e track and set fire to cross ties in several places.
While this was being done, Captain Jacobs, with a company of the Third
New York Cavalry, and one piece of Allis' Flying artillery, was sent
three and a half miles in the direction of Goldsboro, on the line of the
railroad, to destroy the tracks, some culverts and a bridge. Just as
Captain Jacobs reached the three and a half mile point the mail train
from Goldsboro came rattling down. The engineer on the train, in coming
around a sharp turn, observed ahead a heavy dark smoke, immediately
whistled down brakes, and reversed his order of proceeding.
Notwithstanding this, Captain Jacobs was enabled to bring his pieces of
artillery into such a position as to give the retreating train the force
of three shells. After doing his business, and well and ably developing
the bumps of destruction in North Carolina, he joined us at Mount Olive
just about sundown.

By this time we at Mount Olive Station had taken up a large extent of
the track, destroyed the switches and did all the damage we could; then,
about 8 o'clock, we set out for a change of base, made several
strategical movements through woods and swamps and reached the camp of
the great army about midnight, having cut across, as explained above,
without moving on any main road more than five minutes at a time.

On leaving Mount Olive I paused for a moment to behold the sight
presented to our view. I saw the railroad apparently on fire for miles
in extent, huge fires of ties and warping rails, and the blank amazement
that was but too evident on the faces of our newly released prisoners.
The woods were bright and radiant with the reflected light; our hidden
road was also illuminated, and all nature seemed changed--as the light
reflected on the water in the swamp--if not to one of beauty, at least
to a great degree of attractiveness. As we left, the boys gave three
cheers for the Major's success, and the same was highly complimented by
General Foster, on making his report to that officer.

We had hardly left Mount Olive Station over an hour when the enemy came
down as near as he could with a so-called "Merrimac Railroad Car," and
shelled the woods for quite a while.

SEVENTH DAY.

ON THE FIELD, Dec. 17, 1862.

We resumed our line of march this morning and got on a high hill and in
full sight of a large force of the enemy drawn up in line on the