cavalry at that point. As I have been unable to hear anything of the cavalry of Ramseur I apprehend a demonstration upon our flanks or some other points in West Virginia. I have sent some good scouts upon that flank, and have requested Major-General Kelley, at Cumberland, to send scouts to Romney and Moorefield. I hardly think the enemy have any business upon your eastern flank at present. I shall be glad to be informed of any news or movements. My pickets are undisturbed at Martinsburg and other points southwest of that place. I have three parties to ascertain as exactly as possible the force of the enemy in the Valley, and gain some indications of his designs. Respectfully, &c., E. WM. W. AVERELL, Brigadier-General. HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, Brig. Gen. W. W. AVERELL, Commanding Cavalry Division: GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs that you report without delay to Brig. Gen. A. T. A. Torbert, chief of cavalry, Middle Military Division. All orders received by you from him will be obeyed and respected accordingly. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAS. W. FORSYTH, Lieutenant-Colonel and Chief of Staff. F. HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, Brig. Gen. W. W. AVERELL, Commanding Cavalry Division : GENERAL: I do not know why you moved your cavalry from Shepherdstown. If there was a necessity it was not known to me, and you have not informed me. Your own scouts report nothing at Martinsburg or for four miles beyond in the direction of Winchester. Report to me at once where you are and why you moved from Shepherdstown. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, P. H. SHERIDAN, G. HEADQUARTERS SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION, Fair Play, Md., August 21, 1864-7.30 a. m. Maj. Gen. P. H. SHERIDAN, Commanding Middle Military Division: GENERAL: I have received your note of 8.30 p. m. yesterday, stating that I had not informed you why my cavalry was moved from Shep herdstown, &c. In reply, I beg leave to state that I sent a report yesterday morning of the movement to you, and that it was made to carry out your desires and in compliance with instructions received from you. There was no necessity in the shape of an enemy, but it was necessary that your orders should be complied with. I received information from you at Martinsburg that General Torbert's cavalry had been compelled to fall back to Summit Point, and directions to fall back to the north side of the Potomac if necessary, covering the crossings. I awaited the necessity, which came in the orders of the chief of cavalry to fall back from Martinsburg to Charlestown, on the way there to proceed to Smithfield, and a few minutes after a repetition of your order to cover the crossings of the Potomac, crossing it if necessary, and again yesterday morning an order from you in which these words occur: In fact, the general rather desires that the enemy should cross; all that he wants is early information of the character and number of the troops that pass over." Now, in order that the enemy might do as you desired, it was necessary that I should cross to this side, where the observations you required could be made. The instructions received from your headquarters since I was ordered to stop at Martinsburg on my way to join you have not involved a chance to fight, but their uniform tenor has been to keep my division from the front, and also to give it some opportunity to remount. The position I now occupy at Fair Play, with my pickets from Cherry Run to Antietam Furnace, satisfies the conditions of your instructions better than any other except Martinsburg, which I was directed to leave, and no other place has been designated in your orders. The reports of my own scouts, to which you refer, conflicted with those received from your headquarters, that 4,000 or 5,000 of the enemy's cavalry were moving in my direction. The remounting of my division is progressing as rapidly as horses can be procured. I have yet over 600 dismounted men. I regret exceedingly that there should be any misunderstanding regarding the position of my division, as my only desire is to do with it the greatest possible good to the cause and render the most assistance to you. Respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. W. AVERELL, H. HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, Brig. Gen. W. W. AVERELL, Commanding Cavalry Division: September 4, 1864-4.20 p. m. GENERAL: General Torbert came back from the Front Royal pike last night; reports that no rebel troops have left the Valley. Last night Kershaw attacked Crook on the Berryville pike about dark, and was handsomely repulsed, some 360 killed, wounded, and prisoners. The enemy's force appear this evening to be concentrated at or about the Berryville ford of the Opequon. I want you to cover the Smithfield road from Bunker Hill, if possible, and to push up the Valley so far as it is prudent. Whenever you have an opportunity attack the enemy. Very respectfully, P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General, Commanding. I. HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, Brevet Major-General AVERELL: Your report and report of signal officer received. I do not want you to let the enemy bluff you or your command, and I want you to distinctly understand this note. I do not advise rashness, but I do desire resolution and actual fighting, with necessary casualties, before you retire. There must now be no backing or filling by you, without a superior force of the enemy actually engaging you. P. H. SHERIDAN, K. SPECIAL ORDERS,} HDQRS. MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, No. I. Bvt. Maj. Gen. W. W. Averell, commanding Second Cavalry Division, Department of West Virginia, is relieved from duty with that command and will at once proceed to Wheeling, W. Va., there to await orders from these headquarters or higher authority. General Averell will only take with him his personal staff. Col. William H. Powell, Second West Virginia Cavalry, is assigned to the command of the Second Cavalry Division, Department of West Virginia, until otherwise ordered. * By command of Major-General Sheridan: C. KINGSBURY, JR., ADDENDA. GENERAL ORDERS,) HDQRS. SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION, No. 22. The brigadier-general commanding congratulates the officers and men of the division upon the brilliant success achieved by their valor at Moorefield on the morning of the 7th instant. A boastful enemy of double your numbers was completely routed, many killed, his artillery captured, with three battle-flags and over 400 prisoners. But with our exultations is mingled a profound grief at the loss of Major Conger, Third West Virginia Cavalry, who found death as he had always wished, in the frout of battle, with heart and hand intent upon the doing of his duty. Brave, steadfast, and modect; when he fell this command lost one of its best soldiers, and his regiment and general a friend. The men who followed him in the charge will never forget his glorious example or that of the gallant Lieutenant Clark, who