HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS,
Aldie, Va., June 20, 1863-12, 30 p. m. [Received 5 p. m.]

GENERAL: I am just in from General Gregg's battle-field of yesterday. He had a very hard fight, and lost 5 officers killed and 1 wounded, besides some 75 men killed and wounded, * but drove the enemy most gallantly from a very strong and difficult position, leaving Colonel Wilcox, of the Seventh Virginia Cavalry, + and some 16 men dead upon the field, taking also the prisoners reported yesterday. Our cavalry is really fighting infantry behind stone walls. This is the reason of our heavy losses. One of the rebel infantry soldiers captured had 200 cartridges in his haversack.

As the Second Corps is going to Thoroughfare Gap, I shall move up the brigade at that point to Middleburg, leaving a regiment to picket for the Second Corps at the Gap and New Baltimore.

A rebel infantry soldier, brought in to General Gregg this morning,

states that the infantry force which was on this side of the Blue Ridge, and was of Longstreet's corps, passed through Ashby's Gap

yesterday into the Shenandoah Valley, and that only Stuart's force is this side of the Blue Ridge. General Gregg and I both believe this to be the case, from all the information we can obtain. I would, therefore, respectfully request that the general commanding permit me to take my whole corps to-morrow morning, and throw it at once upon Stuart's whole force, and cripple it up. At the same time, to do this effectually, I should like to have a couple of large brigades or a division of infantry, to move out at, say, 3 o'clock tomorrow morning, so that they can get in position without being seen by the enemy, and engage the dismounted sharpshooters with Stuart while the cavalry attacks and puts to flight their horses. I believe that this, properly managed, can be done, and it would seriously impair the enemy's force for offensive operations. Should the general commanding consent to this, let me have immediate notice, that the necessary orders may be given to-night, so that the plan may not fail by delay in time.

For the last three days the cavalry have been constantly fighting, and have behaved splendidly, and are in the highest spirits and confidence.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. PLEASONTON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Brig. General S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Potomac.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS,
Camp near Upperville, Va., June 21, 1863-5. 30 p. m.

GENERAL: I moved with my command this morning to Middleburg, and had the assistance of General Barnes' division in the operations of this day. I left two of General Barnes' brigades at Middleburg, to hold the town, and with my corps and Colonel Vincent's brigade attacked the cavalry force of the rebels under Stuart, and steadily drove him all day, inflicting a heavy loss at every step. I drove him through Upperville into Ashby's Gap, and assured myself that the enemy had no infantry force in Loudoun Valley.

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*But see revised statement, p. 193.

+An error. Colonel Dulany commanded the Seventh Virginia Cavalry.

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