REPORT OF Major WILLIAM S. MCCLURE, THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY, COMMANDING FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION, AND REGIMENT.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY,
CAMP NEAR CATLETT'S STATION, VA.,

JUNE 12, 1863.

LIEUTENANT: I HAVE THE HONOR TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THIS COMMAND, AND ALSO OD THE FIRST BRIGADE OF THE FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION, OF WHICH I ASSUMED COMMAND AFTER THE FALL OF Colonel B. F. DAVIS: AT 4. 30 A. M. THE BRIGADE MARCHED FROM THE CAMP OF THE NIGHT, DISTANCE FROM THE RIVER ONE-HALF MILE, UNDER COMMAND OF Colonel B. F. DAVIS, THE EIGHTH NEW YORK CAVALRY IN ADVANCE, SUPPORTED BY THE EIGHTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY, AND MY COMMAND, COMPOSED OF ONE BATTALION THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY, ONE SQUADRON THIRD [WEST] VIRGINIA CAVALRY, AND ONE BATTALION OF THE NINTH NEW YORK CAVALRY. BEFORE REACHING THE FORD, TWO SQUADRONS OF THE SIXTH NEW YORK CAVALRY WERE DETACHED AND SENT FORWARD TO SURPRISE AND CAPTURE ANY OF THE ENEMY'S PICKETS AT THE FORD; THESE, DASHING OVER, SECURED THE FORD AFTER A SHARP ENGAGEMENT. CLOSELY FOLLOWING CAME THE BRIGADE. ADVANCING RAPIDLY, WE SOON GAINED A LARGE BODY OF RALLY HIS MEN, THAT THE LAMENTED Colonel B. F. DAVIS FELL MORTALLY WOUNDED. CAPTAIN CLARK, COMMANDING EIGHTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY, IMMEDIATELY CHARGED THE ENEMY, WHILE MY COMMAND WAS FORMED ON THE RIGHT OF THE ROAD TO PROTECT AND SUPPORT THE CHARGING COLUMN. HERE CAPTAIN CLARK WAS WOUNDED, AND THE COMMAND DEVOLVED UPON CAPTAIN FORSYTH, WHO ALSO WAS SHORTLY AFTER WOUNDED. UNDER THESE MOST UNFAVORABLE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WHILE CONSIDERABLE CONFUSION PREVAILED, I RECEIVED ORDERS TO ASSUME COMMAND OF THE BRIGADE. BY ORDER OF GENERAL BUFORD, I MOVED MY COMMAND TO THE LEFT, HE OCCUPYING THE RIGHT, AND CHECKED A LARGE BODY OF THE ENEMY ADVANCING IN COLUMN OF SQUADRONS. WITH SOME DIFFICULTY, I SUCCEEDED, ABOUT 6. 30 A. M. INFORMING MY COMMAND IN CLOSE COLUMN OF SQUADRONS ON THE LEFT OF THE ROAD AND IN THE TIMBER. IMMEDIATELY THE EIGHTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY WAS DETACHED BY ORDER OF GENERAL PLEASONTON, AND I SAW NOTHING MORE OF THEM DURING THE DAY. COLONEL DEVEN COMING UP, ORDERED ME TO RETAIN COMMAND. BY 7 A. M. THE ENEMY WAS REPORTED ADVANCING TWO HEAVY LINES OF SKIRMISHERS, SUPPORTED BY ABOUT TWO REGIMENTS. I IMMEDIATELY ORDERED MAJOR LEMMON, NOW IN COMMAND OF THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY, TO DEPLOY TO THE LEFT ONE SQUADRON, AND CAPTAIN HANLEY, OF THE NINTH NEW YORK, TO MOVE HIS SQUADRON TO THE EXTREME LEFT TO WATCH THE MOVEMENTS OF THE ENEMY. ANOTHER SQUADRON, UNDER MAJOR PATTON, THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY, WAS DISMOUNTED AND SENT OUT AS SKIRMISHERS. AT 8. 30, THE ENEMY STILL CONTINUING TO ADVANCE SLOWLY, Colonel DEVIN ORDERED ONE SECTION OF ROBERTSON'S BATTERY UP. FINDING NO SUITABLE POSITION, THEY GAVE US VERY LITTLE AID. THE ENEMY STILL CONTINUING TO ADVANCE, AND INCLINING TO MY LEFT AND REAR, I ORDERED MAJOR POPE, OF THE EIGHTH NEW YORK, TO DEPLOY ONE SQUADRON OF HIS REGIMENT SO AS TO CONNECT CAPTAIN HANLEY ON THE LEFT WITH MAJORS PATTON AND LEMON. TO THIS LINE I GAVE TWO MORE SQUADRONS FOR SUPPORT. FOR A TIME THE ADVANCE OF THE ENEMY WAS CHECKED, BUT BY 9. 30 HE BEGAN TO ADVANCE RAPIDLY, DRIVING MY SKIRMISHERS UP TO THE GUNS, WHICH,