shown hereafter. After this disposition of the force, I rode to your headquarters to report, and while there received information that the enemy were advancing toward town, upon the Lexington pike, with a force estimated at 200. I immediately Lieutenant Denton, of the scouts, to take thirty men and ascertain the truth of this report. A few moments after the detachment started I determined to go myself and find out the exact of the case, as I apprehended great danger from that direction. I asked you to accompany me, which you did, and, advancing up the road as far as the cemetery gate, we met the detachment returning, who reported the enemy advancing in large force. We then rallied the detachment and, dismounting a portion of them, sent them, with a few infantry pickets, to the old railroad cut on the left to drive back the force said to be advancing in that direction. In the mean time you had taken six men and started for the Owenton pike, with the intention of cutting off the force supposed to be in the old railroad cut. I started with the few remaining of the detachment of cavalry toward the toll-gate, and, arriving at the old depot on the hill, saw a squad of about twenty rebel cavalry moving on my left flank in direction of the fort. A squad of four men were seen approaching my right from the direction of Mr. Ambrose Dudley's house. Six men and a sergeant were dispatched back down the pike to the road leading from Mr. Thomas S. Page 's farm, to intercept the squad, but they did not attempt to approach the pike. While watching the movements of the enemy on my left the firing commenced at sharpshooters ascending the knoll in front of the partially constructed redoubts, in which cannon had been placed. I watched the engagement with feelings never before experienced, knowing that if the fort was taken the city was doomed. The enemy was doubtless aware of the force defending the fort, from the manner of assault and aspiration with which it was made. At this juncture you, with the six men with you, had attempted to ascend the eastern slope of the hill and reach the fort, but being intercepted by the rapid approach of the enemy and a long line of abatis in your front, the cavalry were compelled to deploy around the brow of the hill to the left, while you dauntlessly pushed your way through the abatis, being closely pursued and fired upon almost to the very gate on the western end of the fort. Your timely and safe arrival inspired the men with fresh courage and determination and largely contributed to their success. The artillerists in charge of the guns at the redoubts alluded to, having no force whatever to support them, after firing one or two rounds abandoned their position, and the enemy became so elated and emboldened as to press quickly forward across the intervening space toward the fort, making a fierce and daring assault. The result was a severe and quick repulse, every man in the walls standing to his post, and the assailants, meeting with such a steady fire and heroic resistance, retired as hastily as they came. The fighting was renewed at intervals for two hours, when the enemy ruated near the Owenton pike. The casualties of the assault were 2 wounded, Major T. J. Hutchison and Private John Coleman, of Thirty-sixth Regiment of Militia. Neither of the wounds are mortal, and both will soon recover. While you were thus superintending matters at the fort I remained on the Lexington pike with my squad of cavalry, determined, if possible, to hold in check any attacking force sufficiently long for the citizens to reach the fort, but as it was growing dark and the gunners could not see sufficiently plainly, they mistook us for the enemy, opening fire upon