Colonel Simpson, the lieutenant-colonel, major, and surgeon left by the Duffield's road, which was clear. Most of the infantry were captured. Captain Means' company and about half the other cavalry escaped.

Almost simultaneously with the first report of the cannon a man arrived from the outer picket station with intelligence of the affair. I immediately ordered my brigade under arms and reported for orders to General Sullivan. He directed me to attack and ordered Major Cole to assist me with his cavalry. I took out such of the Thirty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry as were not on guard duty, Miner's Seventeenth Indiana Battery, and about 50 men of the First Connecticut Cavalry, under Lieutenant Thompson, being all the cavalry of my command not on duty (this force was formed by Quartermaster Rockafellow, of the Sixth Michigan Cavalry, with 5 sergeants, all others of his company being on picket), and started, sending orders for Lieutenant Rosney's battery to replace Captain Miner's battery in the intrenchments, and for Colonel Revere to follow with the Tenth Maryland.

We numbered less than 700, all told. The enemy was found at Charlestown, which was reached within an hour of its occupation, driven through the town and followed on the Berryville pike, fighting vigorously all the way, for 10 miles and within 2 miles of Berryville, when I was overtaken by a dispatch ordering my immediate return.

The affair was as brisk and as rapid as could well be conceived. The road was over a succession of hills whose summits are wooded. The valleys are open. The enemy would plant a single piece of artillery and fill the woods with infantry and cavalry. Our cavalry would charge in upon them; the infantry, with three companies deployed as skirmishers, got up as soon as possible; the artillery got into position, and the enemy would fall back to the next hill, where the same thing would be repeated. Such of them as could not get away from us in front would fall back into the woods on the right and left, and we had no means of pursuit. Such was the rapidity of this work that the Tenth Maryland, who were only 2 miles behind at the start, were unable to overtake us or lessen their distance, although using every exertion.

The enemy abandoned five wagons, which we found, one a battery force, one loaded with mess pans and bake ovens and drawn out into the woods. Their loss I cannot estimate. We saw, I should think, 25 dead and wounded, and 21 prisoners have been sent in to the provost-marshal.

The troops behaved finely. Major Cole went ahead with his usual gallantry and judgment, and the artillery was admirably handled. The Thirty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry (Lieutenant-Colonel Lincoln), for the first time under fire, was as steady as if on drill. They reached camp about 11.30, after a march of about 35 miles, with but 3 men missing, who fell out on the return this side of Charlestown and came in next morning.

Our loss in the action, as far as known, was: Killed, 6; wounded (report of surgeon in hospital), 43. I think that the complete and perfect return, which we have not had time to make yet, may increase this. Some men were left in the houses along the road, too seriously wounded to be moved, and it is possible the return of the killed may be too small.

The loss at Charlestown was: Killed, 2; wounded, 3.