being nearly night when I received the word by the sergeant, and my horses had no forage to-day.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ELI LONG,

Colonel, Commanding Second Brigadier, Second Div., Cav.

Brigadier General WILLIAM D. WHIPPLE,

Chief of Staff, Army of the Cumberland, Cleveland, Tenn.

Numbers 27. Report of Captain William W. Van Antwerp, Fourth Michigan Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH MICHIGAN CAVALRY,
Ooltewah, Tenn., February 29, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to orders from Colonel Enyart, commanding First Brigade, I reported at 12 m. on the 22nd instant, with 100 men of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, to Brigadier General Charles Cruft, commanding First Division, Fourth Army Corps.

By his order reconnoitered the Dalton road 5 miles. Saw the pickets of the enemy, who kept out of my way. Returned to Red Clay and encamped for the night.

On the morning of the 23rd, I sent out 50 men, under command of First Lieutenant C. T. Hudson, to reconnoiter the Dalton road. He proceeded 5 1/2 miles when he encountered the enemy, but in such force that he deemed it imprudent to engage him, and returned to camp.

In compliance with orders from the general commanding, I then proceeded with my command, on an obscure and circuitous road, to the Stone Church, near Ringgold, without meeting the enemy.

On the morning of the 24th, I proceeded in advance of the division to Dr. Lee's house, and moved from thence 1 mile out on the Tunnel Hill road,, which I picketed until the arrival of the division, when I was ordered to report to Colonel Champion with 50 men, and send an officer with the remaining 50 to report to Colonel Grose. Lieutenant Hundson was placed in command, with my command deployed as skirmishers. I proceeded in advance of Colonel Champion's brigade toward Tunnel Hill, and when within 1 mile of that place came to General Davis' division and halted until nearly sundown, when I moved back in rear of the brigade to Dr. Lee's house.

At 3 a. m. on the 25th, as per orders from the general commanding, I moved out in advance of brigade on the Dalton road to Big Spring, arriving at that point just beef daylight. After a brief halt I proceeded out 2 miles toward Dalton, where Colonel Kilgour's regiment was picketing the front. I was here joined by Lieutenant Hudson with the men under his command, and a few minutes afterward was ordered to reconnoiter the Dalton road. About 1 1/2 miles out encountered strong pickets of the enemy. I then fell back half a mile, and picketed the road until 9 a. m., when I was ordered to report to Colonel Long, commanding a brigade of cavalry. I joined Colonel Long at 10 a. m. He was moving upon the enemy in line