No. 16.

Report of Capt. James R. McMullin, First Ohio Battery, Chief of Artillery, of engagement at Cloyd's Mountain, and skirmishes at New River Bridge and Salt Pond Mountain.

HDQRS. OF ARTY., THIRD DIV., DEPT. OF W. Va.,

Meadow Bluff, W. Va., May 20, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to submit to you the following report, consolidated from those of Lieut. G. P. Kirtland, commanding First Independent Ohio Battery, and Capt. Daniel W. Glassie, commanding First Kentucky Battery:

From these reports I find that the enemy was first engaged on Cloyd's Mountain May 9, 1864. Here the enemy had such perfect range of the only possible place to plant artillery, it was deemed best to await the advance of the infantry. The caissons being left under cover, the guns advanced and taking a position, under a heavy fire, remaining in position fifteen minutes, expended 190 rounds of ammunition, when the enemy retired. Two of Captain Glassie's pieces were placed with the advance in hot pursuit. The enemy made another stand, when canister was used, and very superior gallantry upon the part of both officers and men alone saved the pieces. Fifty rounds were fired here.

The second engagement of the enemy was May 10, at Central railroad bridge. Here three of Lieut. G. P. Kirtland's guns, under command of Lieuts. C. H. Fee and D. J. Ryan, were placed on the left of the bridge, and as soon as the ball was opened by them the remainder of Lieutenant Kirtland's command, under himself and Lieut. I. C. Fair, and Captain Glassie's command, were moved into [position] on the heights on the right of the bridge; remained in position two and one-half hours, expending 750 rounds of ammunition, when the enemy withdrew.

May 12, three of Lieutenant Kirtland's guns, under command of . Lieutenant Fee, took a position on the southern slope of Salt Lake Mountain to shell a force under Jackson. Ten rounds were fired, but elicited no reply. This force abandoned May 13 one piece on Peter's Mountain.

I have to report the capture of

pieces, 1 man seriously wounded, 4 slightly wounded, and a loss of 17 horses.

I can only say that the conduct of both officers and men was commendable in a high degree, and in every respect commensurable with all that could have been expected.

Respectfully submitted.

J. R. McMULLIN,

Capt. and Chief of Arty., Third Div., Dept. of W. Va.

Capt. JAMES L. BOTSFORD,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 17.

Report of Capt. Daniel W. Glassie, First Kentucky Battery, of engagement at Cloyd's Mountain, and skirmishes at New River Bridge and Salt Pond Mountain.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST KENTUCKY BATTERY,

Meadow Bluff, May 20, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I would respectfully submit the following report of the part taken by the First Kentucky Battery, under my command

(Capt. Daniel W. Glassie), on the march from Fayetteville, W. Va., to Meadow Bluff, W. Va., via Raleigh road, Princeton, Dublin Depot, New River bridge, Blacksburg, and Union :

Agreeable to General Orders, No. 6, from Second Brigade headquarters, to march on the 3d instant at 7 a. m., the battery moved out the Raleigh road in rear of the advance brigade, alternating with Capt. James R. McMullin's First Ohio Battery by easy stages, and no accidents excepting one man run over by a gun carriage, and one horse died, until the morning of the 9th instant. My battery having the advance, moved in rear of the Second Brigade from Poplar Hill through Rocky Gap to Cloyd's Mountain, under the enemy's fire. At this point the guns were moved to the front in column, leaving the caissons under cover. Agreeable to instructions from Captain McMullin, chief of artillery, my leading gun was ordered to open fire on the enemy's battery, from the road, to fire one shot, and then move forward, with both batteries. This I did, and then drew my battery under cover and awaited the advance of our lines, as there was no artillery position practicable. After reconnoitering the road in front, supported by one company of the Seventh West Virginia Cavalry (dismounted), I moved one piece to the front on the road and opened fire on the enemy's right flank, drawing the fire of all the enemy's guns. Here I fired twenty rounds of shell, but the enemy's fire being so accurate and rapid, I was obliged to retire, after having 3 men wounded slightly, and 1 limber pole broken by shell. When our infantry had deployed across our front my battery was ordered at a double-quick and deployed from the center to the right and left across the road in a meadow skirted by woods, and under the enemy's battery. Here the whole battery opened fire and fired fifteen rounds per gun, with no other loss than 1 trail, hand spike, and hand-spike ring and 1 prolonge carried away by shell. As soon as the enemy had been driven from his position, my battery was ordered at a double-quick, and one section sent in pursuit, with a detachment of the Seventh Virginia (dismounted) Cavalry, again meeting the enemy in the woods near Cloyd's meadOWS. The cavalry meeting too heavy a force, my section was ordered to open fire on the enemy's advancing lines. The guns were thrown in echelon as well as the nature of the ground would permit, giving me a complete semicircle of fire, with one gun covering the other, and both in short canister range. Both guns fired thirty-five rounds of canister and ten rounds of shell, emptying both limbers. I had 3 men scratched, 4 horses wounded, and 1 killed. The gun carriages were considerably cut up. We then moved forward to Dublin Depot.

