stopped once and turned back, then turned and went forward, he going close to the bushes and evidently looking into them, but no signal of any kind was made to me by any one of them. The officers were fairly in front of the thicket when a volley was fired from it by the concealed enemy, when both officers fell and one of the advance party was shot through the elbow. The main body at once, and without any order, fired into the thicket, and then left the road and took shelter behind a house opposite to which they were standing. As soon as they had retreated I ordered Captain McHenry to deploy across the road so as to enter the thicket in the flank and to the rear of the enemy, which was at once done, the men charging forward with a shout as they reached the edge of the woods, the enemy running and escaping back through the woods. One private of my command was shot and killed as he entered the woods. After the enemy was fairly driven some distance I had the bodies of Captain Chapman, Quartermaster Lysle, and Private Moore, Company G, carried into the lines. Besides these who were killed the only other casualty was that Private Ferguson was shot through the elbow.

Respectfully submitted.

A. S. M. MORGAN,

Lieutenant-Colonel Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers.

Colonel ALEXANDER HAYS,

Commanding Sixty-third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DIVISION,
Fort Lyon, March 14, 1862.

The report of Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan is unsatisfactory. I saw the guide Williamson, who says there was sufficient light to distinguished, and that there was no doubt of the men passing belonging to the enemy. It would have been very easy to have halted them and thus determined the fact. It shows a gross neglect of duty on the part of the commander then and afterwards when he was returning to his lines. I am clearly of the opinion that the case demands a court of inquiry.

Respectfully forwarded.

S. P. HEINTZELMAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

MARCH 7, 1862.-Skirmish near Winchester, Va.

REPORTS.

No. 1.-Brigadier General Alpheus S. Williams, U. S. Army.

No. 2.-Captain William D. Wilkins, Assistant Adjutant-General, U. S. Army..

No. 3.-Lieutenant Colonel Turner Ashby, C. S. Army.

No. 1. Report of Brigadier General Alpheus S. Williams, U. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE,
Bunker Hill, Va., March 8, 1862.

MAJOR: Frequent reports having come to me that the rebel cavalry in small squads were scouting the numerous cross roads west of this, seizing the property and persons of Union people, and that they had a.