200 Vermont cavalry. He promptly repulsed them, leaving on the field 25 killed and wounded, including 3 officers, and brought off 82 prisoners, with their horses, arms, and equipments. His force consisted of 65 men, and his loss was 4 wounded.

The enemy has evacuated Dranesville.

I had the pleasure to send by return courier to Major Mosby his commission of major of Partisan Rangers, for which I am obliged to Your Excellency.

I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President Confederate States of America, Richmond, Va.

APRIL 3-6, 1863. - Expedition from Camp Piatt through Logan and Cabell Counties, W. Va., and skirmish (5th) at Mud River.

Report of Captain David Dove, Second West Virginia Cavalry.

CAMP PIATT, W. VA., April 7, 1863.

SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of the result of my late expedition through the counties of Logan and Cabell:

In obedience to your orders, I marched on the evening of the 3rd instant, with detachments of Companies A, D, E, F, G, H, I, and K, in all 6 commissioned officers and 135 enlisted men, from Camp Piatt to Red House, on Coal River, where I arrived at 12 o'clock, and encamped for the remainder of the night, resuming the march at 4 o'clock on the morning of the 4th, and arrived at Chapmanville on Guyandotte River, at 11 a.m. Here we captured 1 captain and 2 privates, stragglers from [A. G.] Jenkins' command. After resting for two hours, I started down the river, with the expectation of meeting Jenkins, learning that he had not passed up, picking up 1 or 2 men every few miles, but could ascertain nothing definite as to his whereabouts until arriving at the mouth of Hart Creek, 12 miles below Chapmanville. I learned that Jenkins had left the river at this point and marched toward Big Sandy River, and as he had some fifteen hours the start of me, and the river was not fordable at any point near, I thought it unadvisable to pursue him, but continued down the river until 6 o'clock, when I made a halt at the mouth of Ugly Creek, remaining here until 2 o'clock on the morning of the 5th, and again started down the river. On arriving at the falls, I learned that a part of [James W.] Sweeney's battalion, commanded by Captain [P. M.] Carpenter, had encamped the night before 4 miles below. I immediately started in pursuit of him, and upon, arriving where he had encamped, I learned that he had marched in the direction of Mud River, leaving the Guyandotte road. Not having a guide, I had to follow his trail through one of the wildest sections of country in Western Virginia.

About 3 o'clock I struck the Mud River road and traveled up it 1 mile to where the trail again left the road, and crossed the river and ascended a very steep and rough hill, covered by a thick woods. When the advance was about half way down the hill, on the opposite side, it came upon the enemy in a very deep rain, into which it was almost impossible to force the horses. After a sharp skirmish, we drove them