reporting your advance to Colonel Wilkinson at that place, there to await orders or be governed by circumstances. For this order I have the authority of Governor Peirpoint.

ROBT. C. SCHENCK,

Major-General, Commanding.

GRAFTON, VA., [April 26, 1863.]

General [ROBERTS:]

My forces at Rowlesburg have driven the enemy back. They are encamped 3 miles up the river.

N. WILKINSON,

[Colonel Sixth Virginia Infantry, Commanding Brigade.]

BALTIMORE, April 26, 1863.

Brigadier-General ROBERTS,

Buckhannon, Va.:

Can you not get in the rear of the rebel force and cut off their retreat? They are reported to have reached Rowlesburg and Oakland.

ROBT. C. SCHENCK,

Major-General, Commanding.

BUCKHANNON, VA., April 26, 1863.

Major-General SCHENCK,

Baltimore, Md.:

Received your telegram. The Second [West] Virginia Regiment, with two companies of cavalry and two pieces of artillery, have just reached me, having retreat from Beverly on Friday night, by way of Philippi. I have here now the Second Virginia, the Eighth Virginia, that has just reached me from Bulltown, and Twenty-eighth Ohio. The forced marches of the Virginia regiments, on the worst roads I ever saw, have broken them down, and they came without transportation that I directed to come by way of Weston.

The Third Virginia is between Bulltown and here, and will be here to-morrow by noon. I shall move three regiments and three guns from here toward Beverly Tuesday morning; at the same time Colonel Mulligan will move from Philippi, and I expect to capture all Imboden's and Jackson's forces. For want of horses and forage, I cannot move earlier.

B. S. ROBERTS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

BUCKHANNON, VA., April 26, 1863.

General KELLEY,

Commanding Harper's Ferry:

I just received a dispatch from Clarksburg, reporting that at 11.30 p.m. the enemy were at Rowlesburg.

B. S. ROBERTS,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.