the country in that vicinity, so as to prevent the escape of any retreating or straggling rebels. This duty Colonel Grider performed well, and detachments of his command came up with and pursued several small bodies of the enemy, which could not be captured, as the fleeing enemy scattered among the hills and brushes. He, however, succeeded in capturing 1 lieutenant and a couple of men, and killed 1 of the enemy, and in a few days he received orders from district headquarters to report to Lexington. In the mean time I had sent him orders to take his command to WEST Liberty, which orders he never received.

After gathering some rations for the command, I left Mount Sterling at 2 a. m. June 14, and moved through Winchester, in the direction of Richmond, and at Kentucky River I divided my force, sending about 300 men, under Major Bierbower, Fortieth Kentucky, to Irvine, Ky., where he arrived at 8 o'clock next morning. The rest of the command I took with met to Richmond, and arrived there at 2 o'clock that nigh. I remained there until 7 a. m. June 15, when I moved on to Irvine, and arrived there at 2 p. m. I heard nothing in Richmond making it proper to send any forces in any other direction. When I arrived at Irvine I drew rations and forage for the men and horses for the first time since we left Paris, having subsisted on the route as the kind people of Carlisle, Mount Sterling, Winchester, and Richmond could hastily prepare for us, and the horses by grazing along the route. The men and horses being very much fatigued, and many of the horses unshod, I determined to rest several days in Irvine, but learning from reliable sources that about 300 rebels under Colonel G, had crossed the Kentucky River near the mouth of Drowning Creek, the day previous to my arrival there, and although he would have about FIFTY miles the start of me by the time I could get ready to march I determined to pursue him with 300 picket men and horses, and to catch him if in the power of horse-flesh and human endurance to do it. At 5 p. m. June 16 I moved with Major Bierbower and 300 men, with three days' rations, and arrived at Booneville, thirty-five miles from Irvine, at 6 o'clock next morning, there grazed the stock, and got more certain information as to his route, and secured the services of Caney Winn and H. A. Smith (citizens of Booneville) as guides. At 5 p. m. June 17 moved up the South Fork of Kentucky River, then up Red Bird, and halted forty-five miles from Booneville at noon the next day, and grazed the horses about four hours. A number of the horses having given out, and many of the men being on foot, I inspected the command and selected 160 of the best horses and moved forward rapidly with them, organizing the remainder and placing them under a commissioned officer, and directing him to move on as rapidly as practicable. We traveled all that night and crossed Pine Mountain about daybreak next morning during a terrible rain, which rendered it almost impassable to men and horses, and landed on Cumberland River, six miles from Mount Pleasant, at 6 o'clock that morning, where I learned that the enemy had left Mount Pleasant about an hour before, moving rapidly to make his escape through Crank's Gap. My horses being broken down, having gotten only eight ears of corn since leaving Irvine, subsisting the rest of the time on bushes, weeds, and a little white clover, I was unable to move farther. Captain --- and the guide Winn volunteered to take a scout of six men and go forward to ascertain further facts, and to know certainly that the enemy had made his escape. In the mean time I had the horses unsaddled and allowed them to browse in the bushes, and the men to refresh themselves with a little much needed sleep. Captain --- went to Mount Pleasant and beyond