gun, I was enabled to open fire unexpectedly upon this regiment, which proved to be the Forty-second New York (or Tammany) Regiment, one of the best, it is said, in the service of the enemy. This force was soon driven in confusion and rapidly toward Berkely. Our skirmishers had captured 3 prisoners of this regiment and killed 3. Pursuit was made as rapidly as the skirmishers could proceed through the woods. The Tammany Regiment, however, was too fleet for us, and reached the main body of McClellan's army, at Berkley, before we could overtake it. I was checked in the pursuit by finding a brigade in line of battle across the road and a gunboat getting into position, and had left only 6 rounds of ammunition for the howitzer and but 300 men. Many abandoned wagons and ambulances, stores destroyed, and wounded left at Haxall's disclosed the confusion the confusion which must have prevailed in the retreating army.

Privates Volney Metcalfe and William Barnard, of Company A, of the Legion, deserve especial notice for their boldness and activity at the landing. We returned at night to our bivouac at Rock's.

Thursday, July 3, moved with the brigade to Phillips', on the road to Westover, and while the Horse Artillery was shelling the woods I was ordered to reconnoiter to the left, and to advance to a point opposite the mouth of Herring Creek, a place called Dr. Wilcox's. I reached this point, and observed that the enemy was massed above the mouth of the creek. A large fleet of sail vessels, sixty or seventy in number, was dropping down the stream. Several ocean steamers followed them, and great activity appeared on the river. Six or seven gunboats were discovered. One of them opened upon us with tolerable precision. I moved the command out of range and reported the facts.

Friday, July 4, my command was on picket during the day on the left of the infantry and occasionally skirmished with the enemy. Captain Henderson's company (B), of the Legion, was deployed as skirmishers in the woods near Evelington Heights, and succeeded in killing three or four of the enemy's skirmishers. With Captain Strother's company I again visited Dr. Wilcox's, first driving off a company of the enemy's cavalry. We killed 1 horse and wounded 1 man. I was compelled by a large infantry force to return to my line of pickets.

Saturday, July 5, was spent in our bivouac.

Saturday [Sunday], July 5, I was relieved of the command of the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, and started on my return to Richmond, reaching camp the next day with the Legion.

Lieutenant Fisher, Company B, with 15 men of the Legion, on his way from camp to join the Legion, then on the Chickahominy, assisted by Lieutenant Yeater and 3 privates Fourth Virginia Cavalry, captured on the --- a company of the Bucktail Regiment, consisting of the captain, 1 lieutenant, and 57 non-commissioned officer and men.

Among the officers of my command, during the eventful period of time covered by the above report, I would mention favorably Major Stone, Captains Avery and Waring, and Lieutenants Waldhauer, Chestnut, and Mosely, of the Legion; Captain Chamberlayne, Strother, Old, and Williams, and Lieutenants Merchant, Smith, and Payne, of the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, and Captain Pelham and Lieutenant Shaw, of the Horse Artillery. It is difficult to make a distinction when officers and men vied with each other in the performance of their duty.

Respectfully submitted.

WILL. T. MARTIN,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Captain NORMAN R. FITZHUGH,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Cavalry Brigade.