2d. Marched at six A. M., crossed Buckhead Creek, and encamped near Buckhead Church. Day's travel, eleven miles.
3d. Marched at twelve M., passing near the Prisoners' Stockade north of Millen. Crossed the Augusta Railroad at seven P. M., engaged the rest of the night in assisting the trains over the almost impassable roads, and bivouacked at four A. M. December fourth. Day's travel, fifteen miles.
4th. Marched at eight A. M., and passed over a very bad road, and bivouacked at seven P. M. Day's travel, fifteen miles.
5th. Marched at six A. M., crossed Crooked Creek at dark, and bivouacked on east bank. Day's travel, six miles.
6th. Marched at seven A. M; progress slow; bivouacked at seven P. M. Day's travel, nine miles.
7th. Marched at seven A. M. One hundred wagons assigned to this brigade to assist forward. Bivouacked near Springfield at eight P. M. Day's travel, ten miles.
8th. Marched at half-past 6, division being unincumbered with wheels; somewhat detained by the roads being blockaded. Bivouacked at five P. M. near Waddley's Mill. Day's travel, ten miles.
9th. Marched at half-past 7. At four P. M., the brigade was massed in support of First division, which was confronted by the enemy in works across the road. The enemy was soon routed, and the command encamped at about five P. M. Day's travel, nine miles.
10th. Marched at ten A. M., this command guarding train. Crossed the Charleston Railroad at twelve M., moved down the Augusta Road to within six miles of Savannah, and encamped at three P. M. Day's travel, ten miles.
11th. Ordered to penetrate to the Savannah River, and develop the enemy's line between the Augusta road and the river. Marched at seven A. M.; moved down the Augusta road to within about twelve hundred yards of a battery of the enemy's covering the road; filed left and marched toward the river and parallel to the enemy's line, the One Hundred and Thirty-seventh New-York volunteers in advance as skirmishers, who engaged those of the enemy at ten A. M. The skirmish-line was extended to the left by the deployment of the One Hundred and Second New-York veteran volunteers until they reached the river. The skirmish-line then closed in on the enemy, but found him strongly posted in the thick woods and in a strong line of pits. The skirmish-line was strengthened and ordered to charge the enemy's line, which, with loud cheers, was gallantly done; his line was routed, and ran back in great disorder, our men following at a rapid run, until they were opened upon with canister from a strong fort, which had been concealed from our view by the woods. Our men had reached to within seventy-five yards of this work before it was thus discovered to them. They were ordered back to the enemy's line of pits, which was strengthened and held until night, when the command threw up a strong breastwork, with pits in advance, and the brigade occupied the line, which was only one hundred and fifty yards from the fort, as has since been determined by actual measurement. (For position of brigade, see accompanying map.)
12th. The fort in front of the left of the brigade proved to be an advanced work covering a canal connecting with the river, and through which the extensive swamps and rice-fields in front of the enemy's entire line was flooded. The brigade was subjected to a severe fire of artillery and musketry from his advanced work, and of artillery from his main line.
Our works were, however, considerably strengthened, and the position maintained.
13th. Was a repetition of the experience of the twelfth.
14th. At twelve A. M., with Captain Hobert and eight men of his company, from the Sixtieth New-York veteran volunteers, and Captain L. S. Willson, Acting Assistant Inspector-General of brigade, the commanding officer of brigade made a close examination of the canal and flooded fields in our front, also the dykes separating the fields, to within one hundred and fifty yards of the enemy's main line, and determined the depth and width of the canal, the depth of water in the fields, the width of the dykes, and facilities of crossing. This examination was prosecuted till three A. M., and the information obtained duly reported that morning, and this brigade was ordered to attack and carry the enemy's advanced work before daylight of the morning of the fifteenth.
15th. Regimental commanders were ordered to get their men under arms at twelve A. M., which was promptly done, and the brigade was in full readiness for the work by one o'clock A. M. The battery which was to cooperate by a flank fire from the position noted as Battery No. 2, on the accompanying map, was by some means delayed in getting into position, and was not ready until half-past 3 A. M., besides which the First brigade of this division, which, with the Second brigade, was to support the movement, was prematurely marched along the immediate rear of our works, and much confusion ensued. It was a very cold night, and the stamping of the men upon the frozen ground, and rekindling of the subdued fires, were sufficient to alarm the enemy, who gave palpable evidence of being ready to receive us. This fact was reported to the Brigadier-General commanding division, and the undersigned was directed to use his own discretion, whether to proceed or to abandon the attack. The troops were ordered into position for assault. The Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania veteran volunteers was in position on the beach of the river, the One Hundred and Thirty-seventh New-York volunteers in the left of our works as reserve, and the Sixtieth New-York veteran volunteers, and One Hundred and Second New-York veteran volunteers were in position in front of
