force at Dumfries; Sigel at Stafford. He captured 30 of Sigel's wagons, 20 others on the road, 200 prisoners, and brought off nearly everything. Enemy reported to be fortifying near Union Mills.

R. E. LEE.

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, Camp near Fredericksburg, Va., December 29, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to forward herewith to the War Department one cavalry guidon, taken from the enemy at Occoquan on the 18th instant by Brigadier General Wade Hampton.

I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,

General.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, C. S. Army.

No. 3. Report of Brigadier General Wade Hampton, C. S. Army.*

HEADQUARTERS, December 22, 1862.

MAJOR: I have the honor to lay before you the following report of the operations of a part of my command on the 17th and to the 20th instant:

On the day first named, with 100 men from the First South Carolina, under Colonel [John L.] Black; 75 from the First North Carolina, under Captains [J. C.] Blair and [W. M.] Addington; the same number from the Second South Carolina, under Captain [T. H.] Clark; 80 from Phillips' Legion, commanded by Major [W. B. C.] Puckett; 75 from Cobb's Legion, under Major [William G.] Delony, and 60 from the Jeff. Davis Legion, under Lieutenant-Colonel Martin, I crossed at the Rappahanock railroad crossing and moved to Cole's store, where we bivouacked that night.

At daylight the next morning [18th], I was at Kanky's store, on the Neabsco Creek, where there was a post of the enemy. Surrounding these and the post above them, the whole party was captured, together with 8 wagons, only 2 having any stores in them. In approaching this post, Colonel Black, who had command of his regiment, the Phillips and Cobb Legions, advanced down the Telegraph road, while Lieutenant-Colonel Martin came up in command of the rest of the detachments. Dividing my force here, I sent Colonel Martin with his legion, the Second South Carolina, and the First North Carolina, by the river road to Occoquan, Major Delony by the Telegraph road to the same place, while I took Colonel Black and Major Puckett by the Bacon Race road, so as to get above the town. Moving on rapidly, these three columns met near Occoquan, which was entered first by Colonel Martin, who found a train of wagons belonging to Sigel's corps in the act of crossing the river. Dismounting some men, be forced the wagon guard, who were on the other side of the river, to surrender and to come over in the ferryboat.

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*See General Orders, No. 29, Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, February 28, 1863, "Correspondence, etc.," p.1114.

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