I have ordered Lieutenant Porter to report to the provost-marshal for duty. I would respectfully recommend that the surgeons be ordered to report to the medical director for general duty.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. D. WELLS,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Lieutenant SAMUEL B. McCULLOCH,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE,
Harper's Ferry, W. Va., October 20, 1863.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that some time since, by order of Brigadier-General Lockwood, a portion of the Ninth Maryland Regiment, Colonel Benjamin L. Simpson commanding, and Company F, cavalry, Second Maryland (Potomac Home Brigade), Captain George D. Summers, were stationed at Charlestown. By continual skirmishing, Captain Summers was killed and his command very much reduced.

I accordingly sent Company I, Sixth Michigan Cavalry, Lieutenant Robert A. Moon commanding, to re-enforce Colonel Simpson. Captain Means' company of cavalry was also sent there about a week ago, but was not under my orders. On Saturday last, Colonel Simpson thoroughly scouted his entire front, but could learn of no force in his vicinity except a battalion (Forty-first Battalion Virginia Cavalry), under Major Robert White at Berryville, consisting of about 400 men. He sent a dispatch to me to that effect, which I received Saturday night at 10 o'clock. It would appear that on Saturday night General Imboden concentrated his entire force (consisting of the Forty-first Battalion Virginia Cavalry, Sixty-Second Virginia Mounted Infantry, the Eighteenth Virginia Cavalry, two companies of the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, Gilmor's battalion, and one full battery of six pieces of artillery) on Charlestown. The prisoners taken estimates this force at from 1,500 to 2,500 men. I believe the lower figures to be not far from the truth.

This force was commanded by General Imboden in person. They reached Charlestown before daylight, planted artillery on the hill west of the town, formed a line of battle on each side, and by daylight the place was completely invested.

A flag of truce was sent in to demand a surrender of the place, to which Colonel Simpson refused to accede. Another was sent in to say that time would be given the women and children to leave. Almost immediately, however, they commenced to shell the court-house and jail, in which Colonel Simpson had concentrated his men, and which were loop-holed for defense.

The third shot entered the court-house and exploded, killing 1 man and severely wounding the adjutant of the regiment. The men were then brought out of the court-house, and an effort was made to reach the ferry. Upon reaching the east end of the town they were fired upon by the line holding that side. Colonel Simpson states that his men were completely panic-stricken; that himself and officers did their best to rally them, but it was impossible to get them into line or any other formation, they running and dodging in every direction and in utter confusion. It would seem that in this state of things