The rout was the most complete that any cavalry has ever suffered during this war.

Crossing at Buckland, General Fitz. Lee pushed down the pike toward Gainesville, while I, with the few men of Gordon's and Rosser's brigades who could be collected after our unusually long chase, moved around to our left and pressed down toward Hay Market. Here I encountered, besides a large cavalry force, the First Army Corps, who retired a short distance beyond Hay Market on the Carolina road. I attacked their infantry pickets by moonlight and scattered them over the fields, capturing many. General Lee pressed down to within a short distance of Gainesville, where he encountered their infantry,and captured prisoners from the First Army Corps on that road also. The pursuit was continued until after dusk. The cavalry force was commanded by Kilpatrick and composed of ten regiments.

* * * * * *

Our casualties were slight, about 30 in all.

Most respectfully,

J. E. B. STUART,

Major-General.

General R. E. LEE.

HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, February 13, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this command from October 9, 1863, when it advanced from the Rapidan, to October 20, 1863, when it recrossed the Rappahannock:

In compliance with the instructions of the commanding general, Major General Fitzhugh Lee was left with his division, supported by two brigades of infantry, on the line of the Rapidan to observe the enemy in that direction, while I proceeded in personal command of Hampton's division - that officer being still detained from duty by wounds received at Gettysburg - to guard the right flank of the Army of Northern Virginia in its advance by way of Madison Court-House in the execution of a flank movement on the enemy then in Culpeper.

The brigades of Gordon, Butler (Colonel P. M. B. Young commanding), and Jones (Colonel O. R. Funsten commanding), constituting the division,were ordered to bivouac on the evening of October 9 in the neighborhood of Madison Court-House,and Robertson's River, from its mouth to the vicinity of Criglersville,was occupied by pickets from Young's and Funsten's brigades. Major A. R. Venable, of my staff, had been previously sent forward to arrange for the utmost secrecy and strict non-intercourse through the pickets, and at night a select body of men was sent to capture a signal station of Thoroughfare Mountain, which overlooked our line of march to a great extent.

At daylight on the morning of the 10th, our pickets remaining on the Robertson, Funsten's brigade was detached as advance guard to the parallel columns of infantry (Ewell's and Hill's corps) moving toward Woodville. Young's and Gordon's brigades crossed at Russell's Ford, moving directly toward James City which the view of