), one company of the Ninth Michigan, and
small detachments from the Ninth and Tenth Ohio, and my staff and
escort, were alone engaged against Humes and Allen s divisions, com
manded by Wheeler in person, I lost but 25 men killed and wounded
and less than 20 taken prisoners. It was not a general fight, but
simply a reconnaissance. This party fell slowly back from Aiken
before these two divisions, and at 11 a. m. Wheeler, with one brigade,
feigned upon my left flank and charged me, mounted, with his entire
command. I occupied a strong position, had no flanks, and he was
most handsomely repulsed. His loss before he reached my barricades,
in Allen s division alone, according to his official report, was 31 killed
and upward of 160 wounded. I took upward of 60 prisoners, and have
in my possession 5 battle-flags as proof of our superiority over his
cavalry. I am now guarding the country from Wise s Ferry across to
and beyond the Two Notch road, and I am scouting the country farther
south. I ean hear of no force of the enemy in our rear. If I could be
thrown across the Saluda I could capture a large number of horses, and
should be only too happy to be thrown even across Broad Kiver, when
it will take more than Wheeler s cavalry, assisted by Hampton, to keep
me off of the Charlotte and Columbia Kailroad. I write you this in
detail and fully, that you may have the facts in the case. Wheeler
has, as usual, reported a victory over my people, whose backs lie never
yet has seen, and from all that I can learn a portion of our army seems
only too willing to believe such reports. Unfortunately for me, Wheeler
did not this time have the good fortune to meet and rout, as at Waynes-
borough, one of our infantry corps.
I am ready, general, for any orders you may have to send me.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. KILPATRICK,
Brevet Major -General, Commanding Cavalry.
HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE CAVALRY,
Roberts 7 House, S. C., February 16, 1865.
Maj. L. G. ESTES,
Assistant Adjutant- General :
MAJOR: Colonel Jones reports that the banks of the Saluda at
Wise s Ferry, on this side, are low and swampy, and that a muddy
CHAP. LIX.] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. UNION. 451
creek has to be passed before reaching it, which would require a bridge.
He thinks it a bad place to attempt a crossing. The enemy have a
picket on the opposite bank, on the bluff which overlooks the ferry and
which commands the low lands on this side. He also reports a ferry
about one mile and a half below, at Swygert s Mill, where the road is
good to the water, with the bluff on this side commanding the low
lauds on the opposite. The enemy also have a picket at this point, but
the colonel says they can be easily dislodged. The river is about 400
feet wide, and may be 500. Forage is plenty. The colonel has cap
tured thirty horses and mules and the men are constantly bringing
them in. There is a ford on the Saluda at Dreher s Mills, about lour
miles from this point, but whether it could be now forded is doubted by
the people here. I have just been informed of it, aud will send a scout
to that [point] to determine the matter. I have left Colonel Jones
encamped near the ferry, which I suppose is correct. If not, let me
hear from you. Captain MacKnight, of my staff, accompanied Colonel
Jones, and fully corroborates his statements. Captain MacKnight
thinks the Saluda 250 yards wide..
I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THOS. J. JORDAX,
Colonel, Commanding Brigade.
[First indorsement.]
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY COMMAND,
February 15 [16], 18(i5 3.30 p. m.
Respectfully forwarded for information of Major-Genera 1 Davis.
Only about 1.500 of Wheeler s people found through Lexington; the
remaining portion of his command is now crossing ten miles above this
point. If 500 feet of pontoon bridging can be spared me I can cross at
the point indicated by Colonel Jones, scatter and break Wheeler up.
The entire country in our rear is now free of the enemy, and I can
leave this point, so far as the enemy is concerned. I need horses and
can capture them on the opposite side. The country is rich. My
orderly will bring reply.
Very respectfully,
J. KILPATRICK,
Brevet Major- General.
[Second indorsement.]
HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Zion Church^ February 16, 1865.
Respectfully forwarded for the information of the major-general com
manding Xeft Wing, Army of Georgia.
JEF. C. DAVIS,
Brevet Major-General, Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., February KJ, 1865.
Brigadier-General WEBSTER,
Savannah :
I ain this moment in receipt of your dispatch of the 14th in reference
to General Grover s command. His force is amply sufficient to garri-
452 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. [CHAP. LIX.
son Savannah City and Fort Pulaski, and I want the garrison of that
fort to enable me to carry out with certainty the orders from General
Sherman. A part of the regiment is already with General Hatch 250
men will be enough for Pulaski.
Q. A. GILLMORE,
Major- General, Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, 8. C., February 16, 1865.
COMMANDING GENERAL CONFEDERATE FORCES,
DEPARTMENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA, &c.,
Charleston, IS. C. :
GENERAL : I have the honor to inform you that I have been author
ized by Lieutenant- General Grant, commanding the Armies of the
United States, to exchange all the Confederate officers and men now
held as prisoners of war within the limits of my command. These
number at present about 500, and are mostly officers. I propose to
exchange them rank for rank, and where officers of equal rank cannot be
obtained, to be governed by the cartel agreed upon in 1802 regulating
equivalents. Should this proposition be favorably entertained by you,
I request you to appoint an officer to meet Lieutenant-Colonel Wood-
ford, of my staff, and arrange the necessary details. Lieutenant- Col
onel Woodford is authorized by me to act in my behalf in all matters
connected with the proposed exchange.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Q. A. GILLMORE,
Major- General, Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., February 16, 1865.
