No. 212. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Will. T. Martin,

commanding the Jeff. Davis Legion (Mississippi) and the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, of operations June 25-July 6.

CAMP TOTOPOTOMOY, July 20, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the services rendered by my command in the recent battles and skirmishers near Richmond from the 25th ultimo to the 6th instant:

The force under my command consisted of the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, Captain Chamberlayne commanding, and the Jeff. Davis Legion of Cavalry.

On the 25th ultimo I had a line of pickets from Wooding's shop, on the Ashland road, along that road to Ashland, and thence toward Hanover Court-House to the residence of Colonel Wickham. In the afternoon of this day, after General Jackson's advance guard had reached the neighborhood of Ashland a company of the Eighth Illinois Cavalry drove in my vedettes from the point where the Ashcake road crosses the Telegraph road. I ordered Lieutenant Smith, of the Black Horse Company, Fourth Virginia Cavalry, with 17 men, to drive the enemy back. He charged at once, and the enemy fled, leaving 2 horses on the road dead, carrying off 1 man killed and 1 wounded. Lieutenant Smith had 2 men wounded in the charge - Private Crump, arm broken; Private Robertson, wounded slightly. The telegraph wire which had been cut was immediately restored.

Thursday, 26th ultimo, moved with the cavalry brigade to the neighborhood of Pole Green Church and bivouacked.

Friday, 27th ultimo, the brigade moved toward Old Church. By command of the general I sent forward to clear the road Company F (Georgia Huzzars), Captain Waring, of the Legion. The pickets of the enemy were discovered at a point 2 miles from Old Church; were charged, and Lieutenant Waldhauer and Private Howell Munn succeeded in overtaking two of the Lancers, and killed 1 man wounded the other, who was subsequently captured. A piece of the Horse Artillery was advanced, under Captain Pelham, and fired in the direction of the church. Subsequently that his firing put to flight a force of 1,000 or 1,500 of the enemy's cavalry in this vicinity. My command being in front, the Jeff. Davis Legion on the right, the brigade advanced toward Cold Harbor. Captain Avery,during the forenoon, was detached to advance on a line with the infantry skirmishers to the left of our line of battle, which had been pushing forward since an early hour in the morning. Heavy firing was heard in front and to our right the morning.

About 1 p.m. we reached the immediate vicinity of the battle which was raging near Cold Harbor. My column was advanced and placed in position to charge the infantry of the enemy if it should make any attempt to flank our infantry or should break through it. I left, by order to the general, to post a squadron on picket on the Old Church road, to our left, leaving Major Stone in command. Shortly before I returned I learn[ed] that a brisk cannonade began in front of the column, and that it was rapid and well directed.

Private C. Warwick, Company I, Fourth Virginia Cavalry, was killed by a shell, and Captain Williams, of the same regiment, wounded in the hand by a fragment of shell.

Later in the day, after my return, the column was again exposed to a very heavy fire from a battery of field pieces in front, and the command