Fitzhugh, Capehart, Stagg, and Pennington, brigade commanders; my staff, and every officer and man of the First and Third Cavalry Divisions, I return my sincere thanks for patriotic, unmurmuring, and soldierly conduct.

To Major H. H. Young, of my staff, chief of scouts, and the thirty or forty men of his command, who took their lives in their hands, cheerfully going wherever ordered, to obtain that great essential of success, information, I tender my gratitude. Ten of these men were lost.

Our entire loss during the march did not exceed 100 men, and some of these we left by the wayside, unable to bear the fatigues of the march.

This report should be regarded as the preface of my report of operations in front of Petersburg and Richmond, as my command only rested one day before its commencement.

I forward herewith list of prisoners captured and property destroyed.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General.

Bvt. Major General JOHN A. RAWLINS,

Chief of Staff, Washington, D. C.:

[Inclosure.]

First Brigade, First Division, Colonel Peter Stagg commanding. - Captured: 17 prisoners of war and 120 horses and mules. Destroyed: 5 flouring mills, 1 cotton mill, 2 saw-mills, 27 railroad bridges, 5 canal boats, 19 canal locks, 12 warehouses, 1 lumber yard, 1 boat-house, 1 aqueduct, 4 railroad cars, 7 miles telegraph, 500 barrels wheat, 400 barrels flour, 7 tons of cotton, 1,500 pounds wool, 85 hogsheads tobacco, 1 railroad depot, 3 water tanks and outbuildings, 8 miles of railroad tracks; the Lynchburg and Richmond Canal cut in three places.

Second Brigade, First Division, Colonel C. L. Fitzhugh commanding. - Captured: 33 prisoners of war and 395 horses and mules. Destroyed: 6 1/4 miles railroad, 18 canal locks, 6 flat-boats loaded with tobacco and flour, 12 canal boats, 5 canal boats loaded with commissary subsistence and quartermaster stores, 400 hogsheads tobacco, 1 railroad depot with 500 cords of wood, 4 barns, 3,000 pairs bootees, 2,000 paris pants, jackets, blankets, and drawers; 50,000 pounds of wheat, 4,000 pounds tobacco, 20 wagons loaded with quartermaster stores, 1 tannery with 1,000 hides, 2 naval camps near Goochland, 1 steam engine and 50,000 feet lumber, 1 warehouse and a quantity blacksmith tools, 1 saw-mill, 4 bales cotton, 8 boxes tobacco, 1 canal dredge, 1,000 grain sacks, 1,000 shelter-tents, 336 sacks salt, 150 sabers.

Reserve Brigade, Brigadier General Alfred Gibbs commanding. - Captured: 24 prisoners of war and 75 horses and mules. Destroyed: 1 railroad bridge, 1 wooden aqueduct, 20 canal bridges, 10 canal locks, 1 woolen factory, 1 candle factory, 3 warehouses, 1,000 pounds candles, 500 bushels wheat, 1 plow and wagon manufactory, 1 machine-shop, 1 forge, 3 flouring mills, 100,000 pounds tobacco, 3 miles Virginia Central Railroad.

Fifth U. S. Cavalry, Captain Leib commanding, doing duty as escort at First Division headquarters. - Captured: 13 prisoners of war and 115 horses and mules; 3 pieces artillery, at South Anna bridge. Destroyed: 500 shell, 16 muskets and accouterments, 2 canal boats loaded with ammunition and subsistence, 1 cotton factory, 1 iron foundry,

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