his infantry, and drove them back on the Summit Point road, by which Summers was advancing to Charlestown. Our loss is reported to be 6 men. My troops are well in hand. I do not think, however, the enemy will attempt any movement on the railroad. I do not learn that they are in any considerable force.

HENRY H. LOCKWOOD,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Brigadier General B. F. Kelley.

Numbers 2. Report of Colonel George D. Wells, Thirty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry, commanding brigade.

HARPER'S FERRY, W. VA.,

October 9, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to state that on the morning of October 7, I was shown a telegram from headquarters Department of West Virginia, informing of a contemplated attack on the line of railroad. I immediately forwarded the intelligence to Charlestown, and ordered all the cavalry under my command to report to Colonel Simpson at that place.

In the evening I was informed that our force there had been attacked and Captain Summers killed. I ordered over to this side the infantry regiment stationed near Maryland Heights, and had my batteries hurried up and the command ready for action. At midnight I learned that the enemy had gone back up the valley.

The affair at Charlestown would appear to be this: On the morning of October 7, before receiving my dispatch, Colonel Simpson sent out of 20 cavalry on the Berryville road. Information was soon brought in that this force was cut off by the enemy. Captain Summers was immediately sent to their relief, with 43 men, his entire available force. Some time after his departure the scout of 20 men came in on another road, closely followed within half a mile of the town by the enemy. Colonel Simpson immediately went out with his infantry and drove the enemy back, capturing 4 prisoners and 3 horses of Companies A and F, Twelfth Virginia Cavalry.

As Captain Summers was on his return from his scout, when near Summit Point he fell in with this party. He was leading the advance, when, at a bend of the road, he came upon a portion of the enemy drawn up in the road. He instantly charged them, and as he did so received a volley from a squad which had dismounted and were concealed behind a stone fence skirting the road. Captain Summers fell at the first fire. His men, deprived of their leader, scattered and fell back. They were not followed. Cole's cavalry, placed under my orders by the brigadier-general commanding, were sent to Charlestown that night, and the next morning scouted out the Summit Point and Smithfield road, bringing in the bodies of our killed. They report seeing no enemy.

It would seem that the rebel force consisted of two companies (captains Baylor and Morrow) Twelfth Virginia Cavalry and Gilmor's entire battalion. Their intention was to make a dash on Charlestown in the afternoon, but the manner in which their ad-