Numbers 16. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Elijah V. White, Thirty-fifth Virginia Cavalry Battalion.

MAY 25, 1863.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that, in compliance with your order of April 20, I left my camp, 2 miles north of Harrisonburg, and arrived at Brock's Gap on the evening of April 21, with an aggregate of 250 in my command.

On the morning of April 22, took up the line of march, and encamped at Mathias'. Encamped on the night of the 23rd near Moorefield.

On the morning of the 24th, moved up the South Branch of the Potomac to Petersburg, where we crossed the river. In consequence of the swollen state of the waters, I was here compelled to leave my weak horses, amounting in all to about 50. Moving on with the rest of my command, I encamped for the night at Old Fields.

On the 25th, at about 11 o'clock, took up the line of march for Greenland, where I arrived at 5 o'clock with my command. Here we encountered a force of Yankees, and by your order I dismounted all my men except those absolutely necessary to hold the horses, each man holding from 5 to 6, and all seeming anxious to engage in the fight. I formed my dismounted men, numbering in all about 170, in rear of the Maryland Battalion. About 6 o'clock moved up the road, crossed a stream of water about 2 feet deep, and passed along the foot of the mountain until arriving within 100 yards of the church in which the enemy was concealed. Here Major [Ridgely] Brown, with his command, obliqued to the left, while I moved straight on. I then ordered my command to charge. This order was obeyed with alacrity and effect, the men promptly crossing a rocky and rapid stream in the face of a galling fire from the enemy in the church, and an enfilading fire from a portion of the enemy concealed in a building to the right of the church. They rushed bravely on until they arrived at the church, where, knocking out the chinking and firing through the holes, they soon drove the enemy from our side of the house.

In the meantime the pioneer corps coming up, broke out the window, set fire to a bundle of straw, and threw it in, thus firing the lower part of the building.

I cannot here fail to notice the gallant conduct of Private Thomas [E.] Tippett, of Company A, who, under a galling fire, ascended the chimney and set fire to the roof of the church. I called repeatedly for the powder with which it was intended to blow up the building, but it failed to come. The enemy, finding death certain, surrendered. During this part of the engagement, which lasted about twenty minutes, the enemy were pouring a galling fire into my ranks from the building on my right. Immediately on the surrender of the church, I charged this building and took it.

My loss was as follows: Sergt. K. Grogan, Company F, killed; F. Foley, Company A; F. Williams, Company B; S. Fouch and M. Foster, Company C; M. Rhodes, Company E, severely wounded. Thomas Spates, Company A, and Sergeant Thrift, Company F, slightly wounded.

About 11 p. m. took up line of march; crossed the Alleghany Mountain and Cheat River, and encamped on the night of the 26th on Cheat Mountain.

On the morning of the 27th, moved on through Evansville; crossed the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Independence, and encamped about 10 miles from Morgantown.