a heavy sacrifice of life necessary to dislodge him. Feeling secure of the prey my men were kept well sheltered, and skirmished just enough to keep the enemy firing his artillery to exhaust its ammunition. Toward sundown Colonel Pridemore made his appearance east of the enemy, my command being to the west, thus hemming him in the valley.

About this time the enemy quitted the houses and took position on a neighboring eminence. As soon as he was far enough from his shelter to make return impossible a general assault was ordered, a surrender enforced in a few minutes.

We captured 383 officers and men, 45 of whom were wounded, and we killed 10, took 3 pieces of artillery and 26 6-mule wagons and teams. Five of the wagons were broken in the capture.

Early on the morning of the 4th one of my scouts returned, reporting the garrison at Cumberland Gap from 1,000 to 1,500, which was confirmed from other sources.

My ammunition was nearly exhausted and my wagons, being compelled to make a detour by Pattonsville, did not reach me until the evening of the 5th, when it was too late to effect what was intended for me to undertake. There is probably subsistence enough for my men and horses to March 1 in this county, though long forage will be scant.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. E. JONES,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Colonel G. M. SORREL,

Asst. Adjt. General, Army East Tennessee.

[Indorsement.]

JANUARY 21, 1864.

Respectfully submitted to the President, who may be interested by the success alluded to by the explanation of the causes that frustrated the more important enterprise.

J. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.

Numbers 5. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Alphonso F. Cook, Eighth Virginia Cavalry.

HDQRS. EIGHTH VIRGINIA CAVALRY,
March 10, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to herewith transmit a report of the part taken by the Eighth Regiment Virginia Cavalry in the action at Jonesville, Lee County, Va., on the 3rd day of January, 1864.

On reaching the point in rear of the enemy's camp from which the attack was made about 8 a.m., I received an order from General Jones to place the three companies armed with pistols and sabers in front. I did so, and placed Captain H. C. Everett in command of those companies, with instructions to charge the enemy's camp and take his artillery and hold him in check until I could support him with the other six companies. Captain Everett advanced at the trot until he came opposite the camp, when he ordered one company to charge the camp and the other two to charge after the battery of 3 guns which the enemy was endeavoring to get into position in the road