The officers in charge of the pieces and the men behaved with proper coolness and deliberation. They were Lieutenant Hagerty, Pegram and Dabney.

The enemy's fire was very accurate, frequently busting his shell in close proximity to our pieces. It is believed that both the Yankee and the Release were hit; the former more than once. No one was hurt on our side.

The action lasted about forty minutes, during which we fired some twenty-five shot and shell; the enemy as many more. Captain R. L. Walker was present, in immediate command of all the pieces.

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

R. M. CARY,

Thirtieth Virginia Infantry, Commanding..

D. H. MAURY,

Asst. Adjt. General, Dep't of Fredericksburg, Brooke's.

AUGUST 25, 1861.-Skirmish near Piggot's Mill, West Virginia.

Report of Brigadier General A. Wise, C. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS WISE'S LEGION, August 27, 1861.

SIR: On Saturday, as I informed you, I in person reconnoitered and found the enemy, and stationed guards on the turnpike, in advance of the Saturday road, Tyree's, perfectly covering that and other roads. I left that point, near Westlake's, about 4 o'clock, with my men well posted. It seems that after I left (and certainly unknown to me, without the least notice to my command) a corps of your cavalry, about 175 strong, came down the Saturday road and advanced on the turnpike, under the command of Acting Colonel Jenkins, aided by Major Reynolds. They relieved my guard, who had scouted and were well acquainted with the ground. This was done by Colonel Jenkin,s without notice to me or Colonel Davis, in command of the cavalry, or to Captain Brock, in command of the company. The result of this unexpected accession of force from your camp is known. The men not having sufficiently scouted the ground, and being badly supplied with ammunition, were ambuscaded and routed, with loss and a demoralizing flight. I met men with their subordinate officers flying at 5 miles distance from the enemy, panic-struck, that even there they could not be rallied or led back to look after the dead and wounded. Colonel Jenkins an Major Reynolds, on the spot of the ambuscade, tried bravely to rally them, but it was in vain. Eighteen of my cavalry, who were picketed in view of the scene, on a neighboring hill (Brock's troop), rushed to the rescue, and lost 1 killed and 5 wounded. Colonel Jenkins was hurt by the fall of his horse, and is here still, somewhat disabled. Major Reynolds, though in my camp, made no report to me, and has left with his command. His men and officers, whom I met flying, utterly failed to obey my orders, delivered in person, under the threat of the pistol, and did not return, from sheer cowardice, to the scene from which the enemy had rapidly retired. The appearance of this force on my outposts was the more unexpected, inasmuch as you had ordered me to send you 100 cavalry, which I did.

And now I beg league, most respectfully, to protest that nothing but disaster can follow such interference with my immediate command, without notice, and with orders from you to me which led me to expect .