cavalry in collecting cattle and sending them to the rear. I required everything to be paid for at fair prices, such as were the current rates before we arrived in the country. This gave general satisfaction in the country, and our currency was freely accepted.

On the 29th, I received my first information from General Jones (see copy of his letter inclosed), and on the same day I ascertained that the enemy was massing his troops at Janelew, a village about midway between Buckhannon and Clarksburg, and fortifying his position. The 30th was spent in collecting corn and cattle.

On May 1, hearing nothing further from General Jones, I sent Colonel Imboden to Weston with his regiment of cavalry. He found the place evacuated and stores destroyed, but got confirmation of the fact that the enemy was at Janelew. Fearing that General Jones had been cut off in his attempt to join me, I gave orders that night to move early in the morning toward Philippi. My raft was completed and I was ready to cross the river. Just as we commenced moving on the morning of the 2nd, a courier arrived with intelligence that General Jones was within 6 miles, and brought information of the destruction of the iron bridge at Fairmont, on the main stem of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and that a party I had sent out under Lieutenant Sturms, of the Nineteenth Cavalry, had succeeded in burning all the bridges for 30 miles west of Fairmont, and that the bridge on the Northwestern Virginia Railroad, 6 miles east of Clarksburg, at Bridgeport, has also been burned. On receiving this information, I changed my direction of march toward Weston, feeling confident that with General Jones' brigade and my own force united we would be strong enough to hold our own and probably defeat the enemy at Janelew or Clarksburg.

My own command had lost over 200 by desertion, after passing Beverly, from Dunn's battalion dismounted cavalry, in consequence of an order published by me prohibiting the seizure of horses or other property from citizens for private uses. These men had expected to mount themselves off the country. Before I had got away from Buckhannon, General Jones arrived, and approved the plan of moving on to Weston, though he had but a small proportion of his command with him. I here stated to him that, being the ranking officer, he would, of course, assume the command as long as we remained together, which he did. The road was so bad that we did not reach Weston until Sunday morning, May 3. I at once sent scouts toward Clarksburg, and ascertained that the enemy was there several thousand strong, and were fortifying a pass at the mouth of Lost Creek, 8 miles this side of Clarksburg.

On the 4th, General Jones arrived with a part of his command, and went into camp. I at once set to work to scour the country for grain and cattle. Very little of the former was obtained, though we got a large number of fine cattle.

On the 5th, a considerable part of General Jones' brigade arrived from Beverly. My picket at Janelew was surrounded and attacked, but all escaped except 3, whose horses were killed and they captured. The picket reported the advance of a large force, and we expected a fight. During the day I had received from a confidential and perfectly reliable source an accurate statement of the enemy's forces at Clarksburg, giving the regiments, their size, and their batteries. The whole force was between 4,600 and 5,000 infantry and twelve field guns, and they had been busy several days intrenching. Generals Kenly and Roberts were present in person, and re-enforcements were hourly expected. These arrived the next day, increasing the force to from 6,000 to 8,000 men. It was agreed between General Jones and myself that we could