interests of the State. I am also constrained to delay the movement of Major Mayo's command, owing to the very critical condition of affairs in this district, rendering it necessary to employ strong pickets to-night, and to commence the erection of breastworks at Mathias Point and near Grimes' house without a moment's delay, and for which purpose detachments are now moving to the ground, until I may be enabled to receive further orders of the general in the case. I have reason to apprehend that the enemy may return, strongly re-enforced, before morning.

I have the gratification of being able to bear testimony as to the excellent tone which has been exhibited by this command to-day and the zeal with which officers and men have participated in the stirring scenes through which we have passed.

In conclusion, I feel constrained to express the opinion, in which all the field officers concur, that without this command, cannot hold this important position, and prevent the enemy from effecting a substantial lodgment, and strike an irretrievable blow against the interest and material defenses of the State.

I have to request that this communication may be forwarded to the War Department of the Confederate Government as my report of the events of the day.

I am happy to state that no casualties have occurred to our forces.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DANIEL RUGGLES,

Colonel, Provisional Army.

Lieutenant H. H. WALKER,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Hdqrs. Dept. of Fredericksburg, Brooke's Station, Va.

Numbers 3. Report of Major Ro. M. Mayo, C. S. Forces.

MATHIAS POINT, VA., June 28, 1861.

SIR: I have the honor of communicating to you the action of my command yesterday. About 3 o'clock I received a communication, from Colonel Brockenbrough that the enemy were landing at the Point, and that he wished my co-operation. The distance from my camp to the Point is about three miles. I immediately put my command, consisting of one cavalry and three infantry companies, motion. On arriving near the Point I found Colonel Claybrook with several companies in reserve. Being confident that I was better acquainted with the topography of this Point than almost any officer in this district, I determined, without waiting further orders, to take my command through the woods in an entirely different direction from that followed by Colonel Brockenbrough and yourself. Having heard from Colonel Brockenbrough's pickets that they thought the enemy were erecting a battery in the pines on the end of the Point, I took ten men from Captain Gouldin's company, and, halting the rest of my forces, went into the bushes with them to ascertain the correctness of the report. Having progressed some distance into the pines, and on the immediate brink of the river, where we could see a steamer and a sail vessel about three or four hundred yards from the shore, I found that my skirmishing party was too small to examine properly the ravines and bushes, and, returning to my command, deployed Captain Gouldin's company and Lee's Legion (under