Bvt. Maj. Gen. C. GROVER,
Savannah, Ga. :
You will at once send a force to relieve the present garrison at Fort
Pulaski. The relief must be between 200 and 300 strong, commanded
by a good officer. Order the regiment now at Fort Pulaski to proceed
to Combahee Ferry, with three days cooked rations and camp and gar
rison equipage, and report to General Hatch. The regiment must not
leave any effective officers or men behind.
Q. A GILLMORE,
Major- General, Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, S. C., February 16, 1865.
Lieut. THOMAS J. ROBINSON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant- General, Jacksonville, Fla. :
LIEUTENANT: Your letter of the llth instant to Major- General Fos
ter, informing him of the capture of the expedition under Lieutenant-
Colonel Wilcoxson, and also of the serious illness of General Scammon,
was duly received. I am directed by Maj. Gen. Q. A. Gillmore, com
manding the department, to extend to you his thanks for the iufornia-
CHAP. LIX.] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. UNION. 453
tion, and to state that you acted properly in sending the information
in the manner you did. Colonel Tilghman has been instructed to pro
ceed at once to Jacksonville from Saint Augustine to report to district
headquarters for duty. He is to assume command of the district
should General Scammon still continue to be unfit for duty. Major-
General Gillmore directs that you send to these headquarters by return
steamer copies of the orders issued ordering the expedition under
Lieutenant-Colonel Wilcoxson to go after cotton.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. L. M. BURGEE,
Assistant Adjutant- General.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, 8. C., February 16, 1865.
Brig. Gen. E. P. SCAMMON,
Commanding District of Florida, Department of the South:
GENERAL: I am directed by Major-General Gillmore, commanding
department, to state that he regrets that another disaster should have
happened to our troops in Florida after so many cautions to the con
trary. The major-general commanding directs me to call your atten
tion particularly to a letter from these headquarters, dated January 29,
1865, which distinctly says that hereafter no party shall be sent out
less than 1,000 strong, except when scouts are sent to ascertain the
position of the enemy. The report received from your headquarters
states that the party captured lately, with Lieutenant-Colonel Wil
coxson in command, numbered only forty-eight men, with ten wagons,
and that the entire party was captured. This, besides being a violation
of instructions, certainly shows that either parties are sent out in
your district without a sufficient knowledge of the strength of the
enemy, or that, knowing their strength, the parties are invariably too
small. The major-general commanding directs that a full report of this
disaster be made as soon as possible, to be accompanied by copies of
the orders under which the expedition went out, the object, and at whose
instigation they were sent.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. L. M. BURGEE,
Assistant Adjutant- General.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
Hilton Head, 8. C., February 16, 1865.
Col. B. C. TILGHMAN,
Third U. S. Colored Troops, Saint Augustine, Fla. :
COLONEL: Reports from Jacksonville contain the information that
Brigadier- General Scammon is so seriously ill as to be unfit for any
duty. Unless you have reliable information of his recovery before
you receive this letter, you will proceed by the earliest conveyance to
Jacksonville and report to district headquarters for duty.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Q. A. GILLMORE,
Major- General, Commanding.
454 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. [CHAP. LIX.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Federal Point, N. C., February 16, 1865.
Maj. Gen. J. G-. FOSTER, Comdg. Department of Hie South:
GENERAL: I have not had an opportunity of communicating with
you since the receipt of your instructions from General Sherman, and
now avail myself of your dispatch boat to acknowledge the receipt of
your orders, inclosing those of General Sherman, and also of your let
ter of the 4th instant informing me of his progress. My troops have
been much delayed in getting transportation from Washington. Less
than half of them have yet arrived. Hence, I have been able to do
very little. I shall, however, move against Fort Anderson to-morrow,
and hope to get Wilmington in a few days. If I succeed in this I will
then open the railroad toward Goldsborough as far and as rapidly as
practicable. Should I fail to get Wilmington, which is possible, if it
be re-enforced from Kichmond, I would then secure possession of the
west bank of Cape Fear Eiver, and open communication with General
Sherman in the direction of Florence. In any event, I will have sup
plies for General Sherman s army at the best point attainable. Gen
eral Grant came here with me and gave me the orders under which I
am acting, which differ somewhat from those sent by General Sherman.
If you are in safe communication with General Sherman please explain
this to him, and inform him what I am doing. In addition to my
movement against Wilmington, I have increased General Palmer s
force at New Berne by 5,000 men, and ordered him to take Kinston, or
at least the railroad crossing of Neuse Eiver. You have doubtless
received the War Department orders creating the Department of
North Carolina.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. M. SCHOFIELD,
Major- General.
GENERAL ORDERS, ) HDQRS. DEPT. OF NORTH CAROLINA,
ARMY OF THE OHIO,
No. 3. ) Federal Point, N. C., February IV, 1865.
