Numbers 5. Report of Captain David J. Higgins, Twenty-fought Ohio Infantry.

CAMP, CHEAT MOUNTAIN SUMMIT, VIRGINIA, September 17, 1861.

I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command at the skirmish which occurred 4 mikes from camp on the 12th instant:

My command was composed of 90 men, detailed 30 each from the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Ohio Infantry and the Fourteenth Indiana, accompanied by Lieutenant John T. Wood, Company H, Twenty-fifth Ohio, and Lieutenant M. N. Green, Company B, Fourteenth Indiana. I was ordered to proceed with haste to the relief of Captain Coons, of the Fourteenth Indiana, who the evening of the 11th instant had been ordered to guard a pass 5 miles northwest form camp, leading from the main road to Elk River. Half a mile from camp I found three wagons, whose horses and drivers had that morning been taken by the rebels, who during the night had lain in large force near the camp. Hastening on, we were met by a cavalry soldier leading a wounded horse, who stated that the enemy had collect at the entrance of the pass, had shot his horse, and that Captain Coons and party were doubtless cut off. Sending a squad of men into the woods on both sides of hat road, I proceeded cautiously within sight of the spot where the horse had been shot, when I sent Lieutenant Green with his men to deploy on the left of the road and Lieutenant Wood with his men on the right, holding the detail of the Twenty-fourth on the right near the road on line with the others as reserve to check any advance, of the enemy on the road, ordering the whole line to move cautiously, covering themselves by trees. The right had proceeded about 3 rods in this manner when it was saluted by a volley of at least 100 guns, with no loss on our side. We returned the volley, and immediately advanced upon the ambush, receiving and returning a second volley.

The rebels fled up form the right tot he road, where Lieutenant Green came in sight of them, and poured in a destructive fire. At this moment we saw a large boy of men in utter confusion pressing back upon what seemed a larger body of men in utter confusion pressing back upon what seemed a larger force in line of battle, in spite of all efforts of officers to rally them. Lieutenant Green, seeing so large a force, fell back upon the reserve, bringing in 2 wounded men-Private Leonard Daum, wounded in the arm, and Private John Killgannon both of Company B, Fourteenth Indiana. I directed the line to be deployed again, but to make no advance, determining to hold the position until the arrival of re-enforcements.

After waiting half an hour Major Harrow, of the Fourteenth Indiana, came up with two companies. These returned, bringing in two prisoners, who reported the force in our front to be general Anderson's brigade of Tennesseeans, numbering 3,000; that we had fallen upon the left wing of his line, and that his was one of three columns of rebel infantry which during the night had collected at three points to attack the camp. Learning these facts, Major Harrow ordered me to draw in my men and post them as advanced guard 2 miles nearer camp. This I did, and held the place unmolested until morning, when I was relieved..

From the most reliable information I can get the rebels have lost in that engagement at least 50 killed, besides many wounded. The actual