In this engagement I lost four pieces of artillery, only three of which were serviceable, one being dismounted the day before. The pieces were lost on account of the miserable condition of the horses. This battery (the Baltimore Battery) had just been newly equipped for the field. The officers and men did all they could to save the pieces after their horses gave out, unlimbering and firing until the enemy reached them. Each piece was lost singly. In the engagement I had but 800 effective men, and was opposed by a division in my front and a brigade on my left (see Sheridan's official report). The officers and men cannot be blamed for giving way when charged in such heavy force, having no arms to resist a charge mounted, not a saber or pistol being in the command. My command being at one time twenty-seven miles from any infantry support, without proper arms or discipline, will explain in a measure why the rout was so complete. On the 18th instant my command, with the exception of McCausland's brigade, was ordered to Front Royal, to co-operate with the forces moving on the turnpike and to advance to Newtown or Winchester, as circumstances would admit (see accompanying order, marked D).* I found the enemy in small force at Guard Hill; they retired rapidly in the direction of Cedarville. On reaching the latter place I waited to communicate with the lieutenant-general commanding at Middletown. Not being able to hear from him, and judging from the firing that the enemy were being driven, I advanced on the Winchester road, intending to strike the pike near Kernstown, in the enemy's rear. On reaching a point six miles from Winchester it was evident from the firing that our forces were retiring and that the firing was above Newtown. I moved toward the latter place, hoping to strike the flank of the enemy while engaged with our forces. On reaching a point one mile from Newtown I was informed by scouts and citizens that our troops were being rapidly driven back and were at that time beyond Middletown. I then endeavored to strike the pike at Middletown, but found it occupied by the enemy in force. Having been unable to communicate with General Early through the day, and it being evident from the reports of stragglers and citizens that our troops had been driven back rapidly and to Strasburg, I decided to cross the river at Buckton Station and communicate from that point with General Early. I was unable to communicate from that point, our forces having fallen back beyond Fisher's Hill. My train being at Front Royal I moved to that place and awaited orders, which I received (see accompanying order marked *) at daylight on the morning of the 20th, and moved my command to Milford. I met but a small force of the enemy-one brigade of cavalry, with two pieces of artillery. In conclusion, I will state that this division has been wanting in organization, in discipline, and arms; that it is composed of good material. The senior officers are generally willing and equal to perform the duties required, and by proper instruction and attention will be able to make their commands equal to others who have had the benefit of longer service. Maj. H. B. MCCLELLAN, Adjutant-General Cavalry Corps. L. L. LOMAX, Mojor-General, C. S. Cavalry. * Not found. CAMP NEAR MILFORD, November 13, 1861. CAPTAIN: I reached this point with my command about 11 a. m. I inclose a report of the engagement of McCausland's brigade.* I trust his loss in prisoners is overestimated; the prisoners are coming rapidly. He had three regiments dismounted and the enemy charged in an open field. The general states that Merritt came in on the Newtown and Nineveh roads, and until then he had been successful. The ground shows evidence of a hard fight. My advance reached Cedarville about half an hour after the enemy left. I had not heard of the enemy being so low down on that road until after I passed through Cedarville. Respectfully, Capt. W. K. MARTIN, Assistant Adjutant-General. L. L. LOMAX. No. 187. Report of Brig. Gen. John McCausland, C. S. Army, commanding brigade, of operations November 12. HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY BRIGADE, November 13, 1864. CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following brief report of the engagement on yesterday between my brigade and the cavalry of the enemy: As you are aware I was left at Cedarville to guard the Winchester and Front Royal pike, and also the Cedarville and Middletown road. About 11 a. m. November 12 scouts reported the enemy advancing. I at once formed my command across the road, and put the two pieces of artillery under Captain Lurty in position so as to command the road. Soon the enemy drove in the pickets and advanced, They were soon checked and were afterward driven back. They formed and attacked the second time and were repulsed. I then advanced and drove Powell's division two miles, when he was re-enforced by a command