THE first of January, 1865, found the 25th Ohio still an integral part of the Coast Division, and in the entrenched camp on Deveaux's Neck.
     The Regiment had suffered severely since leaving Hilton Head, losing 208 officers and enlisted men killed or severely wounded.  Not a man had been captured, or left upon the field wounded.  Over a hundred men had been slightly wounded who remained with the Regiment, and that number is not included in the above figures, which would be swelled by their addition to over 300.
     Some of the wounded officers were among the beat in the Regiment, and would never return to it.  Without exception, those officer skilled and had all earned reputations for bravery and efficiently.
     The death of Major Randall caused the promotion of Capt. E. C. Culp, of Company A, the senior captain in the Regiment.
     The position of the Regiment at the Neck was anything but a safe one.  The enemy encircled it on three sides, and the daily hissing of shells over camp, and the constant picket firing showed no intention on the part of the rebels to leave their strong position on the Charleston & Savannah Railroad.  The trains ran regularly over the road in spite of our artillery, which only in a few instances did any damage.
     It was useless to get the camp and garrison equipment from Hilton Head, as at any moment we might be compelled to march inland, or retreat.  The suffering among the troops was severe, as the only shelter and branches, leaves and dirt.  But the light sand could not withstand the heavy rains.  In these miserable hovels the men burrowed like foxes.
     On the morning of January 15th, the Regiment marched to the railroad, only encountering a few of the enemy.  The works on the Coosahatchie and Tilifinney rivers had been evacuated the night previous.  The railroad was destroyed by the Regiment, for several miles, and at night we went into camp in the rebel fort on the Tillifinney.  The 16th and 17th were fully occupied in burning ties and twisting rails.  The right wing of Sherman's army was encamped but a few miles distant, and the 25th boys interchanged visits with their friends in several Ohio regiments.  Two of the old divisions in the eleventh corps formed a part of the twentieth corps, and we met several of our old comrades.
     The Regiment remained in the vicinity of Fort Tillifinney until the morning of the 20th of January when it marched toward Pocataligo, and encamped on the Salkahatchie.
     On the morning of the 20th, a reconnoisance was made by the Regiment on the Savannah & Charleston Railroad, and the enemy found strongly entrenched on the opposite side of the Salkehatchie, having burned the railroad bridge in their front.
     Considerable firing took place, but resulted in no damage, and the Regiment returned to camp late in the evening.
     The next morning the left wing of the Regiment, under Major Culp, returned to the position occupied by the Regiment the day before, and remained there until relieved by the 127th New York, when it rejoined the Regiment in the entrenchments at Pocataligo.
     The Coast Division was to occupy all the approaches to Charleston from the south, and press the enemy in its front, and thus weaken the force in front of Sherman.
     The Regiment remained at Pocataligo until the evening of February 3d, when it marched to Gardner's Corner, reaching that place at midnight.  For a short march the men never experienced a more severe one.
     On the morning of the 4th the march was resumed to Combahee Ferry, where it was intended to cross the Regiment and secure a position on the opposite side.  A crossing was effected under a severe artillery fire.  Rice fields extended for several miles up and down the river, and about one mile in width.  On the verge of the fields the rebels had erected several earth works, which commanded all the approaches, which consisted principally of dykes.
     After the crossing was made, we attempted to turn the enemy's flank but without success, and General Hatch ordered the place abandoned, and the Regiment to march to the assistance of the division, near the Salkehatchie.  Three men were killed, two outright, and one dying in a few hours.  They were:
     Robert A. Petrie and Rudolph Nihies, of Company K, and William Compton, of Company G.
     The next day the general deemed it advisable to gain possession of some cross-roads, three miles in advance, and the 25th was ordered to that duty, supported by two or three other regiments.  The crossroads were gained, the enemy using their artillery freely, but without effect.  They retired a short distance, over a branch of the Salkehatchie, taking a strong position, after partially destroying the bridge.
     During the night Colonel Haughton advanced his pickets to the bank of the river, and Lieutenant Kehn, with sixteen men selected from Companies I and C, all good rifle shots, were ordered to charge over the bridge, just at daylight, and get positions as sharpshooters, to protect the crossing of the balance of the Regiment.
     Lieutenant Kehn and his men made a gallant charge, but when in the center of the bridge they discovered, for the first time, that the bridge was totally destroyed for several rods on the rebel side.  Lieutenant Kehn took in the situation and ordered a retreat.  Three men were severely wounded, but the charging party had nearly all secured cover before the rebels recovered from their astonishment sufficiently to fire.  The wounded were:
     John S. Rhodes and Arthur Wharton, of Company I, and Henry Schofield, Company A.
     A considerable force was left here to keep the enemy occupied, and on the 9th the 25th, with a section of artillery, was ordered to march, and accompanied by Generals Hatch and Potter, once, more crossed the railroad and penetrated some distance into the enemy's country, among the rich rice plantations.  Upon returning, the railroad was destroyed for a considerable distance, the enemy making their defense, as usual, with artillery, which did little damage.
     On the 11th Major Culp was ordered to take the left wing of the Regiment and return to the place occupied on the 8th.  An attack was threatened at that point, which was only guarded by the 127th New York.  Constant skirmishing was had with the enemy until late in the evening, when the balance of the Regiment came up, and the entire command (25th Ohio) made a flank movement to Combahee Ferry, where a crossing was effected without loss, the demonstration father up the river having caused the enemy to evacuate this point.
     The Regiment encamped on the plantation of Mr. Lowdes.  One more important crossing had been wrested from the enemy, and now only a Edisto and Ashapoo rivers remained between the Coast Division and Charleston.
     The next morning the Regiment left Lowdes' plantation, and marched several miles to the Ashapoo without molestation.  The rebels had destroyed both bridges, and were in small force on the opposite side.  General Hatch, who still accompanied the 25th, wished to obtain a footing on the rebel side before it was reenforced, and Col. Haughton, with a few men, crossed the river in a small boat some distance up the river, and drove the rebels from their position.  The Regiment crossed that evening.
     The next morning one or two other regiments came up, and the 25th was again sent forward on a reconnoisance to the forks of the Jacksonboro and Parker's Ferry roads, where it was ordered to halt.
     The Regiment remained there until the next day, the 16th.  Scouts were sent out for several miles without encountering any large body of the enemy, and the negroes who came in reported that the rebels were evacuating Charleston.  These reports were sent back to the general, and permission asked to move on.  It was not granted, however, and the same day the Regiment was ordered back to the Ashapoo, where it remained until the morning of the 19th, when it was once more ordered to take the advance, and marched to the South Edisto.  A few scouting parties of rebel cavalry were met, but they did not impede the march.
     On the 20th the Regiment marched several miles down the Edisto, and finally crossed in flat-boats, without opposition.
     The 21st was spent chiefly in foraging; several abandoned rebel fortifications were discovered, mounting heavy guns.  The march was resumed the next day to the North Edisto.
     From this date the movements of the Regiment were of an eccentric character, until it was demonstrated to the most obtuse mine that the rebels no longer occupied the Palmetto city.  For miles south of the Ashley river the country was covered with fortifications, and hundreds of pieces of artillery fell into our hands - one of the results of Sherman's grand march.
     On the morning of the 26th of February, the Regiment crossed the Ashley River, and marched through Charleston to the South Carolina Railroad depot, where it went into quarters.