APRIL 6-7, 1863. - Skirmishes near Burlington, and at Purgitsville and Goings' Ford, W. Va.

REPORTS.

Numbers 1. - Brigadier General Benjamin F. Kelley, U. S. Army, commanding First Division, Eighth Army Corps.

Numbers 2. - Colonel Jacob M. Campbell, Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Infantry, commanding, Fourth Brigade.

Numbers 1. Report of Brigadier General Benjamin F. Kelley, U. S. Army, commanding First Division, Eighth Army Corps.

HARPER'S FERRY, VA.

April 13, 1863.

COLONEL: I herewith inclose you copy of Colonel J. M. Campbell's report of skirmish in Hampshire County, Virginia. You will perceive that the trouble was caused, as usual, by carelessness or disobedience of orders of a foraging party. I trust more care will be taken in future by this command to avoid a repetition of this affair. Colonels Campbell and Mulligan have been ordered to keep a sharp lookout for Imboden's force in the valley of the South Branch, and, if they come within their reach, to attack them at once and capture or disperse them.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. F. KELLEY,

Brigadier-General.

Lieutenant Colonel W. H. CHESEBROUGH,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Baltimore, Md.

Numbers 2. Report of Colonel Jacob M. Campbell, Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Infantry, commanding Fourth Brigade.

MECHANICSBURG GAP,

April 8, 1863.

CAPTAIN: Upon learning that on the morning of the 6th instant a foraging party of the Ringgold Battalion, with a squad of 40 men, under command of Lieutenant Speer, of the Lafayette Cavalry, had started out, I immediately ordered Lieutenant Myers, with 50 men to, re-enforce the guard, but before Lieutenant Myers, came up, Lieutenant Speer was attacked near Burlington by a largely superior force of rebel cavalry, under Captain [John H.] McNeil, who succeeded in capturing Lieutenant Speer, with 11 of his men and 5 teams. Learning that Speer had been attacked, I promptly dispatched all my available cavalry, under command of Captain Work, out on the Moorefield road, followed by 400 of the Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers and 200 of the First Virginia Volunteer Infantry, and one section of the Upshur Battery, Captain Moore, all under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Linton, Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteers.

Near Purgitsville, about 15 miles from this post, Captain Work met

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