As the work intrusted to me may be regarded done and the enemy out of this department, I most earnestly request to be relieved. If not relieved, must resign. My health is too much broken to do any severe work.

F. W. LANDER,

Brigadier-General.

Major-General McCLELLAN.

NOTE.-General Williams can move over the river without risk. I respectfully commend Colonel Carroll to your notice. He is a most efficient and gallant officer. Lieutenant H. G. Armstrong, acting assistant adjutant-general, and Fitz-James O'Brien joined me in a charge by which rebel officers were captured and confidence restored after cavalry had been checked.

Numbers 9. Report of Colonel J. Sencendiver, Virginia Militia, of affair at Bloomery Gap, West Virginia.

HDQRS. SIXTEENTH BRIGADE, VIRGINIA MILITIA,
Pughtown, February 17, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the engagement into which we were surprised on the morning of the 14th instant;.

Our advanced pickets came in about daylight and reported the enemy advancing upon us in large force. I gave orders to have the baggage packed immediately and the men prepared to meet the enemy and repulse him if possible. The Thirty-first Regiment, Colonel Baldwin, being quartered nearer the point from where the enemy was advancing than the balance of the command, rushed hurriedly to meet him. The Fifty-first, Major Wotring, and a portion of the Eighty-ninth, commanded by Major Davidson, hastened to his aid, but before they reached him the enemy's cavalry dashed through his ranks and inclosed him between them and their infantry and captured himself and nearly all his command. Majors Wotring and Davidson then took position on [a] hill-side near the road and commenced a brisk fire on the cavalry, who advanced about 400 strong in full speed in pursuit of our wagons. While they were engaged with cavalry the infantry flanked them on the right and captured a number of their men and officers. As the cavalry neared our teams they were met by the Sixty-seventh Regiment and Company A, of the Eighty-ninth Regiment, who took a position on the hill-side near the road and poured a heavy volley into them and checked them for a short time, but they again dashed forward, overtook our wagons, captured several of them, and turned them back towards Bloomery. At this juncture the sixty-seventh and Company A, Eighty-ninth Regiment, advanced rapidly on either side of the road and commenced a brisk fire on them, and finally drove them back and recaptured the wagons. This was effected without the loss of a man. The enemy lost several men and horses killed at this point.

We then continued on after our wagons. The enemy followed us from this point about 2 miles, but at respectful distance. He picked up 1 or 2 stragglers and then retired.

We reached this place at sundown, and, as before reported, I sent yesterday morning a party with a flag of truce to bring off our dead and