sisting of 1 sergeant and 6 enlisted men, was sent, on the morning of the 27th, to patrol the Telegraph road for about 4 miles southward, to meet patrols from Aquia Creek; and another detail of 1 commissioned officer and 23 men, from the same company and Company B, was sent to patrol and picket the road at Lindsay's [Lindsley's?] farm, about 5 miles out and beyond, toward Dyer's Mill and Independence Hill.

The first-named detachment, under command of Sergeant Crow, while waiting for the Aquia Creek patrol, was attacked by a large body of rebel cavalry, dressed in Federal uniforms. Sergeant Crow dispatched one of his men to report to you, and with the remainder endeavored to hold his ground. The messenger reached you, closely followed up by the rebels, for the party was soon surrounded and overpowered. Sergeant Crow's horse was shot under him, and he managed to escape on foot. The remainder of his party were captured or killed-I am unable to state which, or whether they inflicted any loss on the enemy.

The other party was under the command of First Lieutenant John H. Clybourne; their vedettes were driven in about noon by another body of the rebel cavalry, and at the same time another party of the rebel cavalry advanced on them from their rear, and charged upon them. They plunged into the bushes and fought, dismounted; only one of them has returned to camp. The names of the missing of these two detachments from Company G are herewith submitted.

When the firing on the town commenced, in obedience to your orders, I mounted my men, and led them from camp up the street, toward your headquarters. We there found ourselves much exposed to the fire of the rebel guns. One shell struck the saddle of Captain Hayden, and, glancing upon his hip, inflicted a serious injury. I withdrew my men out of range, when I received orders to again move forward. In our advance we entered the main street of the town, directly in front of the rebel guns, which opened upon us as soon as we came in range. The shells fell close about us, and one spherical case shot struck just in front of our column of twos, and, ricochetting over the heads of the first files, passed the whole length of a company between the files, inflicting no further injury than the disabling of one horse. I then received your permission to take my men out of range and move a few yards to the right, and halted near our camping ground, where we remained until the enemy made their movement toward our right flank. I then moved the companies forward to the hill commanding the road into Dumfries. This road, which was evidently menaced by the enemy's movement, lay on your right, and to the left of the infantry camp. Here we met a portion of the enemy's cavalry advancing upon our pickets, and drove them, without loss, back into the woods, where they dismounted. I then sent about 40 of my men, by your orders, under Lieutenant Drennan, to hold the road to Occoquan, and, the ground being ill-adapted to cavalry (the enemy's position was almost entirely inaccessible), I dismounted the remainder, and caused the horses to be led back into the woods. I concealed the men on the brow of the hill in the enemy's front. We had not been there long before the rebels formed in line and advanced with yells down the declivity in their front, as if to charge. My men rose to their feet and delivered an effective volley from their carbines, upon which the enemy precipitately retired to their old position.

In the course of the afternoon they again repeated the attempt in larger numbers, and with more determination, when my men sprang up, and with hurrahs advanced to meet them, pouring into them a rapid fire. I think the rebel expected to find the hill unoccupied, for they