the Rappahannock at Sulphur Springs. Moved about a mile upon the Warrenton road and lay in the fields till noon, when the regiment was ordered up to Sulphur Springs to support the Fourth and Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, then hotly engaged near Jefferson, and placed to support Horse Battery A, Fourth U. S. Artillery, on the Fayetteville road. The pioneer corps of the regiment was ordered down to the river, under command of Lieutenant Phifer, of Company K, to destroy the bridge over the Rappahannock, which they succeeded in doing under a heavy fire. Two squadrons were ordered to be sent down, dismounted, to hold the fording, and one squadron to be sent to support a piece of artillery sent to the ford, both of which orders were promptly obeyed, the First Squadron, under Captain Carpenter, accompanying the piece, and the Third and Sixth Squadrons, under Lieutenants Daily and Phelps dismounting.

About 5 o'clock the enemy opened a heavy fire of artillery upon the command, under cover of which they advanced in force and succeeded in crossing and capturing Lieutenants Daily and Phelps, with the greater portion of their men-about 70 in wounded, killed, and missing-principally for the reason that they were out of carbine ammunition, and the provost-marshal refused to allow the messenger to pass to the regiment for more, though provided with a written order stating his business. They consequently were left with only their pistols for defense. The balance of the regiment was then moved back about half a mile to the rear, where it remained till after 7 o'clock, when orders were received to retire it to the junction of the Warrenton and Fayetteville road, where we remained till daylight next morning; then proceeded to Fayetteville, where Colonel Huey arrived and took command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. W. WISTAR,

Major, Commanding Regiment.

Colonel J. IRVIN GREGG,

Commanding Second Brigade.

Numbers 85. Report of Lieutenant Benjamin Phifer, Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY,
October 13, 1863.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that on the afternoon of the 12th instant, while the Third and Sixth Squadrons were engaged, dismounted as skirmishers, with the enemy at Sulphur Springs, they became short of carbine ammunition, and I dispatched an orderly to the regiment for a supply. The orderly was stopped by the provost-marshal of the Second Division, and returned to me with the report "that he could not get to the regiment." I then furnished him with a written pass to get ammunition, and he was again stopped by the same officer, and was refused permission to pass through the guard to the regiment, and in consequence of said refusal, the men of the Third and Sixth Squadrons, then holding the enemy in check, were incapacitated from doing further effective service, and 2 officers, together with the greater portion of the Third Squadron, were captured