Near Goldsborough, N. C., March 27, 1865.
CAPTAIN: I respectfully beg leave to submit the following report of the operations
of the One hundred and forty-ninth New York Volunteers during the campaign just closed:
From the date of last report to the 27th of January, 1865, the regiment was commanded
by Maj. N. Grumbach, and was assigned a portion of the city of Savannah to guard. On that
day, Major Grumbach leaving the regiment on leave of absence, I assumed command. January
27, at 8 a.m. assembled the regiment; the total strength of the regiment present was 13
officers, 245 musket-bearing men, 26 daily-duty men, musicians, and non-commissioned
staff, making an aggregate of 283; joined the brigade and division; marched in charge of
the wagon train toward Springfield, eleven miles, and bivouacked for the night at 5 p.m.
January 28, marched at, 6 a.m. seventeen miles and bivouacked at 4 p.m. January 29,
marched at 6.30 a.m. three miles to Springfield, thence nine miles to the neighborhood of
Sister's Ferry, and bivouacked at 3.30 p.m.
January 30 to February 4, remained in bivouac awaiting the completion of the roads
across the swamps of the South Carolina shore. February 4, this day crossed the Savannah
River, and at 7 p.m. bivouacked six miles from our previous camp. February 5, moved
forward at daylight through Robertsville, S.C., and bivouacked at 5 p.m., having marched
eight miles. February 6, at daylight broke camp and marched a little west of north through
the village of Lawtonville and bivouacked at 5 p.m. near Steep Bottom Church, having
marched fifteen miles. February 7, at 8 a.m. broke camp in the rain; at noon passed
Bethlehem Church; at 6 p.m. bivouacked at Duck Creek; distance made, five miles. February
8, broke camp at 9 a.m.; crossed the Salkehatchie River at Buford's Bridge and bivouacked
in the evacuated rebel works at 8 p.m., having made fifteen miles. February 9, broke camp
at 6 a.m.; marched twenty miles to Blackville on the Augusta and Charleston Railroad and
bivouacked at 4 p.m. February 10, at 7 a.m. marched through the village [of Blackville]
and camped; at 1 p.m. broke camp and moved on to the South Edisto River and crossed at the
upper end of Fair's Island; bivouacked at 7.30 p.m., having made eight miles. February 11,
regiment detailed to work on road; reported at daybreak; worked until I p.m., when it was
relieved by the Sixtieth New York Volunteers; remained in bivouac that night. February 12,
broke camp at 7 a.m.; marched to the North Edisto River at Jeffcoat's Bridge, the enemy
holding the north side; bivouacked at 5 p.m.; distance marched this day, eight miles.
February 13, at 7 a.m. crossed the river and halted until dark, then following the rear of
the train came into bivouac at 10 p.m., having made four miles. February 14, at 8 a.m.
advanced to the cross-roads between Lexington, Orangeburg, Augusta, and Columbia, and
bivouacked; distance made, six miles and a half. February 15, moved forward at 7 a.m.
toward Lexington Court-House; bivouacked at 2 p.m. two miles from town. At 4 p.m. with
brigade advanced and occupied the town, the One hundred and forty-ninth New York
Volunteers supporting the One hundred and thirty-seventh New York Volunteers who deployed
as skirmishers. Threw up barricades and bivouacked for the night in town; distance made,
twelve miles. February 16, broke camp in Lexington at 7 a.m., and with brigade rejoined
the division; marched toward Columbia and bivouacked four miles from the Saluda River at 4
p.m.; distance made, eight miles. February 17, broke camp at 9 a.m.; marched toward Zion
Church, near the Saluda River, and bivouacked; distance made, three miles. February 18, at
11 a.m. moved across the Saluda River and marched to Faust's Mills, on Bush Creek, and
bivouacked at sunset; distance made, eight miles. February 19, remained in bivouac until 2
p.m.; then marched as wagon guard to Broad River and bivouacked near Freshly's Ferry at 10
p.m.; distance made, five miles. February 20, at 1 p.m. crossed the river and marched
toward Winnsborough; bivouacked on Owen's farm, at Kincaid's Cross Roads; distance made,
nine miles. February 21, broke camp at 7 a.m.; entered Winnsborough at 11 a.m.; at 1 p.m.
moved up the Columbia and Charlotte Railroad and worked until dark destroying it; returned
two miles and bivouacked; distance made, thirteen miles. February 22, moved out to the
railroad and destroyed it to Adger's Station; at 3.30 p.m. marched north to White Oak
Station, thence east to Wateree Church, and bivouacked at 9 p.m.; distance made, fifteen
miles. February 23, at 7 p.m. moved forward to the Wateree River and crossed at Rocky
Mount; worked until 10 p.m. assisting the train across; distance made, fourteen miles.
February 24, at 10 a.m. broke camp and marched six miles and bivouacked at 4 p.m. on
Hillard's farm. February 25, remained in bivouac. February 26, broke camp at 9 a.m.;
marched as train guard to near Hanging Rock Post-Office and bivouacked at dark; distance
made, six miles. February 27, moved camp across Hanging Rock Creek, three miles. February
28, broke camp at 6 a.m.; at 9 a.m. marched back on the road to assist wagons forward;
crossed Little Lynch's Creek and bivouacked at 4 p.m. (Made a memorandum muster.) Distance
made, eight miles.