supposed to be a division. They advanced, charged, broke my lines, and drove me to Front Royal, capturing the artillery and about 100 prisoners. I lost 10 killed and about 60 wounded. Owing to the absence of many officers I cannot state exactly the number of men killed, wounded, and missing, and the above may be considered as the nearest approximation that can now be made. I made the best fight that could be made with the same number of men, and I considered it absolutely necessary to fight on account of the great danger that would have resulted had I fallen back to Guard Hill, and thereby exposed the whole Valley pike at Middletown to the enemy. We have to regret the loss of many brave men and officers. Capt. C. I. Harvie, assistant adjutant and inspector general, mortally wounded; Lieut. Col. J. T. Radford, mortally wounded; Lieut. Col. J. A. Gibson, wounded and left near Cedarville; several lieutenants also wounded. The men and officers behaved with great gallantry. The fight lasted from 12 m. to 3.30 p. in. I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Capt. W. K. MARTIN, Assistant Adjutant-General. Brigadier-General. *See next, post. No. 188. Report of Col. Edwin G. Lee, Thirty-third Virginia Infantry, of operations September 28. AFTON, September 29, 1864. We whipped the enemy handsomely yesterday evening. Wickham's cavalry joined with my little command. We drove the enemy way beyond Waynesborough. If I have been promoted please send the official evidence of it to Waynesborough. General KEMPER. E. G. LEE, Colonel, Commanding. AUGUST 9-OCTOBER 14, 1864.-Mosby's operations. REPORTS. No. 1.-Capt. Richard Blazer, Ninety-first Ohio Infantry, commanding Independent Scouts, of operations August 18-October 25. No. 2.-Col. Henry S. Gansevoort, Thirteenth New York Cavalry, of operations September 8-15, September 24, and October 14. No. 3.-Record of Board of Inquiry to investigate attack on Union supply train August 13. No. 4.-General Robert E. Lee, C. S. Army, of operations August 13, October 4 and 14. No. 5.-Lieut. Col. John S. Mosby, Forty-third Virginia Cavalry Battalion. No. 1. Reports of Capt. Richard Blazer, Ninety-first Ohio Infantry, commanding Independent Scouts, of operations August 18-October 24. MYERS' FORD, VA., September 4, 1864. SIR: I came upon Mosby's guerrillas, 200 strong, at this place, and after a sharp fight of thirty minutes we succeeded in routing him, driv-ing them three miles, over fences and through corn-fields. They fought with a will, but the seven-shooters proved too much for them. My loss is 1 killed and 4 wounded, 1 severely; his is, 1 commissioned officer and 6 privates killed, and 1 commissioned officer and 4 privates wounded. I have 6 prisoners; the circumstances are such that I am compelled to send them in. I have my wounded and entire command over the river. I will move to Charlestown to night. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Captain BIER, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS INDEPENDENT SCOUTS, SIR: I have the honor of submitting the following report of the operations of my command since the 18th of August: On the 18th, learning that a party of Mosby's guerrillas were in the vicinity of Myerstown, I proceeded to that place and overtook them near the Shenandoah River, and after a chase of three miles I drove them across the river, capturing one prisoner. The army having fallen back to Halltown, on the 25th, according to your orders, 1 went into Loudoun County, and after operating for several days I killed five of Mosby's gang and captured three prisoners. The army having again advanced to Berryville, ou the night of the 3d of September I learned that Mosby with a considerable force was at Snickersville. Early on the morning of the 4th I crossed the river at Backus' Ford and moved up the river to where I could get up the mountain through the woods. I struck the pike east of the top of the mountain and moved on their camp. Finding that he had left during the night in the direction of Charlestown, I determined to follow. I recrossed the mountain through Lewis' Gap, and by a forced march I overtook them about 2 p. m. at Myers' Ford, and after a spirited fight of several minutes I completely routed them, with a loss on his part of 13 killed, 6 wounded, 5 prisoners, and 17 horses; my loss was 1 killed and 6 wounded. Since that I have had several small affairs with them, in which I have always defeated them, except twice. On the 20th Lieutenant Ewing with five men was attacked on the Berryville pike near the Opequon by a superior force and was all captured except himself. On the 23d Sergeant Fuller, of the Fifth Virginia Infantry, with ten men was attacked near Summit Point by fifty or sixty guerrillas; he fought them until he was overpowered and four of his men were killed, one wounded, and the rest all captured but three, who made their escape. Having learned that a man by the name of Marshall was recruiting a company in the vicinity of Ashby's Gap, and that they were to organize on the 25th, I proceeded to their reported rendezvous near White Post, and completely surprised them, getting Marshall and four of his men, and capturing all his papers. In another affair below Front Royal I left eight of his murderers to keep company with some that [were] left by General Custer; these, with a number of others that I have picked up through the country, make an aggregate in killed, 44; wounded, 12; and prisoners, including 2 captured in the advance to Cedar Creek the first time, 12. My entire loss is 5 men killed, 7 wounded, and 8 prisoners. R. BLAZER, Captain, Commanding Independent Scouts. ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL, ARMY OF WEST VIRGINIA. No. 2. Reports of Col. Henry S. Gansevoort, Thirteenth New York Cavalry, of operations September 8-15, September 24, and October 14. HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH NEW YORK CAVALRY, Near Falls Church, Va., September 15, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to report that according to orders from headquarters cavalry brigade a portion of the regiment, numbering 210 dismounted and 63 mounted men, including the brigade scouts, moved, under my command, on scout on the night of the 8th of September, 1864. The column crossed Fox's Ford, on Difficult Run, on the morning of the 9th of September after a march of thirteen miles, in which vicinity it encamped. At night-fall of the 9th of September it moved twelve miles to the vicinity of Coleman's, near Horse-Pen Run, and during the night of the 10th of September bivouacked, after a march of five miles, on the road to Good Hope Church, near Broad Run, its farther progress being delayed by a severe storm. On the night of the 11th of September the column encamped beyond Red Hill, after a march of ten miles, and reached one mile and a half of Aldie, at a covered point at the intersection of the Aldie pike and the Carolina road, on the night of the 12th of September. Here the command was concealed, and at daybreak of the 13th of September the town was entered by the mounted men, the roads in the vicinity having been ambuscaded dur ing a portion of the night. Nothing was, however, accomplished. Information having been gained that Mosby, with a force, had gone down the Aldie pike the night of, but before, the arrival of the column at Aldie it was deemed best to move after him. The column. reached Chantilly after a march of sixteen miles, and eucamped on the night of the 14th, ambuscading all the roads in the vicinity. On the morning of the 15th of September it resumed its march toward Fairfax, all indications and reports of scouts kept on the Centerville road and roads to left of the turnpike tending to show that Mosby, with a large force, but in divided parties, was on the left of the turnpike and between Vienna and Frying Pan. The scouts were driven from Flint Hill, but those at Fairfax reported that Mosby had been seen to pass through the Court-House toward Centerville a short time previous with two men. I dispatched five men to the Centerville road, about three miles distant, to intercept the party, fearing that more men might fail of an approach. Near Germantown three of this number returned and reported a fight with Mosby, in which two of the men had lost their horses and had taken to the woods, and that large parties of guerrillas were now on the right. On the return of the other men it was definitely :scertained that Mosby, or a person resembling him, had been wounded and had escaped. Mosby had certainly been in vicinity of Fairfax just previous to the action and had gone toward Centerville. People on the road had seen him, and from the description of his person and recognition of his picture by parties engaged, there seems to be some color for the report that he was in the action and was wounded, as he or the person in question was seen before riding off to throw up his hands and give signs of pain. This could be observed, as the action was at very close quarters. I dispatched a squadron to the scene shortly after and moved to Fairfax Court-House, sending a party of thirty dismounted men through Vienna to Lewinsville. The regiment reached camp at Falls Church after a march that day of fifteen miles from Chantilly. During this scout the weather was almost constantly rainy, and violent storms prevented speedy movement which would perhaps have brought the column to Aldie in time for some success, and prevented a movement toward Middleburg and Rector's Cross-Roads, as intended. After the third day the men and horses subsisted on the country as directed. Twelve horses were taken from suspected rebel citizens, and all suspected houses searched on the line of march. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. S. GANSEVOORT, Colonel Thirteenth New York Cavalry. Lieut. E. Y. LANSING, |