Numbers 367. REPORT OF Major CHARLES E. CAPEHART, FIRST WEST VIRGINIA CAVALRY.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST WEST VIRGINIA CAVALRY,
NEAR HARTWOOD CHURCH, VA., AUGUST 17, 1863.

SIR: IN COMPLIANCE WITH AN ORDER EMANATING FROM BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS, I HAVE THE HONOR TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING AS THE REPORT OF THE LATE CAMPAIGN IN MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA: ON JUNE 24, IN COMPLIANCE WITH AN ORDER FROM DIVISION HEADQUARTERS, THIS REGIMENT (UNDER COMMAND OF Colonel N. P. RICHMOND) TOGETHER WITH THE FIRST VERMONT AND FIFTH NEW YORK CAVALRY, WHICH FORMED THE THIRD BRIGADE, THIRD DIVISION, TWENTY- SECOND ARMY CORPS, DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON, LEFT THEIR CAMP AT FAIRFAX COURT-HOUSE, VA., AND MOVED TO EDWARDS FERRY; THENCE TO POOLESVILLE, CRAMPTON'S GAP, AND FREDERICK CITY, MD., WHERE THE DIVISION WAS REORGANIZED. MAJOR-GENERAL STAHEL WAS RELIEVED OF THE COMMAND OF THE DIVISION AND Brigadier General J. KILPATRICK ASSIGNED IN HIS STEAD. COL O. DE FOREST WAS RELIEVED OF THE BRIGADE AND BRIGADIER-GENERAL FARNSWORTH ASSIGNED TO COMMAND IT. ON JUNE 29, WE MOVED FROM NEAR FREDERICK, AND ON THE 30TH MET AND REPULSED THE ENEMY AT HANOVER, PA. THE FIRST WEST VIRGINIA WAS IN THE ADVANCE OF THE BRIGADE, AND HAD PASSED THROUGH THE TOWN, WHEN THE EIGHTEENTH PENNSYLVANIA (WHICH WAS NOW ATTACHED TO THE BRIGADE), WHICH WAS AT THE TIME MARCHING IN THE REAR, WAS ATTACKED BY BOTH CAVALRY AND ARTILLERY. THIS REGIMENT, FIRST WEST VIRGINIA, BY ORDER FORMED IN LINE OF BATTLE, AND CHARGED BACK THROUGH THE TOWN, DRIVING THE ENEMY'S CAVALRY BACK TO THEIR ARTILLERY AND TO THE COVER OF THE WOODS. Lieutenant M. CARROLL, COMPANY F, WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED; SERGEANT [GEORGE] COLLINS, COMPANY L, AND SERGEANT [GARRETT C.] SELBY, COMPANY F, WERE KILLED, AND 4 OTHERS BADLY WOUNDED, AND 1 OFFICER (LIEUTENANT WHEELER, COMPANY E) AND 17 MEN TAKEN PRISONERS. ON JULY 1, WE MARCHED TO ABBOTTSTOWN; THENCE TO BERLIN AND A POINT 10 MILES BEYOND, AND MOVED BACK ON THE NIGHT OF THE SAME DAY, NOT FINDING ANY OF THE ENEMY. JULY 2, WE MARCHED FROM ABBOTTSTOWN TO OXFORD; THENCE TO HUNTERSTOWN, AND PICKETED THE FRONT OF THE ENEMY'S LEFT WING. ON THE MORNING OF THE 3D, WE MOVED UP TO A POINT IMMEDIATELY IN THE REAR OF THE CENTER OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, THEN NEAR GETTYSBURG. AT 10 A. M. OUR BRIGADE (THEN FIRST BRIGADE, THIRD DIVISION) WAS ORDERED TO MOVE TO THE EXTREME RIGHT WING OF THE ENEMY, AND, IF POSSIBLE, HOLD IN CHECK ANY MOVEMENT THEY MIGHT MAKE AT THAT POINT. AT 3 P. M. WE FOUND THEM IN POSITION WITH INFANTRY, CAVALRY, AND ARTILLERY. GENERAL KILPATRICK ORDERED GENERAL FARNSWORTH TO MAKE READY TO CHARGE THEM. EVERYTHING WAS IN READINESS IN A MOMENT. THE FIRST WEST VIRGINIA WAS ORDERED TO THE FRONT, AND ORDERED TO CHARGE UPON THEM. Colonel N. P. RICHMOND LED THE REGIMENT, WITH Major CHARLES E. CAPEHART AND ACTING MAJORS FARABEE AND CARMAN, WHICH MADE ONE OF THE MOST DESPERATE CHARGES DURING THE PRESENT REBELLION. I CANNOT FAIL TO REFER YOU TO THE DEFENSIVE POSITION THE ENEMY HAD AVAILED THEMSELVES OF, WHICH IS ONE THAT ABOVE ALL OTHERS IS THE WORST FOR A CAVALRY CHARGE-THAT IS, BEHIND STONE FENCES SO HIGH AS TO PRE-