On the 10th instant we moved from the depot up the railroad to New River bridge, meeting the enemy strongly posted on the left bank of the river. Captain McMullin then ordered my battery into position on the heights on the south side of the railroad bridge near a fort abandoned by the enemy. Here I fired - rounds of shell, had 1 man (John Pilurn) seriously wounded, and 2 slightly wounded, 1 splinter [bar] broken by a shell, and 2 horses wounded. After dislodging the enemy, the battery crossed the river at Taylor's Ford; marched thence to Blacksburg and thence to Union. At the foot of Salt Pond Mountain 1 four-horse wagon, containing 6 pairs of artillery pants, 2 jackets, 1 box of horse medicines, 4 Twelfth Regiment muskets, broke down, and was burned by the rear guard.

At Alderson's Ferry 4 of my prolonges and lunettes were used at the ferry-boat and lost. I have had 2 wheels and 4 poles broken and lost 5 horses worn out, 2 wounded and turned in, 2 killed, and 1 died. I have had men slightly wounded, 1 seriously and 1

(R. C. Rieff) left on the road sick.

My men have behaved themselves admirably, and in my opinion are deserving of much credit for coolness in action and promptnesson duty.

My horses are entirely worn out for want of feed.

Hoping the above will prove satisfactory, I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[Captain MCMULLIN,

DANIEL W. GLASSIE,

Chief of Artillery.] ·

Captain, Commanding Battery:

No. 18.

Report of Lieut. George P. Kirtland, First Ohio Battery, of engagement at Cloyd's Mountain, and skirmishes at New River, Bridge and Salt Pond Mountain.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST INDEPENDENT OHIO BATTERY,

Meadow Bluff, May 20, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by this command in the different engagements during our second raid:

During the engagement on the 9th of May on Cloyd's Mountain the battery was ordered to take, and took, a position under a very heavy fire on the right of the road, and on the right and in the rear of the Second Brigade. We remained in position fifteen minutes and fired 100 round of shell, when the enemy retired. The part taken in the engagement on the 10th instant is as follows: Two guns, under command of Second Lieut. C. H. Fee, and one piece, under command of Second Lieut. D. J. Ryan, were ordered to take, and took, a position on the left of the Central railroad bridge, and commenced shelling the enemy's works. The remaining three guns were placed in position on the right of the bridge, near the fortifica-tions abandoned by the enemy. The battery remained in position two hours and one-half, and fired 400 rounds, when the enemy retired.

May 12, sent three guns, under command of Lieutenant Fee, to take a position on the southern slope of Salt Pond Mountain, to shell a force under Jackson; fired ten rounds, but received no reply. Very respectfully,

G. P. KIRTLAND,

Lieut., Commanding First Independent Ohio Battery.

Capt. JAMES R. MCMULLIN,

Chief of Artillery.

No. 19.

Report of Brig. Gen. William W. Averell, U. S. Army, commanding Cavalry Division.

HDQRS. CAVALRY DIV., DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA,

May 23, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my cavalry division from the 1st instant to the present date:

Receiving orders from Brigadier-General Crook, at Charleston, W. Va., on the 1st, I proceeded to Camp Piatt, ten miles above, with the brigades of Brigadier-General Duffie and Col. J. M. Schoonmaker, numbering in all 2,079 officers and men, and 400 of the Fifth and Seventh West Virginia Cavalry, under Col. J. H. Oley.

