Averell's brigade, retraced his route to Beverly, charged with the prisoners, captured materiel, and such of our own wounded as could bear transportation.

With the mounted troops of his command and Ewing's battery, General Averell in person took the road to Callaghan's, via White Sulphur Springs and Rocky Gap. Hearing of Imboden in his vicinity at Covington, with from 900 to 1,500 men, en route to reenforce Echols, two squadrons of the Eighth [West] Virginia Mounted Infantry, under Major Slack, were ordered to drive him away. This was accomplished after a sharp skirmish, in which the enemy lost 20 or 30 men. From Callaghan's this command returned, by way of the South Branch Valley, to New Creek, arriving on the 17th of November, and bringing in additional captures of horses, cattle, and prisoners.

The detailed reports of commanders show that throughout this trying campaign the troops behaved with the most commendable spirit and gallantry, enduring hardships and facing danger with cheerfulness and alacrity, and returning with both men and horses in better condition than when they started on the expedition.

The total in Averell's brigade does not exceed 130 men, while that of the enemy is from 400 to 600 men killed, and wounded, and missing.

The additional damage inflicted by the captured of horses and cattle, and the destruction of camps, equipage, stores, ordnance, saltpeter-works, and machinery, will be the more ruinous and discouraging, occurring, as it does, at the beginning of the inclement season, when such losses cannot be easily repaired, while the handsome manner in which our troops have executed the duties assigned to them will serve to increase their self-reliance, and gives earnest of their capacity to achieve still greater enterprises when it may be required.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. F. KELLEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Brigadier General G. W. CULLUM,

Chief of Staff, Hdqrs. Army, Washington, D. C.

[Inclosure A.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA,
Clarksburg, W. Va., October 26, 1863.

Brigadier General W. W. AVERELL,

Commanding First Separate Brigade, Beverly, W. Va.:

GENERAL: You are directed to move, with all the troops of your brigade, except the Tenth [West] Virginia Infantry, and the companies of the Third [West] Virginia Cavalry in command of Major Bowen, as soon as you possibly can get ready, on Lewisburg, in Greenbrier County, and attack and capture, or drive away, the rebel force stationed at that place or in the neighborhood. General Duffie, of the Third Division, has been ordered to form a junction with you at or near Lewisburg, with two regiments of cavalry, two of infantry, and a battery. After you have driven the enemy from Greenbrier you will be governed in your actions by information acquired at Lewisburg.

If you deem it practicable, you will move on with the cavalry force, including General Duffie's, to Union, in Monroe County, and