cumstances of your situation, to state that to my personal knowledge you sent one that came to you with information in reference to the designs or operation of the enemy in turning our left flank to communicate the same to Lieutenant-Colonel Pegram the day before the battle, and I heard you offer to communicate to him all the information you had in reference to the camp and its surroundings, referring him to me in person as having a partially-prepared map of it, and he did not avail himself but to a very limited extent of the large fund of information you had with diligence collected in reference to your position and the movements said, to report himself and command to you, he at once arrogantly demanded the command of the post because of his superiority in rank before asking for it or you had refused to give it to him; and after you had expressed a willingness to give it up to him if you could be assured that such was the desire of General Garnett, and afterwards by his arbitrary and selfish direction of affairs, in the opinion of many concerned and engaged, brought about the disasters that attended and followed the battle of Rich Mountain, and led to the surrender of 600 brave men to the enemy.

My report has been delayed by pressing engagements in the army and sickness to this late day.

Most respectfully submitted.

JED. HOTCHKISS,

Topographical Engineer at Camp Garnett.

Lieutenant Colonel J. M. HECK, Commanding Post.

Numbers 23. Report of Lieutenant Colonel John Pegram, C. S. Army, of the engagement at Rich Mountain and the surrender of his forces.

BEVERLY, VA., July 14, 1861.

Not knowing where a communication will find General Garnett, I have the honor to submit the following report of the fight at Rich Mountain, which occurred on the 11th instant:

The battle-field was immediately around the house of one Hart, situated at the highest point of the turnpike over the mountain and two miles in rear of my main line of trenches, the latter being at the foot of the western slope of the mountain.

The intricacies of the surrounding country seemed scarcely to demand the placing of any force at Hart's, yet I had that morning placed Captain De Lagnel, of the Confederate artillery, with five companies of infantry and one piece of artillery, numbering gin all about three hundred and ten men, with instructions to defend it to the last extremity against whatever force might be brought to the attack by the enemy, but also to give me timely notice of his ed for re-enforcements. These orders had not been given two hours before General Rosecrans, who had been conducted up a distant ridge on my left flank and then along the top of the mountain by a man, attacked the small handful of troops under Captain De Lagnel with three thousand men. When from my camp I heard the firing becoming very rapid, without waiting to hear from Captain De Lagner, I ordered up re-enforcements, and hurried on myself to the scene of action. When I arrived the piece of artillery was entirely unmanned, Captain De Langel having been severely wounded, after which his men had left their piece. The limber and