After fighting on 20th and 21st, our troops entered Wilmington on the morning of the 22d, the enemy having retreated towards Goldsboro’ during the night.  Preparations were at once made for a movement on Goldsboro’ in two columns—­one from Wilmington, and the other from New Bern—­and to repair the railroad leading there from each place, as well as to supply General Sherman by Cape Fear River, towards Fayetteville, if it became necessary.  The column from New Bern was attacked on the 8th of March, at Wise’s Forks, and driven back with the loss of several hundred prisoners.  On the 11th the enemy renewed his attack upon our intrenched position, but was repulsed with severe loss, and fell back during the night.  On the 14th the Neuse River was crossed and Kinston occupied, and on the 21st Goldsboro’ was entered.  The column from Wilmington reached Cox’s Bridge, on the Neuse River, ten miles above Goldsboro’, on the 22d.

By the 1st of February, General Sherman’s whole army was in motion from Savannah.  He captured Columbia, South Carolina, on the 17th; thence moved on Goldsboro’, North Carolina, via Fayetteville, reaching the latter place on the 12th of March, opening up communication with General Schofield by way of Cape Fear River.  On the 15th he resumed his march on Goldsboro’.  He met a force of the enemy at Averysboro’, and after a severe fight defeated and compelled it to retreat.  Our loss in this engagement was about six hundred.  The enemy’s loss was much greater.  On the 18th the combined forces of the enemy, under Joe Johnston, attacked his advance at Bentonville, capturing three guns and driving it back upon the main body.  General Slocum, who was in the advance ascertaining that the whole of Johnston’s army was in the front, arranged his troops on the defensive, intrenched himself and awaited reinforcements, which were pushed forward.  On the night of the 21st the enemy retreated to Smithfield, leaving his dead and wounded in our hands.  From there Sherman continued to Goldsboro’, which place had been occupied by General Schofield on the 21st (crossing the Neuse River ten miles above there, at Cox’s Bridge, where General Terry had got possession and thrown a pontoon-bridge on the 22d), thus forming a junction with the columns from New Bern and Wilmington.

Among the important fruits of this campaign was the fall of Charleston, South Carolina.  It was evacuated by the enemy on the night of the 17th of February, and occupied by our forces on the 18th.

On the morning of the 31st of January, General Thomas was directed to send a cavalry expedition, under General Stoneman, from East Tennessee, to penetrate South Carolina well down towards Columbia, to destroy the railroads and military resources of the country, and return, if he was able, to East Tennessee by way of Salisbury, North Carolina, releasing our prisoners there, if possible.  Of the feasibility of this latter, however, General Stoneman was to judge.