APRIL 17, 1862.-Capture of Union refugees near Woodson's Gap, Tenn.

LIST OF REPORTS

No. 1.-Major General E. Kirby Smith, C. S. Army, with instructions in reference to enlistment of Union refugees.

No. 2.-Captain H. M. Ashby, Company C, Fourth Battalion Tennessee Cavalry.

Numbers 1 Report of Major General E. Kirby Smith, C. S. Army, with instructions in reference to enlistment of Union refugees.

HDQRS. DEPT. E. TENN., Knoxville, Tenn,. April 18, 1862.

A body of 700 Union men en route for Kentucky were attacked to-day [yesterday] by Captain Ashby above Fincastle. After a short battle 400 were taken prisoners, whom I will send south tomorrow.

Where shall they go? General Carter claims by a flag of truce a like party captured some weeks since to be Federal troops.

E. KIRBY SMITH,
Major-General, Commanding.

General S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General.

KNOXVILLE, TENN., April 23, 1862.

SIR: On the 17th instant 475 Union men of East Tennessee were captured en route for Kentucky, and sent, by Major-General Smith's order, on the 20th instant, to Milledgeville, Ga. Some of them expressed a wish before leaving to enlist in the Confederate States Army. They were not permitted to do so, because of the apprehension that they might [not] be faithful here to their oath of allegiance. Elsewhere they may make good soldiers. Remembering your request, the major-general commanding directs me to say that you have whatever authority he can give you to proceed to Milledgeville, Ga., and enlist as many of them as consent for service in South Carolina, or elsewhere except in East Tennessee.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. L. CLAY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

First Lieutenant JULIUS M. RHETT.

No. 2 Report of Captain H. M. Ashby, Company C, Fourth Battalion Tennessee Cavalry.

KNOXVILLE, TENN., April 26, 1862.

SIR: According to your order of the 16th I left Knoxville at 4 p. m., with about 40 men from my company and the same number of Captain Bradley's, and proceeded to Clinton, where I was joined by 40 men of Captain Gillespie's company, under Lieutenant King. I marched all night, reaching Jacksborough about sunrise next morning.

Five miles above Jacksborough, at Big Creek Gap, I left Captain Bradley, with his command, to reconnoiter the country between that point and Fincastle, 5 miles above Big Creek Gap, there to await fur-