My loss in the first day's operations was 4 killed, 18 wounded, and 30 missing, and on the second day 1 killed and Captain Bedford slightly injured. Among the killed I regret to be compelled to mention Capt. C. S. Cleburne (brother of Maj. Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne, of the Army of Tennessee), one of the most gallant and promising young officers in the Confederate service. He fell while gallantly leading his men in a charge on the enemy mortally wounded, from which he shortly afterward died. It having been ascertained on the morning of the 13th instant that the enemy had retired in the direction of Salt Pond Mountain, permission was given me by the colonel commanding to return with my command. I immediately took up the line of march and reached Saltville on the morning of the 18th instant. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, D. HOWARD SMITH, Colonel, Comdg. Morgan's Dismounted Cavalry. Maj. CHARLES S. STRINGFELLOW, Assistant Adjutant-General. MAY 3, 1864.-Raid on Bulltown, W. Va. Report of Col. Nathan Wilkinson, Sixth West Virginia Infantry. NEW CREEK, May 5, 1864. Captains Spriggs and Chewings occupied Bulltown, burnt the fortifications, and have left, in what direction is unknown. Four companies only of the Eleventh Virginia remained in Parkersburg. The wires were cut this morning before instructions could be sent them. Will order one company to Wirt County, and hold the others in reserve. Maj. Gen. F. SIGEL. N. WILKINSON, MAY 5, 1864.-Raid on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad between Bloomington and Piedmont, W. Va. REPORTS, ETC. No. 1. Abstract from Itinerary of Wilkinson's brigade, Department of West Virginia. No. 2. Capt. John H. McNeill, Virginia Partisan Rangers. No. 1. Abstract from Itinerary of Wilkinson's brigade, Department of West Virginia.* May 5.-Lieut. Charles Bagley, with one gun, supported by a detachment of seventy-five infantry, under command of Lieutenant *From return for May. Battery L, First Illinois Light Artillery. Brown, Twenty-third Illinois Infantry, was ordered to Piedmont, W. Va., to intercept the rebel raider, McNeill, who was making a raid upon the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Marched to Piedmont, a distance of five miles, and found the enemy had left a short time previous; followed and came up with them at Bloomington, W. Va., and immediately opened fire upon them, dispersing them in confusion; returned to New Creek, W. Va., same evening. No. 2. Report of Capt. John H. McNeill, Virginia Partisan Rangers. MOOREFIELD, HARDY COUNTY, May 7, 1864. I left this place with sixty men on the night of the 3d instant. Reached Bloomington, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, on the morning of the 5th at daydawn. Captured a freight train; put some of my men on board. Went one and a half miles below to Piedmont, my cavalry following on behind. We captured that place with a small garrison, which surrendered without resistance. We burned some seven large buildings filled with the finest machinery, engines, and railroad cars; burned nine railroad engines, some seventy-five or eighty burthen cars, two trains of cars heavily laden with commissary stores, and sent six engines with full head of steam toward New Creek. Captured the mail and mail train and 104 prisoners on the train, and burned the railroad bridge across the North Branch of the Potomac leading to Cumberland. JOHN H. MCNEILL, Captain, Commanding Company Partisan Rangers. Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON, Secretary of War. MAY 8, 1864.-Affair at Halltown, W. Va. Report of Brig. Gen. Max Weber, U. S. Army. HARPER'S FERRY, W. VA., May 10, 1864. On the night of the 8th instant our pickets at Halltown were attacked by about fifty rebels, their object being to outflank our forces. They were unsuccessful from the fact that each night the position of the guard is changed. I have seen Colonel Rodgers myself, and the necessary orders have been issued regarding papers. He cannot. strengthen his police and picket guards as his whole force, 200 infantry and 70 cavalry, are now all on duty. Brig. Gen. B. F. KELLEY, MAX WEBER, Comdg. U. S. Forces on Baltimore and Ohio R. R. MAY 10, 1864.-Skirmish at Lost River Gap, W. Va. REPORTS. No. 1.-Brig. Gen. Benjamin F. Kelley, U. S. Army. No. 2.-Col. Jacob Higgins, Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry. No. 3.-Lieut. Joseph G. Isenberg, Adjutant Twenty-second Pennsylvania. Cavalry. No. 4.-Brig. Gen. John D. Imboden, C. S. Army. No. 1. Report of Brig. Gen. Benjamin F. Kelley, U. S. Army. CUMBERLAND, MD., May 11, 1864. Major Myers, of the Ringgold Cavalry, has just arrived here, and reports that yesterday morning about daylight they were attacked at the junction of Winchester and Moorefield pike with the Lost River road from Brock's Gap by Generals Rosser and Imboden, with an overwhelming force; were driven back via the Grassy Lick road, *through Romney and Springfield, to Green Spring, where they crossed the river, and are now at Old Town. Rosser and Imboden are reported in Romney this a. m. with a force of cavalry, mounted infantry, and artillery, estimated at from 2,000 to 3,000 men. Colonel Higgins is out of ammunition and forage. I cannot send it to him by train for fear of capture. Have sent to New Creek for ammunition for him, and have suggested to him to move up here at once, when I can supply his wants and get him ready to recross the river again. I fear Rosser and Imboden intend to attack this place and New Creek, or perhaps move round me and go into West Virginia west of the mountains. Although assigned to this command by order of Secretary of War, it is my understanding that my command is not an independent one, but is embraced still in your department. I shall so act unless otherwise ordered. Colonel Strother can explain to you the exact position of the place where the attack was made. Major Myers says they lost their train, but thinks the loss not severe in men, probably not over 50 in killed, wounded, and missing. B. F. KELLEY, Brigadier-General. Major-General SIGEL. No. 2. Report of Col. Jacob Higgins, Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cav alry. CUMBERLAND, May 12, 1864. GENERAL: I have the honor to report that I fell back to Cumberland by direction of General Kelley, for ammunition, rations, and forage. I am getting my horses shod, and it will take a few days before my command will be able to move. I burnt the wagons but saved the horses. I have about 40 men missing in all. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAC. HIGGINS, Colonel, Commanding Scouting Party. Major-General SIGEL. No. 3. Report of Lieut. Joseph G. Isenberg, Adjutant Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry. GREEN SPRING RUN, May 10, 1864.. GENERAL: Our scouting party attacked [by] an overwhelming force of the enemy at Lost River Gap to-day. They captured our train, and up to this time I have no evidence that more escaped than the quartermaster and myself to get here with a small squad. Since we arrived here I have learned that Colonel Higgins has rallied his men on the plains at Romney. The enemy's force consists of Imboden's and McNeill's cavalry, together with a regiment of mounted riflemen. I will await orders. J. G. ISENBERG, Adjutant Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry. Major-General SIGEL. No. 4. Report of Brig. Gen. John D. Imboden, C. S. Army. MOUNT JACKSON, May 11, 1864-9 p. m. GENERAL: I have this moment arrived in position after a continuous ride of eighty miles. I thrashed part of three regiments cavalry in Hardy yesterday, ran them twenty-four miles, killed 5, wounded a number, captured only 13, as they fled to the mountains; captured their train-12 new wagons, and 1 ambulance, 20-odd horses. They killed a great many horses to prevent our getting them. My cavalry is much jaded, and camped to-night on the head of Lost River. They will be here by 4 p. m. to-morrow. J. D. IMBODEN, Brigadier-General. Maj. Gen. J. C. BRECKINRIDGE, Staunton. MAY 11-14, 1864.-Expedition from Point Lookout, Md., to the Rappahannock River, Va. Report of Col. Alonzo G. Draper, Thirty-sixth U. S. Colored Infantry, commanding expedition. HEADQUARTERS SAINT MARY'S DISTRICT, Point Lookout, May 15, 1864. MAJOR: I have the honor to report that in accordance with instructions from department headquarters, telegraphed May 11, 1864, I embarked the same evening with 300 men of the Thirty-sixth U. S. Colored Troops, and 13 cavalry on board the transport steamer Star and the gun-boat Yankee, to accompany Captain Hooker, of the Potomac flotilla, in an expedition to the mouth of the Rappahannock for the purpose of destroying torpedoes, &c. The expedition returned to this post on the evening of the 14th, having been completely successful. We landed on the morning of the 12th at Mill Creek, exploded three torpedoes and raised two. Marched about two miles and burnt the mill of Mr. Henry Barrack, an accomplice of the men who placed the torpedoes; thence we marched across the peninsula, inclosed between the Rappahannock and Piankatank Rivers, divided into two detachments, and marched down two roads leading toward Stingray Point. About three miles farther down, at the point where these two roads unite, our detachments united. At this point we discovered four new torpedoes concealed in the. woods, constructed with tin cases, each containing about fifty pounds of powder. Suspecting the presence of some small armed parties on the point, I threw out a line of skirmishers extending completely across the peninsula, a distance of about three miles, placed a reserve of infantry and the cavalry in the road, and ordered the skirmish line to advance to the extreme point. The ground being covered in most places with thick woods and underbrush, and intersected with creeks and swamps, it was almost impossible to maintain an unbroken line, and the progress of the skirmishers was necessarily difficult and slow. After advancing in this manner some two or three miles a small portion of the skirmishers on the right center, five or six in number, encountered a party of nine men, consisting of cavalry and marines, under command of B. G. Burley and John Maxwell, acting masters, C. S. Navy, and although the colored infantry were entirely separated from their officers, they immediately attacked them. brisk skirmish ensued. The blacks soon received a small re-enforcement and succeeded in killing or capturing the entire party except one. Acting Master Maxwell and 4 others were killed. Acting Master Burley and a sergeant and corporal of cavalry were captured. Our loss was 1 man killed, and 2 seriously and 1 slightly wounded. The wounded will probably all recover. This little affair was conducted wholly by the black men as no officers arrived until after the fight was over. The colored soldiers would have killed all the prisoners had they not been restrained by Sergeant Price, who is also colored. Acting Masters Burley and Maxwell were in command of the party which captured the steamer Titan at Cherry Stone. Maxwell was formerly an officer in the U. S. Navy. I inclose the letter of instructions from the rebel Secretary of Navy under which these officers acted, also Burley's British protection and a pass from the rebel Secretary of War, dated March 30, 1864, for B. G. Burley, a citizen of Great Britain, to pass beyond the limits of the Confederate States, which documents appear to me to furnish evidence that Burley was expected to act as a spy. I also inclose sundry other documents to show the character and purposes of these parties. We passed the night of the 12th on the banks of Fishing Bay, reembarked in the morning, crossed the Piankatank to Milford Haven, where we landed and marched to Mathews Court-House, where we captured 1 rebel sergeant and 1 private, also 33 head of cattle and 22 serviceable horses and mules, with some wagons for the use of our contraband farm on the Patuxent. We passed the night of the 13th at Milford Haven. On the 14th re-embarked with our captured property and returned to Point Lookout. The expedition accomplished the destruction or capture of 9 torpedoes, burnt 1 mill, killed 5 of the enemy, captured 5, including 2 acting masters in the rebel navy, captured 33 head of cattle, 22 horses |