enemy. A flag was now sent, demanding a surrender, which was refused. Being nearly dark, [Major Ridgely] Brown's and White's battalions were dismounted and formed the storming party. The pioneers, under Lieutenant William G. Williamson, engineer, had torches and powder ready for firing and blowing up the buildings. The attack under Brown and White was made gallantly, and soon Lieutenant Williamson had the buildings in flames, which quickly caused a surrender.

Our loss in this attack, owing to the uncertainty of aim in the dark, was but 4 killed and 8 or 10 wounded. Among the latter, Major Brown, in the leg, slightly; Captain [R. C.] Smith, of Brown's battalion, in the arm, severely; also Lieutenants [George W.] Booth, [J. A. V.] Pue, and [Edward] Beatty, of Brown's battalion. Our entire loss during the fight was 7 killed and 22 wounded. The enemy lost 2 killed and 6 or 8 wounded, 80 prisoners, 4 wagons, and teams, and 1 ambulance and team. Owing to a lack of transportation, the arms (90 Enfield rifles) were destroyed. The detention here prevented the capture of a train in which were most of the officers of Mulligan's command.

Arriving at the northwestern grade, Colonel [A. W.] Harman was sent with the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, Brown's Maryland battalion of cavalry, and [John H.] McNeill's company of Partisan Rangers, to burn the bridge at Oakland, and to march thence by way of Kingwood on Morgantown. A squadron of the Eleventh Virginia Cavalry, under Captain [E. H.] McDonald, was sent from the same point to Altamont, 12 miles east of Oakland, to burn some small bridges, and then to follow and join Colonel Harman. The remainder of my force moved on Rowlesburg by the northwest grade, arriving at Cheat River about 2 p. m. Sunday, April 26. Having captured the pickets of the enemy, and learning there was a garrison of only 300 men at Rowlesburg, Colonel [John S.] Green, of the Sixth Virginia Cavalry, was ordered to charge the place, and Lieutenant-Colonel Marshall, with the Seventh Virginia Cavalry, and Colonel [Lunsford L.] Lomax, with the Eleventh Virginia Cavalry, were ordered to follow in his support. Captain [O. T.] Weems, of the Eleventh Virginia Cavalry, with 80 sharpshooters of his regiment, and a part of Witcher's battalion, was sent across the hills from the bridge of the northwest grade to attack the east end of the railroad bridge at Rowlesburg, and to fire it at all hazards. Colonel Green was ordered not to be stopped by a mere interior infantry picket, which was posted about a mile above the town, but to charge by and leave these men to the care of the regiments in his rear. If a heavy force awaited him in the bluff above the road along the river, then to dislodge them with sharpshooters, and proceed. I remained at the bridge of the northwest grade, to burn it, if necessary, to guard the rear if attacked, and to sustain either party in case of need with the stragglers coming up. Colonel Green allowed himself to be stopped by less than 20 men, and Captain Weems attacked feebly with only 28 men, leaving the remainder of his command to guard his rear against an imaginary foe. Both attacks failed, and near sundown I found my command without forage, after thirty-six hours of forced marching. One part of my command was penetrating the enemy's country already beyond recall. General Imboden had not been heard of, and could not be abandoned. To renew the attack without the hope of surprise was out of the question, with the difficulties of the ground against us. It was deemed best to pass on, leaving the railroad bridge and trestle-work unharmed, and the garrison at Rowlesburg in our rear. After a few hours of night marching, we found a scanty supply of forage, and went into camp.

Next morning, moving on Evansville, corn was secured for the horses