pursuit and already very near the depot. The danger at that moment of an attack on our shipping, railroad, & c., seemed imminent. I had received a telegram from General Marcy informing me of the attack on Royall. I learned the fact at the same time from my own scouts. Before I could make proper reply to General Marcy the rebels had cut the connection of the wires at Tunstalls. The force here was very small, not exceeding 600 men of all arms. I could only act on the defensive. I assumed, however, that the commanding general would send back an overpowering force from Dispatch Station, which was promptly done. With your timely advice and assistance, rendered in person, I imme- diately ordered out all of Harlans cavalry, except the company just returned, with orders to occupy and reconnoiter the rail and wagon roads toward Tunstalls and to give notice of the approach of the enemy, which service Colonel Harlan directed in person in a prompt and vigorous manner. Wilsons battery, First New York Artillery, of 3-inch guns, was posted on the plain, so as to command the roads by which the enemy would make his appearance. Colonel Butler, with a portion of his regiment, the Ninety-third New York, and Captain Hildt, with two companies of the Third Regular Infantry, were posted in rear to protect the battery or skirmish forward in pursuit. The hospital convalescents, some 250, and some returning guards, employ6s, and citizens cheerfully and readily volunteered their serv- ices, and were armed and kept posted near the hospital and shipping to defend the depot from violence. All the officers and persons present behaved with great merit, and I doubt not would have gallantly de- fended the place in case of an attack. In addition to those arrangements I called upon the gunboats under command of Captain Murray, who responded promptly. placing the boats in position off the depot to sweep the plain of any hostile force. To aid in this a signal officer was posted on the top of the White House, to give timely and proper signals to direct the fire of the boats. These dispositions being made, there remained nothing further during the darkness of the night but to wait. You have since learned the ronte pursued by the enemy; that he burned two Government schooners and some wagous at Garlicks Landing, killing 2 or 3 men, making some prisoners, and dispersing the balance; that he fired on a down- train at Tunstalls, killing 2 men, wounding 8, and making some more prisoners, but doing little or no damage to railroad or telegraph; that Generals Reynolds and Emory soon came up with a large force, gave pursuit, and followed the enemy to the Chickahominy, where farther pursuit was abandoned. So far as this depot was directly concerned it lost the two schooners and some forageamount unkno~vnand in all not to exceed 75 wagons. There were more trains lost, probably, but they were in possession of brigade qu~termastcrs, serving with the army in front. We are daily recovering wagons and animals which the rebels were unable to carry away. One man of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry was taken prisoner when he was sent in to Garlicks to assist in the arrest of the miller. There were no other casualties of which I am informed. With a depot stretching from Cumberland to this point, with three hundred ships crowded into so small a river, containing all our sup- plies, a much larger force would seem necessary to its protection. I have not been pressing for troops, because I hoped we could defend