From Eutaw Creek I sent two companies to Nelson’s Ferry, who sent me word at night that General Potter had gone up the Santee in transports the day before, and that they had burned forty or fifty bales of cotton that night on the opposite shore. During the night a contraband reported to me that General Potter had encountered the enemy at Manningsville, and had had a skirmish there. He was advancing, however, to Sumterville. A certain Lieutenant Pettus, commanding some Rebel cavalry in our vicinity, came in on a flag of truce at my request. I told this officer that he would not quarter in or near houses, or fire from houses, if he cared to save them from destruction. I also sent by this officer a note to General Ferguson, suggesting the propriety of his recalling his scouts from attempting to coerce the slaves to labor. April 10. Sent parties to Vance’s Ferry and vicinity to gather corn and rice together to feed the contrabands which had congregated together on the march. Marched at 5:00 P.M., taking the cross-road to the State Road. At about 10.00 P.M. we encountered twenty-five or thirty Rebel cavalry; shots were exchanged and they disappeared, leaving a gun, some blankets, and hats, &c.; bivouacked fifteen miles from starting point at midnight. April 11. Marched at daylight down the State Road; found that the bridges over Cypress Swamp were in bad condition, and was delayed by the falling through of a limber and chest. From this delay, and my column being encumbered by the train of refugees, I did not take the Ridgeville Road, which was reported very heavy, but marched to the Twenty-Five Mile House, and there bivouacked. April 12, marched to Goose Creek, leaving there two companies and the train of refugees. The rest of my command I marched to the Four Mile Tavern, where they still remain. The companies left at Goose Creek have since rejoined them there. I remain, Very Respectfully, your obedient servant, A. S. Hartwell Col. Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Volunteers, Bv’t. Brig. Gen. of Vols. Capt. L. B. Perry, Asst. Adjt. Gen., Northern Dist., Department of the South. THE FIFTY-FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS. _Extracts from the Diary of Col. Charles B. Fox, covering the visit of black troops to Somerset and Mexico Plantations._[106]