chased them a couple of miles, killed eight of them, and captured seventeen horses. Returning from the skirmish, they were in turn attacked by the enemy, re-enforced to seventy-five men, and driven

to a kind of island in the neighborhood of the mouth of Patterson's Creek, where they made a stand and fought till dusk, killing and wounding a large number, when they escaped with the loss of one man, John Hollinbeck, Company B, killed and Corporal David Hayes, Company A, wounded. The bodies of twenty-three rebels were laid out on the porch of a farm house near the scene of the last engagement. Eight dead bodies (rebels) were left on the railroad track, where the first encounter took place. Hayes in doing well. His hurts are a saber cut on the head and two bullet wounds on the body.

I would simply say of this skirmish, that it was one of the boldest, most desperate, and fortunate on record, abounding with instances on the part of my scouts of rarest coolness, skill, and courage. What makes it most singular is that, for a considerable portion of the time, it was a hand to-hand fight, carried on with pistol, saber, bayonet and first. One man, Louis Farley, killed six rebels; another (Grover) killed three; David Hayes, the wounded corporal, killed two, and received all his wounds while in hot pursuit at the very tails of the rebels' horses. Among the dead of the enemy are a Captain Blue and two lieutenants.

Hollibeck, the only man of mine killed, was severely wounded, then taken prisoner, and then brutally murdered by his captors.

All my men bear marks of the contest; some in bruises and cuts, others in bullet-holes through their clothes and equipments.

Very respectfully,

LEW. WALLACE,

Colonel Eleventh Regiment Indiana.

Major General PATTERSON.

JUNE 27, 1861.- Attack on Mathias Point, Va.

REPORTS.

Numbers 1. - Brigadier General T. H. Holmes, C. S. Army.

Numbers 2. - Colonel Daniel Ruggles, C. S. Army.

Numbers 3. - Major Ro. M. Mayo, C. S. Army.

Numbers 1. Report of Brigadier General T. H. Holmes, C. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS, BROOKE'S STATION, VA., June 28, 1861

GENERAL: Herewith you will please find the report of Colonel Ruggles of an affair at Mathias Point. There are now there fifteen companies of volunteers, and I have ordered a section of Walker's battery to re-enforce them. This force I think sufficient to prevent a landing for the purpose of holding the point. If it be your design to erect a battery there to command the river, I think instructions to that effect should be given immediately, and another regiment ordered to report to me for its defense after construction.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
T. H. HOLMES,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

General R. E. LEE, Commanding.