rebels they made another stand and my regiment was ordered to the front in double-quick time, but before we arrived on the ground the rebels had again retired and offered no further resistance that day. We marched through Dublin and bivouacked for the night. The casualties in this regiment during the engagement are as follows: Killed, 13; wounded, 62; total, 75. *

All of which I very respectfully submit.

Lieut. W. B. NESBITT,

D. D. JOHNSON,

Colonel.

A. A. A. G., Second Brig., Third Div., Dept. of W. Va.

P. S.-Two or three enlisted men were wounded in a skirmish on the 12th instant.

No. 11.1

Report of Col. Horatio G. Sickel, Third Pennsylvania Réserves, commanding Third Brigade.

HDQRS. THIRD BRIGADE, CROOK'S DIVISION,
DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA,

May 20, 1864. CAPTAIN: In accordance with orders from division headquarters of May 19, 1864, I have the honor to report:

The Third Brigade (infantry), composed of the Third and Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves and Eleventh and Fifteenth Regiments West Virginia Volunteers, broke camp at Brownstown, Kanawha County, W. Va., April 30, 1864, and proceeded up the Kanawha River toward the Great Falls, making two marches to Montgomery's Ferry, bivouacking for the night at Paint Creek; reached the ferry at 3 p. m. May 1. Nothing of note transpired.

May 2, in accordance with previous orders, the brigade resumed its march at 7 a. m. on the road leading from Montgomery's Ferry to Fayetteville, in Fayette County, reaching and encamping at the latter place at 3.30 p. m. A heavy rain-storm prevailed during the afternoon, making the roads very muddy, and rendering the march most fatiguing. Nothing further of interest transpired.

The augmentation of General Crook's infantry here took place to three brigades, the whole taking up the line of march, at 6.30 a. m. on the 3d instant, southward, on the road leading to Raleigh CourtHouse, in Raleigh County, the Third Brigade, in column, preceded by the Second Brigade (Colonel White's) and the First Kentucky Battery, Captain Glassie, bivouacking for the night on upper Loup Creek. Nothing of interest took place during the march.

May 4, resumed march at 5 a. m., the Third Brigade in the advance; halted thirty minutes for dinner, and went into camp at 3 p. m., on Piney Creek, five miles southwest of Raleigh Court-House. Nothing worthy of interest transpired during this day's march.

May 5, resumed march at 4.30 a. m., third Brigade, train and rear guard, posted in the following order: Third and Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves in advance of train, Fifteenth Regiment Virginia Infantry distributed at intervals through the train, Eleventh Virgimia rear guard. The train parked and the brigade encamped at

*But see revised statement, p. 14.

Having thus gained the summit, I deployed two companies to the right and left of the road and began our descent southward, after driving in their skirmishers, and proceeded forward to within about 600 paces of the clearing and base of the mountain. We were here met by a fearful fire of shell and spherical case-shot from the enemy's batteries. The column was immediately halted and the troops placed under cover of woods. We were here joined by the commanding general, the Third Pennsylvania Reserves and Eleventh Virginia Regiment, who had accompanied Colonel White's command up the north slope of the mountain. Some time was occupied in reconnoitering the enemy's position and awaiting the arrival of Colonel White's command on the extreme left. At 11, a. m. the brigade was placed in order of battle as follows: First, Lieutenant-Colonel Morris, with six companies of the Fifteenth Regiment Virginia Infantry on the extreme right, covering a gorge in the mountain and commanding the only approach to our right and rear; Major Wells, with four companies of the same regiment, on right of the Dublin road, in line, facing south; the Eleventh Virginia Regiment, Col. D. Frost, commanding, on the Dublin road, facing south, with the Third and Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves on his left, directly opposite the enemy's works. About 12 m. the brigade was ordered to advance upon the enemy's works, which was done in a most satisfactory manner under the most galling artillery and musketry fire I have ever witnessed. Notwithstanding, our line moved steadily on, engaging the enemy in his works, completely routing him, capturing many prisoners, 2 pieces of artillery and a large number of small-arms, together with a considerable amount of ammunition, camp and garrison equipage, &c.

For further details I would respectfully refer you to the accompanying reports of the regimental commanders, which will be found very complete and instructive.

In this engagement a number of valuable officers were killed and wounded. Among the number killed is Col. R. H. Woolworth, of the Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves, a brave and accomplished officer, in whose death the country has sustained a serious loss. Among those seriously wounded, are Capt. J. Lenhart, jr., of the Third Pennsylvania Reserves, at the time commanding the regiment, and Lieut. J. H. McLaughlin, adjutant of the Eleventh Virginia Volunteers, acting aide-de-camp on my staff.

The annexed table of casualties exhibits fully the number of killed, wounded, and missing, and nature of their wounds.

The brigade was again put in motion and ordered to pursue the retiring enemy, who was hastily retreating on the Dublin road southward. The pursuit was kept up with some skirmishing through Dublin and one mile beyond the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, when it was ascertained that the enemy had left our front, and the brigade was ordered into camp one-half mile north of the village. A large amount of commissary, quartermaster, and ordnance stores here fell into our hands.

