enemy's cavalry, which he attacked, capturing the greater portion. The reception of our troops in Maryland was attended with the greatest demonstrations of joy, and the hope of enabling the inhabitants to throw off the tyrant's yoke stirred every Southern heart with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.

The main army moving to Frederick the next day, the cavalry resumed their march on the flank, halting at Urbana, Hampton's brigade in advance. The advance guard had the good fortune to rescue from a member of the enemy's signal corps a bearer of dispatches from President Davis to General Lee. The dispatches, fortunately, by the discreetness of the bearer, had not fallen into the hands of the enemy, and were eventually safely delivered. At Urbana the main body was joined by Robertson's brigade, at this time under command of Colonel T. T. Munford.

Near this place I remained with the command until September 12, covering the front of the army, then near Frederick City, in the direction of Washington. My left, consisting of Lee's brigade, rested at New Market, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad; my center, Hampton's brigade, near Hyattstown, and my right, Robertson's brigade (Colonel Munford commanding), in the direction of Poolesville, with one regiment (the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry) at that point. The enemy having advanced upon my front, Hampton's brigade became engaged in several skirmishes near Hyattstown, driving the enemy back on every occasion; and, on September 8, ascertaining that the enemy were about to occupy Poolesville, I ordered Colonel Munford to proceed to that point and drive them from the place. Munford's advance guard had just reached the town, when the enemy appeared with three regiments of cavalry and four pieces of artillery. Munford selected a position and opened fire with a howitzer and Blakely, when the enemy also brought up two pieces and returned the fire. Their guns had scarcely opened when their cavalry suddenly advanced and charged the howitzer. They were, however, received with two rounds of canister, which drove them back, and the Seventh Virginia Cavalry (Captain Myers commanding) charged them. They also charged the Blakely, but Colonel [A. W.] Harman, with about 75 men of the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, met and repulsed them. Lieutenant-Colonel Burks, in temporary command of the Second Virginia Cavalry, held the cross-roads commanding the approach to Sugar Loaf Mountain, and kept the enemy in check with his sharpshooters.

The loss on this occasion was 15, killed, wounded, and missing.

The cross-roads were successfully half for three days, during which regular skirmishing and artillery firing took place, when, on the 11th, the enemy advance in force with infantry. Having maintained the present front even longer than was contemplated by the instructions covering the investment of Harper's Ferry (found in the orders appended to this report), the cavalry was withdrawn to within 3 miles of Frederick.

Lee's brigade having fallen back from New Market and crossed the Monocacy near Liberty, Robertson's brigade was ordered to retire in the direction of Jefferson, and Hampton's brigade was directed to occupy Frederick City, in the rear of the army then moving toward Middletown. Hampton's pickets were thrown out on the various roads leading in the direction of the enemy's approach, and about midday on the 12th he was notified that a heavy force was advancing on the National road. As two squadrons had been left on picket at the bridge over the Monocacy between Frederick City and Urbana, it was of great importance to hold the approached by the National road until the squadrons were withdrawn. and, with this end in view, a rifle piece was added to the two guns already in position on the turnpike, and a squadron from the Second