fell by his side. The thanks of the division are given to Col. W. H. Powell and Major Gibson, commanding brigades, for the irresistible élan with which they led their men against the enemy. The conduct of Captain Kerr, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, the daring with which he penetrated the enemy's lines of battle, taking a battle-flag from a regiment in his dash after the rebel commander, is worthy of our highest admiration; with his horse killed under him and a severe wound in the head, that he escaped death or capture, is due to the devoted heroism of the men who followed him. The steady and rapid advance of the Fourteenth Pennsylvania, Eighth Ohio, First and Third Virginia Cavalry (the Second Virgima being held in reserve), and the brilliant charge of the First New York (Lincoln) Cavalry, repeated the lesson that the enemy cannot stand before our united and determined efforts. By command of Brig. Gen. W. W. Averell: WILL RUMSEY, Assistant Adjutant-General. No. 152. Reports of Brig. Gen. William H. Powell, U. S. Army, commanding Second Division (Army of West Virginia), of operations September 24-October 27 and November 12. HEADQUARTERS SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Front Royal, Va., October 27, 1864. MAJOR: In obedience to Special Orders, No. 37, headquarters Cavalry Corps, Middle Military Division, I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Second Cavalry Division, Department of West Virginia, since the 24th day of September, 1861, at which time, in obedience to Special Orders, No. 41, current series, from headquarters Middle Military Division, I assumed command of the division, composed of two brigades and one four-gun battery (Battery L, Fifth U. S. Artillery, commanded by Lieut. G. V. Weir), the First Brigade consisting of Eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry, commanded by Col. J. M. Schoonmaker, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry; and Second Brigade consisting of the First, Second, and Third West Virginia Cavalry Regiments and First New York (Lincoln) Cavalry Regiment, commanded by Col. H. Capehart, First Regiment West Virginia Cavalry. The entire staff of Brevet Major-General Averell (whom I relieved), with the exception of surgeon-in-chief, Doctor Wynne, surgeon Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, accompanied the general (and are still absent), taking with them the papers, books, &c. (all records of the division), by which I have suffered much inconvenience in furnishing necessary reports. At the time I assumed command of the division the strength present of it was 101 commissioned officers, and 2,186 enlisted men; present and absent, 276 commissioned officers, and 6,950 enlisted men: In obedience to orders from headquarters Middle Military Division I moved the command on the 24th day of September, 1864, at 11 a. m., from the Valley pike across to the Middle road leading through Forest Hill and Broadway to Harrisonburg. My advance met the enemy's pickets one mile north of Forest Hill, drove them beyond Forest Hill a short distance, when the enemy formed line of battle, which, not being very strong, was soon broken and he driven in confusion. From the citizens and prisoners taken at Forest Hill I learned that the force on my front was composed of the commands-cavalry-of Generals Imboden, Johnson, and McCausland. I drove them rapidly before me to within four miles of Harrisonburg. Camped the command three miles south of Broadway. The enemy's loss during the day was 15 killed, 18 prisoners, 14 wagons, and a large amount of ammunition. My loss was one man slightly wounded. September 25, broke camp at 8.30 a. m. Movements detained awaiting return of squadron sent to MajorGeneral Sheridan's headquarters the evening previous to open communication. Found no enemy on the road to Harrisonburg, which point I reached at noon. After a halt of two hours to feed moved out to and beyond Mount Crawford, camping on the north side of the river. September 26, in obedience to orders from headquarters Cavalry Corps, Middle Military Division, moved at daylight across the Valley to Middle River; encountered the enemy's pickets 100 strong; drove them across toward Brown's Gap; thence moved in accordance with orders in the direction of Staunton. On reaching Piedmont I was .overtaken by a staff officer from Brigadier-General Merritt's headquarters, Port Republic, Va., with a request from General M. for my imme diate return to Weyer's Cave, near Brown's Gap, to co-operate with him in the capture of General Early's train. Having received information that the enemy had evacuated Staunton I returned with my command at once, in compliance with General M.'s request; and on my arrival at Weyer's Cave, three miles west of Brown's Gap, ordered my command across the South River, prepared for and immediately attacked the enemy's cavalry, the only force that could be seen at that time. This was driven back with but little delay. The enemy at once pushed forward his infantry and opened his artillery vigorously upon my advance, which, together with the dense forest and underbrush, precluded the possibility of a farther advance of my main line, which was then ordered to fall back to the west side of the river, leaving my skirmish line confronting the enemy's during the night. September 27, at the request of General Merritt I again threw my command across the South River, except the Second Virginia Cavalry, which was ordered into position on the front of my camp, and two squadrons left in camp to guard train, &c. At the moment I was about to order the advance of my line Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry, with one brigade of infantry and one battery, made an attack on the front of my camp, where the Second Virginia Cavalry was formed. The first intimation I had of the whereabouts of Fitzhugh Lee's command was the opening of his artillery, he having crossed the South River about two miles above my camp at the same time that my command crossed at Weyer's Cave to attack. I changed front immediately, ordered train to the rear, changed position of my battery, and opened vigorously on the enemy, who, in his superiority of strength, was driving the Second Virginia Cavalry. His line was soon checked and held until my main body had recrossed the South [River] and formed, when my line advanced and charged the enemy, driving him back rapidly, thereby relieving Brigadier-General Custer (with a small escort), who was on his way from Staunton to take command of my division. In the meantime a heavy column of infantry, cavalry, and artillery moved out from Brown's Gap, and was preparing to attack my left flank and cut off my retreat, which, however, I prevented by falli g back slowly in the direction of Port Republic, keeping my command well in hand for any emergency, being followed up closely by Fitzhugh Lee's command and the main force of the enemy, who crossed the river at the ford near Weyer's Cave. On arriving at North River the main body of my command crossed at the ford one mile above Port Republic, which was covered by a strong skirmish |