May 10, marched at 5 a. m., following the railroad southward about two and a half miles, when we took the road toward Pepper's Ferry, on New River, Pulaski County, leaving the railroad to our right. We proceeded in a southeasterly direction about three miles, and filing to the right through a dense woods, came upon New River

*Not-found; but see tabulation from nominal list, p. 14.

bridge, where the enemy was found posted behind formidable works. of earth. My advance guard, consisting of Captain Meyers' company, Eleventh Regiment Virginia Infantry, and Captain Egan's company,. of the Fifteenth Regiment Virginia Infantry, soon drove in their outposts, when our artillery was brought into position. A fierce artillery engagement ensued, our forces driving the enemy at every point. The Third Brigade was posted in the following order: First, Company B of the Eleventh Virginia and Company B of the Fifteenth Virginia Regiments were thrown forward as skirmishers, who advanced to the bridge and fired it; one company of the Eleventh Virginia and two of the Fifteenth Virginia, supporting a section of McMullin's battery west of the railroad, the Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves, supporting battery east of the railroad, one company of the Eleventh Virginia, and seven companies of the Fifteenth Virginia, with the Third Pennsylvania Reserves, parallel with the river. At 11.30 a. m. the line was ordered to the river bank, which was done in a most satisfactory manner, driving the enemy from his position; two large siege guns, a new caisson, a large amount of ammunition and commissary stores falling into our hands, all of which were destroyed for want of transportation. Our casualties in this engagement consisted of 2 commissioned officers wounded, 3 enlisted men killed, and 10 wounded. At 1 p. m. we marched to Pepper's Ferry, crossed New River, and encamped for the night.

May 11, march resumed at 5 a. m. on the road toward Blacksburg, Montgomery County, Third Brigade, train and rear guard, encamped at 12 m. at Blacksburg. A drenching rain prevailed all the morning. May 12, resumed march at 5 a. m. toward Newport, in Greenbrier County, and Salt Pond Mountain road, Third Brigade second in column, Colonel White's brigade in the advance; skirmishing kept up all the morning. In crossing Walker's Mountain, near Newport, a small force of the enemy, commanded by Colonel French, was dis covered on our left, commanding the road at the base of the mount-ain near the village of Newport. By direction of the general commanding I moved my brigade to the left of the road, passing through a deep ravine, with a view of gaining their right and rear. As we approached their lines, my skirmishers fired one volley on them, when they broke to the rear, retreating on the New River Narrows road. Their knapsacks, blankets, camp and garrison equipage, with a considerable amount of commissary stores, fell into our hands, all of which were destroyed by my troops. The Eleventh Regiment Virginia Volunteers was posted in a strong position on the Narrows road about a half mile from the village, to guard against any attack on our trains. They remained in that position until the wagons had all passed the junction of the two roads, when they followed as a rear guard to camp on Salt Pond Mountain, where we bivouacked for the night. A heavy rain-storm prevailed the greater part of the day. No casualties.

May 13, resumed march at 4.30 a. m. on the road toward Union, Third Brigade in the advance. At 11 a. m., while ascending the south slope of Peter's Mountain, we came upon the enemy's provision train, and one brass 12-pounder piece of artillery, guarded by a small escort, which, after a sharp skirmish with our advance guard, retreated, leaving in our hands 1 piece of artillery, 11 wagons and ambulances, some commissary stores, and a large amount of ammunition, together with a quantity of artificers' tools, which were destroyed. I directed Colonel Frost, with the Eleventh Vir

ginia Regiment, to follow the enemy over the mountain and to hold the road at the north base, which was duly executed by that talented and efficient officer. The brigade encamped at the foot of Peter's Mountain, on Salt Sulphur Springs road, at 5.30 p. m.

May 14, morning very stormy; march resumed at 12 m. toward Union, bivouacking for the night on Indian Creek. Nothing worthy of note transpired.

May 15, resumed march at 5 a. m. on road leading to Union. Nothing of special note transpired during the march. The brigade encamped at 11 a. m., one mile southeast of Union, Monroe County. May 16, resumed march at 8 a. m. on road toward Alderson's Ferry, Greenbrier River, crossed Swope's Knob and encamped at 4 p. m. on the south bank of Greenbrier River, near Alderson's Ferry.

Owing to the high state of the river and limited means of ferrying the Third Brigade did not reach the north bank of the river until 2 p. m., May 18, when it resumed its march at 3 p. m. toward Meadow Bluff, bivouacking for the night on Muddy Creek, near Palestine, Greenbrier County. Nothing of interest transpired.

May 19, resumed march at 6 a. m. on the Blue Sulphur Springs road, the Third Brigade, train and rear guard. Nothing of interest transpired except the loss of a gun carriage of one of the captured pieces, which occurred from carelessness on the part of the driver allowing it to run on the side of a precipice. The brigade encamped at Meadow Bluff at 1 p. m., men and animals much exhausted for want of proper food, and from the excessively muddy condition of the roads, having made a march of 247 miles in twenty days.

I am happy to be able to congratulate the commanding general and the country at large upon the unbounded success of the expedition. In no respect, to my knowledge, has he failed to accomplish all the objects for which the expedition was designed and fitted out. We have whipped the enemy at all points, capturing and destroying immense amounts of commissary, quartermaster, and ordnance stores, together with depots, store-houses, and barracks, about seventeen miles of railroad, several bridges, trestle-works, &c., among the most important of which is the New River railroad bridge, near Central Depot, Montgomery County, Va.

The following will exhibit the amount and kind of property captured and taken up by the officers of my staff and properly accounted for by Lieut. Edward F. Brother, acting assistant quartermaster:

Taken up by Lieutenant Boyer, acting commissary of subsistence: