forces under command of General Sigel moved up the Shenandoah Valley to New Market, at which place the enemy engaged us, and compelled us to fall back to Cedar Creek, near Strasburg.

On the 21st of May the command of the department passed into the hands of Maj. Gen. D. Hunter, who immediately ordered an advance.

On the 5th of June, at New Hope, we met and defeated the enemy, and advanced to Staunton, at which point we were joined by the column under command of Brigadier-General Crook. The force then advanced in four columns to this point, reaching here last evening. A large portion of our way the enemy resisted our advance, but have been steadily pushed backward.

During all these movements the signal corps has been used to advantage. The officers are improving in efficiency, and the men also. By the receipt to-day of sixty horses I have been enabled to mount my entire party. Officers have been kept with all detached parties, and at the advance of columns, to communicate with headquarters during marches; and stations of observation have been established during marches and at halts; and thus far all our operations have met the approval of the commanding general. At the battle of New Market the field was too limited to admit of the use of signals, but they were used at New Hope.

I regret to be compelled to inform you of the probable capture by the enemy of 2 officers and 5 men. On the 14th of May Lieutenant Smith, then stationed at Round Hill, near Strasburg, left his station with two men to search for a party of three men, who had that morning gone out by my order to learn the whereabouts of a party sent the night before on a reconnaissance. Neither Lieutenant Smith's party nor the preceding one has since been heard from; but as I afterward learned that a party of Mosby's men were in the neighborhood of Round Hill that day, I can only infer that the signal parties were captured..

Lieutenant Caswell was ordered to Martinsburg by the surgeon for medical treatment on the 23d of May. A wagon train coming to our column was attacked, and part of it captured, and some officers and soldiers with it were captured at Newtown about the 1st of June and as Lieutenant Caswell had informed me that he should come out on the first train, and I have been unable to hear anything from him since, I am forced to believe that he started on that train and was captured.

As soon as we return to camp, or communication is again opened, I shall forward to your office a detailed report of our operations. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, FRANKLIN E. TOWN, Capt. and Chief Signal Officer, Dept. of West Virginia. Capt. H. S. TAFFT,

1

Signal Corps, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

No. 4.

Report of Surg. James V. Z. Blaney, U. S. Army.

MARTINSBURG, VA., May 17, 1864.

General Sigel had an engagement near Mount Jackson on the 15th; about 600 killed and wounded, All dead and most of badly wounded.

left in hands of enemy. Lieutenant-Colonel Lincoln, Thirty-fourth Massachusetts, wounded in the shoulder and captured. One hundred and seventy-one brought back to Middletown, four miles this side of Strasburg, and will probably arrive here to-morrow. A number of wounded left at Mount Jackson, in charge of Assistant Surgeon Allen, Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry, with supplies. Harper's Ferry bridge gone. Supplies here, at Cumberland, and in field, sufficient until bridge is repaired. Will be ready for wounded on arrival here. JAS. V. Z. BLANEY, Surgeon, U. S. Army.

Col. JOSEPH K. BARNES,

Acting Surgeon-General.

No. 5.

Report of Col. Augustus Moor, Twenty-eighth Ohio Infantry, commanding First Brigade, First Infantry Division, of operations May 14-17.

HDQRS. 1ST BRIG., 1ST INFTY. DIV., DEPT. OF W. VA.,

Camp near Cedar Creek, Va., May 21, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith the following report of the part the forces under my command took in the campaign up the Valley:

In compliance with orders from Brigadier-General Sullivan, in the forenoon of the 14th instant, and instructions from Major-General Stahel to take command of three regiments of infantry, 1,000 cavalry, and six pieces of artillery, and march to Mount Jackson to ascertain and feel the position and strength of the rebels under Imboden, reported to be on Rude's Hill, I left camp near Woodstock at 11 a. m. with the First Virginia and Thirty-fourth Massachusetts Regiments of Infantry, and two sections of Battery B, Maryland Artillery. Colonel Wynkoop soon after coming up with 300 cavalry and one section of horse artillery, I ordered the colonel to move forward to Mount Jackson, informing him that Major Quinn, First New York, with 600 cavalry, was already in his front, to take a good position and to reconnoiter until the infantry arrived. At Edenburg I added the One hundred and twenty-third Ohio Regiment to my command. At 3 o'clock p. m. Colonel Wynkoop reported heavy firing in his front; at the same time occasional cannon shots could be heard. I ordered Colonel Wynkoop forward to the support of Major Quinn, who was up with the rebels, the infantry and artillery moving close up with the cavalry, Major Quinn driving the enemy's skirmishers steadily. Colonel Wynkoop's command relieved a portion of the forces under Major Quinn as directed, our skirmishers occupying a part of the town of New Market, and the infantry column being now up I selected a position and ordered the artillery to open. Imboden soon answered furiously with his battery. This engagement discovered to me the location of the rebel forces. After dark I turned my line of battle more to the front through Imboden's evacuated camp near the Shenandoah River, across to Smith's Creek, on my left. The command was ordered to rest in perfect order of battle without fires. At about 8 p. m. a line of rebels approached across an open field on my right front with the evident

purpose to turn the position I had occupied before sunset. I instructed Major Stephens, commanding First West Virginia Regiment, to allow the rebels to come near enough and give them a volley, which order was well executed. About two hours later my whole front was attacked and for a few minutes the firing became general. The rebels, however, had to retreat in confusion, losing 5 killed and many more wounded. No further annoyance occurred that night.

At 3 o'clock in the morning the word "attention" was passed along the lines. Scouts and patrols sent forward, who soon reported that Imboden had retreated about midnight. I sent a cavalry force forward on both roads to reconnoiter and ascertain the direction the rebels had taken. The officer in command of one party returned a little after 7 o'clock, and reported that he met the rebels four miles south of New Market advancing again, Breckinridge having joined Imboden, which report was corroborated by the citizens and by pickets stationed on the hill-tops, and not long after by their long lines deploying about two miles to my right and front. A heavy column of rebels moving directly for my position, then about one mile distant, I ordered Lieutenant Gerry, Battery B, Maryland Artillery, to open on them. A few well-directed shots checked the advance of that column. Major-General Stahel, having now arrived with his cavalry, assumed the command. After some maneuvering, Major-General Sigel arrived also. I was now ordered to fall back some 800 yards to the rear of my first position, and to form the One hundred and twenty-third Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry and Eighteenth Connecticut on the right of a battery. The Eighteenth Connecticut was hardly in line when the rebels heralded their advance by their peculiar yell, and advanced in two strong lines, by far overlapping our own. Our skirmishers were driven in, and after a short but resolute struggle this line was forced to the rear, which created some confusion in the Eighteenth Connecticut Regiment, owing to knee-deep mud, fences, out-houses, and stables close to their rear, and the insufficient number of officers to control the movements. I was ordered to bring up the two other regiments of my brigade to the support of a battery on the left in the rear, forming a third line. After some inquiry where these regiments could be. found, I learned that five companies of the Twenty-eighth and the One hundred and sixteenth Regiments Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under the command of Colonel Washburn, were in charge of the train, and did not leave Woodstock until 8 a. m. They had been halted at Mount Jackson, six miles in our rear. I sent my staff officers to order them up double-quick. They reported to me about 4 o'clock, Colonel Washburn stating that he had ordered bayonets to be fixed to clear his way on the pike up to the battle-field through disgraceful fleeing masses of cavalry and straggling infantry. Directed by Brigadier-General Sullivan, I formed these troops on the right and left of a battery on the pike, covering the retreat of the line of the Second Brigade. The battle being now gradually broken off, the withdrawn troops were ordered to march to Mount Jackson and take position on the banks across the bridge. Colonel Washburn, with five companies of the One hundred and sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, one section of artillery, and some cavalry, brought up the rear in good order with little molestation from the enemy. At 9 o'clock I received orders to move my brigade to Edenburg. The brigade was marched to a point three miles north of

Edenburg, marching until 4 o'clock next morning. The manner in which this chaotic mass of wagons, horsemen, artillery, and stragglers moved on (sometimes two or three wagons abreast), was exceedingly fatiguing to the infantry, especially to those regiments that marched out with me on the 14th, they having been continually on their legs for two days and nights without a cup of coffee or even meat rations, numbers of them barefooted..

At 11 a. m. on the 16th I was ordered to march with my brigade to the rear. Arrived and encamped at 9 p. m. on the heights south

of Cedar Creek.

On the 17th I was ordered to move with my brigade to the north side of the creek.

With few exceptions, both officers and men strove to do their duty, i and bore up well against the many hardships and the inclemency of the weather during these days of active operations.

Inclosed please find list of casualties* First Brigade, First Infantry' Division, Department of West Virginia, during the engagements up the Valley.

Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

Capt. WILLIAM M. BOONE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

A. MOOR, Colonel, Commanding.

No. 6.

Report of Maj. Henry Peale, Eighteenth Connecticut Infantry:

HDQRS. EIGHTEENTH CONNECTICUT VOL. INFTY.,

Camp near Strasburg, Va., May 21, 1864.: SIR: I have the honor to represent that at 3 o'clock in the morning of May 15 the Eighteenth Connecticut Volunteers, then on picket one mile south of Edenburg, Va., and six miles in advance of the main army, under Sigel, received orders to proceed without delay to New Market, Va., at which place a cavalry fight had occurred the previous day, and which was then held by our cavalry and a small body of infantry, who were seriously threatened by the enemy. The regiment consisted of seven companies (Companies F, I, and H having been detailed under Capt. J. H. Morrison, Company I at signal station), marched without breakfast and in a drenching storm, reaching our advance force about 11 a. m. The distance thus traveled was fifteen miles. At the moment of our arrival the artillery designed to discover the position and designs of the enemy commenced operations. The regiment was ordered to assist in the support of Kleiser's battery. The position of our forces was on a hill northwest of New Market, and distant from the town half a mile. The enemy soon replied to our batteries from a wooded eminence three-fourths of a mile south and slightly commanding our position. After an hour's cannonading, the regiment was ordered to advance and, with the One hundred and twenty-third Ohio Volunteers and First Virginia Regiment in support of Snow's mounted *Nominal list (omitted) shows 1 officer and 7 men killed, and 6 officers and 140 men wounded; total, 154.

6 R R-VOL XXXVII, PT I

battery, formed line immediately upon the brow of the hill, the Eighteenth constituting the right. We here awaited the approach of the enemy, whose skirmishers, in double line, could be seen issuing from the woods covering his position. The artillery duel still continued with considerable vigor, and the enemy shelled our line with great accuracy, although without the infliction of any considerable damage. Companies A and B were immediately deployed and descended the hill. Severe skirmishing shortly ensued, our companies retiring very slowly. At this time Capt. William L. Spalding, Company B, was mortally wounded in abdomen and carried to rear. The enemy in three strong lines now issued from the woods and charged down the hill at double-quick, his skirmishers also increasing their speed, and driving ours more rapidly. It was at this time decided that a small knoll some 200 yards to the rear would afford a better position, thereby inflicting greater damage upon the enemy, who would be forced to pass over an eighth of a mile of nearly level ground before reaching our lines. The line accordingly marched in retreat. The new position of the regiment was most unfortunate for its efficiency, being in a lane backed by barns and two rows of fences. A continuous rain of five days had rendered traveling on other than the roads extremely difficult, and the men stood knee-deep in mud. As the lane was entered by the flank, so nothing but a flank movement could extricate the regiment in order. Companies A and B were now strengthened by Company D, leaving only four companies in line, in all somewhat less than 200 men.

The skirmishers of the enemy now appeared on the brow of the hill and rapid firing ensued, in which Captain Mathewson, Company D, was wounded, as also several of his company. As our skirmishers retired around our flank the line fired several volleys, when, it being apparent that the line of the enemy greatly outnumbered our own, and that farther stay in that position was worse than useless, the commander of regiment on left of the brigade gave the order to retreat, which movement was followed by the Eighteenth. The regiment marched by the flank at double-quick. On emerging from the lane found itself some distance in rear of the retreating line, and was thereby thrown into some confusion, but with some exceptions the men were rallied, and were reformed with the rest of the first line in rear of the second line, which now awaited the shock. The cannonading was at this time extremely rapid, the rebels shelling our position with great accuracy, while the batteries of our first and second lines poured grape and canister into their infantry, which came on in splendid line. As they drew near our second line fired and charged, partially checking their advance, but having suffered severely was forced to retire. For the same reason the enemy contented himself with sending forward strong lines of skirmishers to harass our now retreating force, himself advancing very slowly. Desultory fighting was continued for three hours by our first and second lines alternately, when, two fresh regiments arriving, the broken forces were assembled in rear of them and marched on the pike to the north bank of the Shenandoah, from whence it continued its march until within two miles of Woodstock, where it halted at 5 a. m., having marched nearly thirty miles in twenty-six hours, in addition to that incidental to its participation in the action.

The whole number engaged in the action was somewhat less

than 350.