formerly of that Army, have more recently been in the habit of watching the Potomac between Great Falls and Seneca and firing on our pickets. They are reported to me by my guide to have shot two stragglers of General Banks' division, and left them for the hogs to devour. On arriving on the ground some time after Meade, I found that he had captured the Colmans and 3 sons of Poole, rank secessionists, and after making the necessary dispositions to resist an attack, commenced loading the train, which work was soon completed, and the command returned, arriving here at 6 p.m.

Nothing of the enemy was seen or heard by the scouts sent out in advance and on the flanks.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. A. McCALL,

Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

Brigadier General R. B. MARCY,

Chief of Staff.

P. S.-It is with pleasure that I refer to the very exemplary conduct of all the troops on this occasion, and can commend from personal observation the good discipline maintained. There was no straggling or lagging behind during the march out or returning.

DECEMBER 13, 1861.-Engagement at Camp Alleghany, West Virginia.

REPORTS, ETC.

No. 1.-Brigadier General Robert H. Milroy, U. S. Army.

No. 2.-Colonel James A. Jones, Twenty-fifth Ohio Infantry.

No. 3.-Hon. J. P. Benjamin, Confederate Secretary of War.

No. 4.-Brigadier General William W. Loring, C. S. Army, commanding Army of.

Northwestern Virginia.

No. 5.-Colonel Edward Johnson, Twelfth Georgia Infantry, and response

of the Secretary of War.

No. 6.-Lieutenant Colonel Z. T. Conner, Twelfth Georgia Infantry.

No. 7.-Lieutenant Colonel G. W. Hansbrough, C. S. Army.

No. 8.-Major A. G. Reger, Twenty-fifth Virginia Infantry.

No. 9.-Lieutenant C. E. Dabney, C. S. Cavalry.

No. 10.-Return of casualties in the Confederate forces.

No. 1. Reports of Brigadier General Robert H. Milroy, U. S. Army, commanding District of Cheat Mountain, with return of casualties.

CLEVELAND, December 14, 1861.

Stevens sends me the following:

General Milroy, with 700 men, met General Johnson, of Georgia, with 2,000, at Alleghany Camp, West Virginia, yesterday, and after 3 hours' hard fighting defeated Johnson, with loss 200 killed, including many officers, and 30 prisoners. Johnson burned his camp and retreated to Staunton. Federal loss about 30.

A. STAGER,

Superintendent.

T. T. ECKERT,

Chief of U. S. Military Telegraph Line, War Department.