The following officers are assigned to duty as members of the depart
mental staff. Reports will be made and business transacted through
them, in accordance w r ith existing orders and regulations:
Col. George S. Dodge, chief quartermaster; Lieut. Col. E. B. Treat,
acting chief commissary of subsistence; Surg. Edward Shippen, acting
medical director; Capt. William J. Twining, aide-de-camp, chief engi
neer.
Bv command of Major-General Schofield:
J. A. CAMPBELL,
Assistant Adjutant- General.
GENERAL ORDERS, J I JJQRS. DEPT. OF NORTH CAROLINA,
ARMY OF THE OHIO,
No. 4. ) Federal Point, N. C., February 16, 1865.
First Lieut. E. H. Eussell, Signal Corps U. S. Army, having reported
at these headquarters in compliance with orders from the War Depart
ment, is announced as chief signal officer of the Department of North
Carolina.
By order of Major-General Schofield :
J. A. CAMPBELL,
Major and Assistant Adjutant- GeneraL
CHAP. LIX.] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. UNION. 455
HDQES. THIRD DIVISION, TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS,
Smithville, N. C., February 16, 1865.
Maj. J. A. CAMPBELL,
Assistant Adjutant- General :
SIR : I find no rations are here yet, and it may be late before they
get liere. In that case I suppose it will be the commanding general s
desire that we supply ourselves before starting to-morrow. Please
inform me if it is otherwise. If we go round Fort Anderson the road
will take us to the left immediately after leaving town, and it will be
out of the way to go to Reeves Point.
Very respectfully,
J. D. COX,
Major- Gen era Z, Comma n ding.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF ^ORTH CAROLINA,
ARMY OF THE OHIO,
Federal Point, N. C., February 16, 1865.
Maj. Gen. J. D. Cox,
Commanding Third Division, Twenty-third Army Corps:
GENERAL : Your note of this date is j ust received. Eatious are on the
way to Smith ville, and the commanding general desires you to supply
your command with rations before you start, but to go to Fort Ander
son to-morrow as previously ordered.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. A. CAMPBELL,
Major and Assistant Adjutant- General.
CITY POINT, YA., February 1? , 1865.
Hon E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:
The Richmond Examiner of to-day says:
A dispatch received at the Treasury Department from one of its agents in Colum
bia reports the local forces there under arms, and that some skirmishing had taken
place with the enemy in the vicinity of the town. It is not stated that the enemy
was inconsiderable force there, audsomethiug may be allowed for exaggeration and
alarm. We have from a gentleman who left Columbia as late as Tuesday last, and
who arrived here last night, some interesting news from the military situation there.
From this source we have confirmation of a fight on the llth instant between
"Wheeler audKilpatrick, near Aikeii. It appears that General Wheeler, after enticing
him [from] behind his intrenchments, charged with his whole command and routed
the enemy with confusion, driving him back a distance of about five miles. Ammu
nition giving out it was impossible for our*meu to push Kilpatrick farther, and the
contest there ceased. We took a considerable number of prisoners, among whom
were a portion of the Thirty-third Massachusetts Regiment.
The force of the enemy which had taken Oraugeburg was said to be about 12,000
strong.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
Mr. Anderson, from Committee on Military Affairs, made the following report:
" The General Assembly of Virginia, impressed with the importance of calling into
active service the whole physical strength of the Confederate States in this momen
tous crisis, and it being the opinion of the highest military authority that the effi
ciency of our army may be greatly increased by the enlistment of negroes : Therefore,
"Resolved by the General Assembly, That the Confederate States is authorized,
and the consent of this State is hereby given, to enlist such number of able-bodied
slaves for military service as may be deemed necessary upon such terms and under
such limitations as may be agreed upon between the Confederate Government and
the owners of such slaves."
U. S. GRAXT,
Lieutenant- General.
456 OPERATIONS IN N. C., S. C., S. GA., AND E. FLA. [CHAP. LIX.
SPECIAL } HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT AND
FIELD ORDERS, > ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
No. 41. ) Columbia, S. C., February 17, 1865.
The following operations of this command will take place to mor
row: The Fifteenth Army Corps, Maj. Gen. John A. Logan command
ing, commencing at 7 a. in., will complete the destruction of the Southern
Branch of the South Carolina Bailroad as far south as possible, detail
ing for that purpose two divisions of his corps. The Seventeenth Corps,
Maj or- General Blair commanding, will commence at 7 a, in. the destruc
tion of the South Carolina Kailroad northward toward Winnsborough,
using as far as practicable the entire strength of his corps. The track
and ties will be torn up and fired, and the First .Regiment Engineers
Michigan Volunteers, following, will twist the rails. All trains of the
army will close up with their respective corps, and as soon as every
thing is across Broad River the pontoon bridge will be taken up.
That part of it belonging to the Left Wing will return, passing up the
west bank of the Broad Kiver. The department cattle herd will cross
Broad Kiver to night. Lieut. Col. William E. Strong, chief of staff,
will superintend the destruction of the public buildings, cotton, rail
road depots, machine-shops, and manufacturing establishments.
By order of Maj. Gen. O. O. Howard:
A. M. VAX DYKE,