nois Cavalry, charged a superior force of rebel cavalry, and drove them for 2 miles beyond the town. They left 30 dead on the field and about 50 wounded, besides several hundred prisoners and two cannon, which fell into our hands. Our loss was 1 man killed and 15 wounded. General Pleasonton says of this engagement: "In this affair the enemy outnumbered us three to one, and the number of desperate personal encounters that day clearly shows the superiority of our cavalry."

Up to the 19th September our cavalry was for thirteen consecutive days in close contact with the enemy, and each day engagements of some kind took place, in every one of which our cavalry was successful, and steadily advanced. Since the battle of Antietam our cavalry has, I observed in my last dispatch, been constantly occupied in hard service. Several reconnaissances have been made to the enemy's lines. The one to Martinsburg and another beyond Charlestown were attended with constant conflicts with the enemy's cavalry and artillery, both in going our and returning; yet our gallant soldiers defeated them, and returned in safety to their camp. A part of Colonel McReynolds' cavalry captured the camp of a large cavalry force, under the rebel Colonel Imboden, near Sir John's Run, taking two guns, some wagons, with a large supply of ammunition, and 50 horses and mules. Colonel Devin's cavalry, on the 22d, in a skirmish with the rebels near Snickersville, killed 10 of them and captured 32 prisoners, including 1 captain and 2 lieutenants, and a few days since some cavalry, under General Newton, while on a reconnaissance near Hedgesville, captured 19 prisoners. Very many other expeditions and scouts have been made by your cavalry since the battle of Antietam, and with uniform success, but I have not conceived them to be of sufficient importance to make them the subject of special reports. They serve, however, to illustrate the efficiency of that arm.

With the exception of the two raids by Stuart, I am unconscious of a single instance where the rebel cavalry has exhibited any superiority over ours. The fact that Stuart outmarched Pleasonton in his last raid is easily accounted for. It is said that he received a relay of fresh horses when he crossed the river at McCoy's Ferry. From that point he had extra lead horses to take places of those that gave out on the road, besides which he stole some 1,000 horses in Pennsylvania, which contributed toward giving him another relay. Notwithstanding all this, he dropped a great many broken-down horses along the road. Pleasonton made his entire trip without a change of horses.

After this statement of facts has been placed before you, I feel confident you will concur with me that our cavalry is equally as efficient as that of the rebels.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

OFFICE OF CHIEF QUARTERMASTER, Camp near Knoxville, Md., October 26, 1862.

General M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd instant, on the subjects of clothing and horses furnished to this army.

I have sent you frequent telegraphic reports in reference to these matters, but have promised one, more in detail, by mail. I think it due to you and myself that it be plainly and fairly stated.