During the day and night of the 1st and most of the 2d day the miscellaneous transportation furnished to me was put together and loaded with rations and forage, which were intended to supply my command with six days' rations of subsistence and four of forage after leaving Logan Court-House; but, owing to the miserable condition of the teams and wagons furnished and the heavy roads, it was found that we had only about four days' subsistence and one and a half days' forage with which to start from that point on the 5th. Sending back the wagons from Logan, and taking along a detachment of the Third Virginia, under Major Conger, which had been stationed there, I proceeded toward Wyoming Court-House, meeting a scouting party of the enemy on the way.

From near Wyoming Court-House, on the 6th, Colonel Oley was sent toward Princeton to form a junction with General Crook's column, while the division found its way over pathless mountains and up tortuous streams to Abb's Valley, in Tazewell County, where it arrived on the evening of the 7th, capturing scouts of the enemy and one company of the Eighth Virginia (rebel) Cavalry on picket.

The march was resumed on the 8th, and some Kentucky troops of the enemy driven, with the loss to them of 4 killed and 5 wounded, to Tazewell Court-House, a distance of fifteen miles. It was there ascertained that forces had been assembled at Saltville, under command of Generals John H. Morgan and W. E. Jones, to the number of 4,500, and that the approaches from the north were well defended with earth-works and artillery. Information was also obtained from deserters and captured mails that the enemy was fully informed of our strength and intentions. Believing that it would be impracticable to carry the works about Saltville without infantry and artillery, and that a surprise was out of the question, I abandoned that project and marched to Wytheville, in order to prevent the enemy from concentrating against the column of General Crook, capturing a train of wagons on the way.

Arriving near Wytheville on the afternoon of the 10th, I attacked a force stated by rebel newspapers to have numbered 5,000, under Generals Morgan and W. E. Jones, on their way eastward. This force was mostly infantry, with three pieces of artillery, and posted in an admirable position for defense or attack, impossible to turn with cavalry. The Fourteenth Pennsylvania and First Virginia Cavalry, under Colonel Schoonmaker, opened the battle, while the brigade of General Duffié was formed in line of battle; the Second Virginia, under Colonel Powell, on the left, mounted; the Thirty

fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, dismounted, on the right, and the Third Virginia Cavalry occupying the extreme left. The enemy pressed upon both flanks and advanced in three lines sheltered by fences in front. The field was maintained four hours, the vigor of the enemy gradually decreasing. At dark there was some prospect of our being able to drive him, but after dark he retired, and I marched to Dublin, where I arrived on the evening of the 11th.

Our loss in the battle was about 114 officers and men killed and wounded. (Reports are inclosed.)

We crossed New River, swollen by recent rains on the morning of the 12th. The baffled columns of Morgan and Jones arrived on the left bank soon after, but the river had become impassable, and they had leisure to observe the ruins of the railroad and bridges, which all the energies and skill of their superior forces had failed to avert. Had their designs been accomplished in reaching the river before me the success of the expedition might have been varied. Communicating with General Crook, who was then at Blacksburg, I proceeded to Christiansburg, driving away a small force of the enemy and capturing two 3-inch guns, which in their haste they had abandoned. The railroad was destroyed as much as practicable, with depots, shops, &c., to a point four miles east of Christiansburg. Communicating with Salem and Lynchburg by telegraph it was learned that heavy re-enforcements were moving westward along the railroad.

As my ammunition was nearly exhausted I deemed it proper to join General Crook's command, which, after a very difficult march, was accomplished on the 15th at Union, having marched 350 miles over a region almost impassable and destitute of supplies. Nearly thirty miles of the journey was made by file on foot over unfrequented paths. The mountain streams were frequently unfordable, and a few men and horses were lost by drowning.

I beg leave to invite the attention of the brigadier-general commanding to the uncomplaining fortitude with which the officers and men of this division have marched and fought in this most difficult expedition.

The gentlemen of my staff, Capt. Will Rumsey, assistant adjutant-general; Capt. W. H. Brown, assistant quartermaster; Capt. L. A. Myers, provost-marshal; Capt. George T. Castle, commissary of subsistence; Surg. F. Elliott, medical director, were conspicuous during the entire expedition for their untiring industry and great gallantry upon the field.

My thanks are due to the brigade commanders and their staffs for their energetic efforts while under my command. Respectfully submitted.

Capt. J. L. BOTSFORD,

W. W. AVERELL, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 5.

ADDENDA.

GENERAL ORDERS,) HDQRS. SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, May 23, 1864. The brigadier-general commanding cavalry division desires to express his sincere thanks to the officers and men of this division for the uncomplaining fortitude with which they have endured the ter