only chance.
The Eighty-sixth skirmishers in this engagement experienced a hard
time; but the main body of the regiment was not brought into action.

The loss of the regiment was two killed and three wounded. The killed
were Captain John F. French, of Co. K, and Rileigh George, of Co. F.
Captain French was a brave and accomplished officer, and beloved by all
the regiment. Co. K lost two wounded, and Co. C one.

As soon as Hardee was known to have retreated, our forces were again
put on the move, taking the road leading to the right, built a bridge
across the swollen South river, and marched on the Goldsboro road.

Our wounded were taken with us from the battlefield of Averysboro, and
as there were not enough ambulances for them, some were loaded in army
wagons. The march was continued in the direction of Bentonville, over a
country rich with forage of every kind except molasses--a luxury we
were not often without. Meal and meat were to be had in abundance. No
wanton destruction of property was tolerated in this section of the
country, for there was too much loyalty and poverty for that, and
soldiers are too magnanimous not to respect these; but where luxury and
pomp abound, they are hyenas and wolves.

On the night of the 18th, our division camped on the Goldsboro road,
about five miles from Bentonville and twenty-seven from Goldsboro, at a
point where the road from Clinton to Smithfield crosses the Goldsboro
road.

General Sherman had been with our wing of the army up to this time, and
anticipating no more opposition in the occupation of Goldsboro, left
General Slocum's column on the next morning to accompany Howard's
advance into Goldsboro.

Early on the morning of the 19th, the 14th Corps, being in advance of
the 20th on the same road, marched directly on to Bentonville. On
arriving at that place it soon discovered the enemy in force, strongly
intrenched on the further side of a difficult swamp.

The 1st division, driving back his cavalry and skirmishers, took a
position on the left of the road, and the 2nd division to the right of
the same. These divisions set to work and built log breastworks.

As soon as General Slocum ascertained that the combined forces of Hoke,
Hardee and Cheatham, all under command of rebel General Johnston, were
massed in his front, he ordered the two divisions of the 20th Corps to
form on the left of the 14th Corps, at the same time ordering up the
two divisions that were back with