March 1, marched at 11 a.m., crossing Big Buffalo and Big Lynch's Greeks; bivouacked
near the latter at 7 p.m., having made twelve miles. March 2, at 9 a.m. marched to near
Black Greek, eight miles, where a broken bridge delayed us until March 3. Marched at 9
a.m.; crossed Black Creek and Little Black Greek; reached Chesterfield Court-House at
10.30 p.m. and bivouacked; distance made, fifteen miles. March 4, moved at 6.30 a.m.;
crossed Thompson's Creek; marched to near Sneedsborough and bivouacked; distance made, ten
miles and a half. March 5, remained in bivouac. March 6, broke camp at 9 a.m.; marched to
Cheraw; crossed the Pedee River at 7 p.m.; marched until 1 a.m. and bivouacked; distance
made, sixteen miles. March 7, broke camp at 9 a.m.; marched to One hundred and six Mile
Station, on Rockingham and Wilmington Railroad; crossed the State line into North Carolina
and bivouacked at 10 p.m.; regiment on picket; distance marched, twelve miles. March 8, at
noon moved forward toward McFarland's Bridge; bivouacked at 10 p.m.; distance made, seven
miles. March 9, marched at 7 a.m.; bivouacked at 10 p.m. three miles from Lumber River;
distance made, eight miles. March 10, broke camp at 7.30 a.m.; crossed Lumber River in the
afternoon and bivouacked at 7 p.m.; distance made, seven miles. March 11, marched at 7
a.m. toward Fayetteville; struck the plank road and bivouacked at 4 p.m-fourteen miles
from Fayetteville; distance made, fifteen miles. March 12, moved at 11.30 a.m.; reached
Fayetteville at 5.30 p.m.; bivouacked half a mile from town; distance made, fourteen
miles. March 13, broke camp at 1 p.m.; marched through town in column; reviewed by General
Sherman; crossed the Cape Fear River and bivouacked at 5 p.m.; distance made, five miles.
March 14, remained in bivouac. March 15, moved forward in charge of train to Black Creek,
a tributary of South River, and bivouacked at 5 p.m.; distance made, nine miles. March 16,
reported to General Pardee at 8 a.m., the brigade having moved forward last night; worked
on road all day; crossed Black Creek at Graham's Bridge and joined brigade in bivouac,
four miles east of the bridge, on Jackson's farm; distance made, eight miles. March 17,
remained in bivouac. March 18, moved with train eight miles toward Bentonville and
bivouacked at 11 p.m. March 19, marched in charge of train at 6.30 a.m. toward Falling
Creek; bivouacked at 7 p.m.; regiment on picket; distance made, ten miles. March 20,
relieved from picket at 1 a.m. and ordered with brigade to join the corps near
Bentonville; arrived there at 6.30 a.m.; distance made, eight miles. March 21, at 10 a.m.
was ordered with my regiment to escort a train of wounded men to the corps hospital train;
succeeded in getting all but forty wagons across Falling Creek before bivouacking; left a
detachment in charge of rear wagons; distance made, eighteen miles. March 22, the last
wagon joined the train at 10 a.m.; reported to Colonel Mindil, Second Brigade, and was
ordered to join my brigade by way of Cox's Mills; marched back four miles and learned that
the corps was coming up on the road that I had left; regiment returned thither and
bivouacked at 5 p.m. three miles in advance of the corps; distance made, eight miles.
March 23, at 8 a.m. joined brigade and division; moved forward and crossed the Neuse River
at Cox's Bridge; bivouacked three miles from the crossing; distance made, eight miles.
March 24, at 8 a.m. moved forward unencumbered and arrived at Goldsborough at 10 a.m.;
marched through town in column; reviewed by General Sherman and bivouacked one mile north;
distance made, nine miles. March 25, moved up the Weldon railroad one mile and bivouacked;
made preparations to go into camp. March 26, moved into position for permanent camp, and
officers and men commenced erecting quarters.
Upon leaving Savannah the men carried five days' rations. Since then I have drawn
fifteen days' rations of bread and six days' rations of pork, with a small ration of
coffee and sugar. The balance of our subsistence has been foraged from the country. We
have also foraged and turned over to the acting assistant commissary of the brigade about
3,500 pounds of flour, 1,750 pounds of meal, and 1,500 pounds of pork. I have also turned
in 25 mules and 15 horses. The regiment has torn up about three-quarters of a mile of
railroad and built a large quantity of corduroy roads for our trains, which I have no
means of computing, as we have been almost every day building roads and assisting the
trains.
We came into our present camp with 13 officers and 236 men, having lost 1 officer and 7
enlisted men, sent back sick; 11 enlisted men, absent without leave; 12 enlisted men,
detached at headquarters, Left Wing; 5 enlisted men, detached at commissary depot;
aggregate, 36. Gained: 3 recruits and 1 recaptured prisoner of war; aggregate, 4.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. N. BURHANS,
Captain, Commanding Regiment.
Capt. LESTER S. WILLSON,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Brigade.
