FOUND HIMSELF AND HIS HANDFUL OF MEN PRECIPITATED UPON A REGIMENT OF REBEL CAVALRY. WHATEVER VALOR, COOLNESS, AND DETERMINATION COULD PREFORM WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY MAJOR REMINGTON AND HIS COMMAND. I AM AGREEABLY SURPRISED TO SEE EVEN THE REMNANT HE BRINGS INTO CAMP. RESPECTFULLY,

JAMES B. SWAIN,

COLONEL. Major

J. P. SHERBURNE,

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL.

Numbers 377. REPORT OF Colonel HENRY L. ABBOT, FIRST CONNECTICUT HEAVY ARTILLERY, OF AFFAIR ON THE LITTLE RIVER TURNPIKE, VA.

NEAR FORT RICHARDSON, VA.,

JUNE 29, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I HAVE THE HONOR TO REPORT THAT THE ENEMY HAVE BEEN RECONNOITERING ON THE LITTLE RIVER TURNPIKE, JUST IN FRONT OF OUR PICKETS, BOTH LAST NIGHT AND TO-DAY. ON THE FIRST OCCASION, 3 MEN PUT TO FLIGHT A WHOLE COMPANY OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-EIGHTH NEW YORK, ALTHOUGH THE ONLY DEMONSTRATION THEY MADE WAS TO RETREAT ON BEING CHALLENGED BY THE PICKETS. ON THE SECOND, 2 ARMED MEN SHOT A CIVILIAN AND DROVE 2 OTHERS INTO OUR LINES IN SIGHT OF OUR PICKETS. FORT WORTH IS TOO HIGH TO COMMAND THIS ROAD BY NIGHT BY ARTILLERY FIRE, AND MY INFANTRY IS TOO BAD TO BE TRUSTED TO PROTECT EVEN A SECTION OF THE LIGHT BATTERY THERE, WHERE THERE IS NO RETREAT FOR IT, FROM CAVALRY. I HAVE RIDDEN OVER THE POSITION THIS MORNING, AND WOULD RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST THAT THE TWENTY-FIFTH MAINE REGIMENT, NOW NEAR MY RIGHT, BE PLACES WHERE THIS COMPANY NOW IS, TO HOLD THE ROAD, AND COVER A SECTION OF MY BATTERY (HAZARD'S) TO-NIGHT. AFTER DUE EXAMINATION, I HAVE DECIDE, UNLESS MORE FORCE IS AVAILABLE, TO PUT THE WHOLE BATTERY IN POSITION IN THE RIFLE-PITS BETWEEN FORTS WORTH AND WARD, COVERED BY THREE COMPANIES OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EIGHTH NEW YORK, WITH ORDERS TO HOLD THE LEESBURG TURNPIKE, AND AWAIT FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN CASE OF AN ATTACK TO-NIGHT. I CANNOT HOLD THE LITTLE RIVER TURNPIKE WITHOUT MORE INFANTRY. IF THE REBELS PASS FORT WORTH ON IT, THEY OUGHT TO BE STOPPED BY THE FORCES NEAR ALEXANDRIA; IF THEY THEN TURN UP ON THE SEMINARY PLATEAU, THE LIGHT BATTERY IS READY TO PREVENT THEIR ATTACKING OUR LINE IN REAR IN THAT VICINITY, AND THE CONVALESCENT CAMP MEN OUGHT TO HOLD THEIR OWN CAMP. THEIR RAID WILL THUS DO LITTLE GOOD TO THEM. IF I TRY TO BLOCK THE LITTLE RIVER PIKE, I FEAR I SHALL LOSE MY GUNS TO NO PURPOSE.

I AM, CAPTAIN, VERY RESPECTFULLY, YOUR OBEDIENT SERVANT,

HENRY L. ABBOT,

COLONEL FIRST CONNECTICUT ARTILLERY, COMMANDING.

Captain THOMAS THOMPSON,

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL.