have been left unguarded by the officer commanding. They arrived at Doolan's about 10 a.m., and by about 12 m. the wagons were loaded, and while the men were at dinner an alarm was given, and before they could more than gain their arms they were charged upon by a body of cavalry, supposed to be about 100 strong. Captain Laning ordered his men to retreat to the woods, which they did, but were intercepted on the other side by another body of cavalry, the result of which was that the most of the part and five teams were cut off, including Captain Laning and Lieutenant Andrews. Up to this hour (4.15 p.m.) 16 men and 5 teamsters only have returned, reporting as above, and that three of their comrades, including Lieutenant Andrews, were seen to fall, and the rest surrendered. A 4-horse ambulance, under an escort of five companies from the Twenty-fourth Regiment, commanded by a field officer, have been ordered out to bring in the dead and wounded. The body will move immediately.

T. SULLIVAN,

Commanding Brigade.

Per JOHN MURRAY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

General McDOWELL.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DIVISION,
Arlington, November 16, 1861-7.20 p.m.

This report relates to an affair not creditable to the officer commanding the escort. He is not here to justify himself, but from the within he would seem to have merited his fate of being captured. He might have taken warning from the capture on the 8th instant at a place 1 1/2 miles this side of the scene of his own disaster of two men engaged, as was him own party, in eating their dinner, when they should have been on the watch. I purpose commenting on the case in orders, with the view of drawing some profit from it for the troops in the future.

Respectfully forwarded.

IRVIN McDOWELL,

Brigadier-General.

P. S.-The foregoing just came into my hands on my return from Bailey's Cross-Roads, making preparations for the review of the Army this side of the river.

Numbers 3. Report of Captain John Murray, Assistant Adjutant-General, U. S. Army.

UPTON'S, November 16, 1861.

At 7 a.m. this morning a foraging train of six wagons, with 3 men each, started from brigade headquarters, under escort of 50 men and Lieutenant Andrews, of the Thirtieth New York Volunteers, the whole commanded by Captain Laning, of the same regiment. They proceeded along the Annandale road to Doolan's farm, where they arrived about 10 o'clock, and immediately commenced loading the wagons with corn, having previously posted guards and scouts in the woods and surrounding fields, but neglected to place guards over the road. The