a squad of eighty men detailed from Companies M, L, C, and H, First Ohio Volunteer Heavy Artillery, for the purpose of driving a band of guerrillas) to Athens, Tenn. We arrived at the latter place at 12 m. of said day to find the rebels gone. In accordance with my instructions I then took command of the detachment. I pressed all the horses and mules I could find and mounted sixty of my men, and with them and five citizens, at 1. 30 p. m., started in pursuit. We pushed on some thirty miles until it became dark, following the trail of the scoundrels, which was a wide one, they having plundered everything indiscriminately which came in their way. At 3 o'clock next morning we again started in pursuit, but owing to the fact that most of my men were poorly mounted, it was impossible for them to keep up. At 11 a. m. I came up with the enemy near the village of Murphy, in North Carolina, sixty-five miles from Athens. With fifteen of my men, all who had come up, I charged on the enemy. We killed 10 and wounded a number more. We captured 18 horses, 6 mules, 20 guns, 4 revolvers, and 2 small pistols, and a number of other articles. We took no prisoners. It is needless to add that the enemy were completely demoralized and fled in every direction. Our loss was 1 citizen-soldier killed. My men being very much fatigued and our horses completely done up, without rations or forage, I did not deem it advisable to pursue farther, and commenced our return, reaching Athens next day at 2 p. m. and reaching Loudon on the 4th instant.

It is with extreme pleasure I give my testimony to the good conduct of the brave men under my command. For three days, over a very rough and mountainous country, with but one meal, did these brave men toil on, yet not [one] word of murmuring was heard, but all anxious for the fray. I have only to regret that my men were not better mounted, so that they could have "been in at the death," for in that event I think I could have rid the earth of all the cursed gang.

The enemy's force consisted of part of the outlaw and murderer Vaughn's force and numbered sixty-three men, all well mounted, but under whose immediate command I could not learn.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

J. S. PREBLE,

Captain Co. L, First Ohio Vol. Heavy Arty., Commanding Detachment.

Brigadier-General AMMEN,

Commanding Fourth DIVISION, Twenty-THIRD Army Corps.

Numbers 3. Report of Captain Samuel Bivens, First Ohio Heavy Artillery, of the pursuit of the Confederates and skirmish near Murphy, N. C.

HDQRS. CO. C, FIRST Ohio VOL. HEAVY ARTILLERY,
Loudon, Tenn., August 5, 1864.

SIR: In obedience to your order of Monday, August 1, 1864, I proceeded to Athens, Tenn., and on arriving there found that the rebel forces had left. I then pressed all the horses belonging to citizens that I could find. In all I had sixty-one men armed, equipped, and mounted. We then started in pursuit of the rebel forces, which were reported to be four hours ahead of us. We then marched until 10 o'clock at night, a distance of thirty miles, and finding the roads so bad and a heavy rain