which were immediately in their rear, had been fired. In the meantime Captain Dyer, with one battalion of the Thirteenth, proceeded with the work of destruction at Saltville, dispersing a party of the enemy which attempted to oppose him, capturing 23 cavalry horses and equipments. With this attempt ended all resistance on the part of the enemy, both the enemy's forts and the salt-works being held by my brigade. In addition to the 5 pieces of artillery captured in the enemy's works, 3 pieces were found in a block-house in the outskirts of Saltville and 1 piece at the depot, making a total of 9 pieces in and around the Saltwork, with full supply of ammunition. Shortly after daylight once morning of the 21st a port of the forces of Major-General Burbridge entered the salt-works, and, in accordance with orders from Major-General Stoneman, proceeded to destroy the kettles at the lower saltworks, with my brigade wad similarly engaged at the upper works. All the buildings in any way connected with the salt-works were burned; the engines and pumps at the wells were destroyed, under the direction of Major Doughty, of my staff. There are but two wells, and they are about 160 feet deep. The diameter of the copper these wells was found to be the same as the same as that a 12-pounder gun, and as the most effectual way of destroying them they were filled with 12-pounder gun, and as the most effectual way of destroying them they filled with 12-pounder shells and railroad iron. In the opinion of the engineer of the works, who assisted in their destruction and came away with us, it will be impossible to repair these wells. large working parties were kept employed during the day night with sledge hammers braking the kettles. These kettles were about an inch thick in the edge and from two to three inches thick in the bottom,a nd were exceedingly difficult to destroy. On the morning of the morning of the 22nd the troops evacuated Saltville, my command crossing the North Fork of the Holston, about one mile north of the salt-works, and proceeding down the north side of that river to Moccasin Gap, thence by the Carter Valley to Knoxville, where it arrived on the 29th instant.

Thus and ed a march of 461 miles, the greater part of which was over roads of the worst description. During this expedition the brigade which I have honor to command captured 17 pieces of artillery-8 pieces in the action began at Marion and which terminated at Wytheville on the 16th instant,a nd 9 pieces at Saltville and in the forts defending the entrance to that place, on the 20th instant. Two of the pieces captured on the 16th were the same lost by me near Morristown on the 13th of November.

At Wytheville large quantities of quartermaster's, commissary, and ordnance stores, including, as was estimated, 21,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, 1,000 pack-saddles, and 98 wagons, and also a store-house filled with medical stores, were burned. When leaving Wytheville, my rear guard destroyed all railroad and pike brigades, as well as all forage and subsistence in the vicinity of the road.

Since the occupation of East Tennessee by the Federal forces, upper East Tennessee has been constantly harassed by raids from Southwestern Virginia. It was my aim to prevent a repetition of these raids, and so thorough were my orders executed that I am convinced that any force invading East Tennessee from that direction before the ripening of the crops of the ensuing year will be compelled to bring its supplies of forage and subsistence from beyond Wytheville. I regretted the necessity of giving orders that may cause suffering from beyond Wytheville. I regretted the necessity of giving orders that may cause suffering to non-combatants, but regard this as the most effectual means of protection the people of East Tennessee, whose welfare had been entrusted to me, and who had already suffered, as the penalty of their loyalty,