before that time, taking a private road to Woodsborough, to which place said they were going, and from thence to Liberty, on the road to the Monocacy. They had traveled at a trot, and were continuing to do so. As soon as I received this information I started immediately for the mouth of the Monocacy, via Frederick City, passing through the latter about 5 o'clock in the morning, and reaching the Monocacy about 8 a. m. Upon my arrival I found some 400 or 500 infantry guarding the canal aqueduct, and picketing the roads, and fords in the vicinity. They told me that they had not seen or heard anything of the enemy. I immediately crossed to Monocacy with the portion of my command that had come up, viz, a part for the Eighth Illinois Cavalry, a part of the Third Indiana Cavalry, and two guns of Pennington's battery, and sent forward a company on the Barnesville road to reconnoiter that place, while the main column should move in the direction of Poolesville, to take up a position most suitable for covering the fords in that vicinity.

My advance squadron had not proceeded more than 1 1/2 miles from the Monocacy they discovered a body of cavalry moving toward them, dressed in the uniform of United States soldiers. The officer in command of the squadron made signal in a friend way which was returned, and the parties approached within a short distance of each other, when the officer commanding the opposite party ordered his men men to charge. They were by a volley from the carbines of my men, and some skirmishing took place, when the enemy brought up a superior force and opened with a couple of guns, which forced my men to retire. On seeing this, the two guns of Pennington's battery were brought into position and opened a brisk fire upon the enemy, which checked his advance.

At his time my command was not more than 400 strong, and I was compelled to confine my operations to holding the enemy in check until re'enforcements should arrive. I took four small companies of the infantry I found at the mouth of the Monocacy to support the two guns, and sent one company to assist my cavalry in front in keeping back the enemy's dismounted skirmishers. This condition of things lasted for about two hours, when, the remainder of Pennington's battery coming up, it was put in position and soon drove off the enemy's guns. At the same time I sent a portion of the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, that had come up with the remainder of Pennington's battery down the towpath of the canal, to prevent the enemy from crossing at any point below. They discovered that enemy had in position at White's Ford two guns on this, and at least one gun on the other side of the river, all of which could sweep the tow-path and prevent the cavalry from proceeding. On hearing this, I took all the infantry form the month of the Monocacy, except two companies, and made a general advance on the enemy, who rapidly retreated on White's Ford, keeping up a fire on our advance, with his guns covering his rear.

By this time, the horses in Pennington's battery were so thoroughly exhausted as to be unable to move the guns up the steep hills ont he road the enemy took, and in many instances we were obliged to dismount and push them up by hand. This rendered our movement so slow that the enemy had time to cross the river without further molestation, and nothing further occured beyond his throwing a few shots at us after he had nothing further occurred beyond his throwing a few shots at us after he had crossed, which I did not think worth while to reply to. This was at 1.30 p. m.

It was at this time that General Ward reported to me, from General Stoneman's division, with a brigade of infantry a regiment of cavalry, and a section of artillery. I told him that his command could be of no