.ODAy.NTE5NDE

fighting capturing 1 General (Mortaly wounded) 1 Col. 1 Maj. and 150 men. The showe signs of hard fighting and a hasty retreat on the part of the Rebs. it being strewn with Knapsacks, Haversacks, Guns and any and everything that would impede their flight. 26th The Inft. of the 2nd Brg crossed the river as soon as they could see, and mad a forced march to Pollard, a small town at the junction of the Montgomery and Mobile with the Blakely and Pollard R.R. where we had heard there was a small rebel force. By some means our Col. always succeeds in getting the 97 in the advance when there is a prospect of a fight. The town was surrounded and the whole force advanced on it at once, but there was nary [previous word underlined] Reb there, hearing of our advance they had Skedadeled. [previous word underlined] after destroying the R.R. track for some distance and burning several public buildings we returned to our Division. In the Rebels retreat they had destroyed the main road bridge over the river so that we had to cross on the stringers of the R.R. Bridge and only footman could pass. One peculiarity of this country is that hills after rising on elevation of an hundred feet, water can be found within two, or three feet of the surface, and in many places flows over the top of the ground. 27th We have now changed our direction and are marching towards Blakely Our Regt is train guard It rained all day did not get into camp until near Mid Night, and then made only about twelve miles. We are now reduced to half rations Considerable being thrown away from waggons that broke down The slowness of our movements, and Prisoners being fed make it nessary to economise. 28 The 97 in the advance of the Div. marched twelve miles and went into camp early 29th marched ten miles was rear guard to the train passed through one swamp that had to be corderoyed for three miles dureing the day over five miles of corderoy had to be made commenced raining at noon and rained all the after noon and at night it fell in torrents completely flooding the camp. Nelson Godwin of Co G died from the effects of an accidental wound recived yesterday from the falling of a tree