Fayetteville, N. C., March 12, 1865.
We are camped a couple of miles from town. Marched about 13 miles to-day. Had to put down pontoons at both branches of Rockfish creek. At the town of Rockfish, the 17th A. C. burned a factory, throwing about 150 women out of employment. One of our gunboats came up to this place to-day with dispatches for Sherman. It went back before our division got in and took a lot of mail.
The 14th A. C. is garrisoning this place, but the 17th got in first. The 97th Indiana boys, who were captured back at Lynch’s Creek, all got away from the enemy and back to us to-day, five of them. Sherman said yesterday that the campaign ends only with the war. Hear that Hampton whipped Kilpatrick splendidly. Don’t think that is any credit to him. Also hear that Bragg whipped Schofield at Kingston, that Thomas has Lynchburg, and 30,000 other rumors. In the last 23 days the commissary has issued only two and one half days’ of bread. I lost my sword to-day. Left it where we stopped for dinner. We have lost so much sleep of late that at every halt half the command is asleep in a minute. I lay down and told them not to wake me for dinner nor until the regiment moved. The regiment had started when Frank woke me, and I got on my horse too stupid to think of anything. Did not miss my sword for five miles, when I went back for it, but no use. Foragers for the last week have been counting on rich spoils in the town, and many of them have not reported to their regiments within six or eight days, camping every night with the extreme advance. The day before the place was taken, five men who were 15 miles ahead of the column ventured into town. They were gobbled and one of them killed. Next morning 100 foragers hovered around town until the column was within about six miles, when the foragers deployed as skirmishers, and went for the town.
There were about 1,000 Rebel cavalry herein who fell back before our boys skirmishing lively, clear through the town, when they suddenly charged our fellows and scooped them. Our loss in killed, wounded and captured is 25 or 30. They killed several after they captured them, and one they hung up by the heels and cut his throat. Our boys retreated about a mile from town, and went in again in more solid order. They were too scattered the first time. They were successful and routed Johnny, who left six dead in the streets.
