and could see nothing of the enemy. Being satisfied that it would be impossible to overtaken them, even if our horses had been fresh, and there being no supplies at Mount Pleasant or in that vicinity for men or horses, I determined to move as rapidly as possible by the way of Cumberland Ford to Barboursville to get the much needed supplies. In the mean time I sent a courier back to the dismounted force to proceed by the nearest route to Richmond, Ky. I encamped that night near the Cumberland Ford. Next night, June 20, we encamped at Barboursville, and drew oats for our horses, but could not rations for my men. At 4 o'clock next morning we moved in the direction of London, and encamped two miles and a half this side at Pittman's Station, where we drew rations and forage for men and horses. There we received orders by telegraph from district headquarters to send scouts in different directions, which orders were promptly obeyed, the scouts having since reported. After remaining there about fifteen hours I moved in the direction of Richmond, and encamped the night of June 22 this side of Big Hill, fifteen miles from Richmond; and grazing the horses well that night we moved early next morning, having delightful weather and fine roads; we arrived at Lexington at 11 p. m. June 23.

The march of 470 miles, from Cynthiana to Cumberland River and back to Lexington in eleven days, is perhaps the most rapid and trying known during this war, especially that from Irvine to the Cumberland, a distance of 120 miles in less than sixty hours, with stock the most of which had already traveled nearly a thousand miles. This route passed over the roughest road known in the Kentucky Mountains, many parts of it so rough that we had to move by single file, leading the horses. This pursuit would not have

been persisted in after the first forty hours' march from Irvine but for the assurance that the enemy did not oach, and that they had made arrangements to half at Mount Pleasant to feed their men and hontend to halt there several days, and I was pressing forward to attack them at 2 a. m. June 19, but it was impossible to get there in that time, and having to cross Pine Mountain, arriving on the Cumberland after day, gave their emissaries an opportunity of sending forward information of our approach, and, besides, the enemy received information from Virginia that night that a force was going up Powell's Valley to cut them off, which made them push for the Gap.

I know of no good that resulted from this severe march after Giltner, except to give my officers and soldiers a severe training in the duties of hard marching, and to give the enemy a good scare after we got near them, and to admonish them that the Federal soldier can endure the hardest, most trying, and rapid marches through the mountains, without supplies for either men or horses, and gain on them at least FIFTY miles in sixty hours.

Throughout this severe campaign I have been encouraged by the cheerful obedience of the officers and men, who seemed constantly impressed with the important mission in which they were engaged and actuated by a sense of duty, and moved by a desire to do all in their power to accomplish the end; and I am especially grateful to the men for their cheerful submission to orders and patient endurance of hardships in the expedition from Irvine to Crank's Gap; and the detachment of the Twelfth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Fortieth Kentucky, Thirty-seventh and FIFTY-second Kentucky Mounted Infantry, have my thanks for their soldierly bearing during the expedition.

And in conclusion, I wold return my heartfelt thanks to Captain A. W. Trebein for his ready and prompt attention to all the responsible duties