WITHOUT ORDERS, THE OFFICER IN COMMAND SENT TO THE REAR. WHILE THE GUNS WERE RETIRING AND THE ENEMY ADVANCING, Major W. B. MARTIN, NINTH NEW YORK, CHARGED WITH THE REMAINING SQUADRON OF HIS BATTALION, FORCING THE ENEMY TO FALL BACK AND TAKING SOME PRISONERS. HE HIMSELF WAS WOUNDED AND RETIRED FROM THE FIELD, LEAVING CAPTAIN AYRES IN COMMAND. IMMEDIATELY I CAUSED OUR LINES TO BE ADVANCED. THE ENEMY FELL BACK RAPIDLY, AND BY NOON WE WERE IN COMPLETE POSSESSION OF THE WHOLE TIMBER, AND THE LINES WERE ADVANCING IN THE OPEN FIELD BEYOND, SUPPORTED BY THE WHOLE COMMAND MOVING IN COLUMNS OF FOURS. THE REAR OF THE ENEMY WAS CHARGED BY Lieutenant L. C. WILSON, IN COMMAND OF COMPANY F, OF THE THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY, WHO CAPTURED A FEW PRISONERS. DISCOVERING THAT THE ENEMY WAS MASSING A LARGE FORCE IN ADVANCE AND A LITTLE TO THE RIGHT, I HALTED THE COLUMNS UNTIL A SECTION OF ARTILLERY JOINED US. AGAIN ADVANCING UNTIL THE ROAD BY WHICH GENERAL GREGG JOINED US WAS REACHED, THE GUNS WERE PLACED IN POSITION AND THE COMMAND FORMED IN LINE AND COLUMN OF SQUADRONS TO SUPPORT THE GUNS AND SKIRMISHERS. IN THIS POSITION WE REMAINED UNTIL ABOUT 3 P. M. UNDER THE FIRE OF THREE OF THE ENEMY'S GUNS, WHEN, GENERAL GREGG HAVING COME UP, WE WERE ORDERED TO THE REAR TO PROTECT THE RECROSSING OF GENERAL BUFORD. SOON, AND BEFORE GENERAL BUFORD RECROSSED, I WAS ORDERED TO THIS SIDE. LIEUTENANT-COLONEL CLENDENIN, OF THE EIGHTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY, BEING PRESENT, I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE COMMAND OVER TO HIM, TO WHOM THE REGIMENTAL REPORTS WERE MADE; IN CONSEQUENCE, I CAN FURNISH NO LIST OF CASUALTIES IN THE COMMAND, NOR CAN I MENTION INSTANCES OF BRAVERY AND ABILITY WHICH CAME UNDER MY IMMEDIATE NOTICE WITHOUT, PERHAPS, INJUSTICE TO OTHERS EQUALLY DESERVING; YET I WOULD NOT OMIT TO MENTION CAPTAIN FOOTE AND LIEUTENANT CUTLER, OF THE EIGHTH NEW YORK, WHO FELL MORTALLY WOUNDED JUST BEFORE WE GAINED POSSESSION OF THE TIMBER. AT THE SAME TIME ADJT. GAM. S. TAYLOR, THIRD INDIANA CAVALRY, AND LIEUTENANT HERRICK, OF THE NINTH NEW YORK, WERE SLIGHTLY WOUNDED.

VERY RESPECTFULLY, YOUR OBEDIENT SERVANT,

W. S. MCCLURE,

MAJOR, COMDG. 3rd INDIANA CAVALRY AND DETACHMENTS OF 9TH N. Y. AND 3rd [W.] VA. CAV.

Lieutenant J. H. MAHNKEN,

ACTING ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL.

REPORTS OF Colonel ALFRED N. DUFFIE, FIRST RHODE ISLAND CAVALRY, COMMANDING SECOND DIVISION.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION,
JUNE 4, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I HAVE THE HONOR TO REPORT THAT AT 5 P. M. YESTERDAY, I RECEIVED A DISPATCH FROM THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE FIRST MASSACHUSETTS CAVALRY (LIEUTENANT-COLONEL CURTIS), ON PICKET NEAR FAYETTEVILLE, STATING THAT A FORCE OF THE ENEMY, 250 STRONG, WERE CROSSING THE FORD AT SULPHUR SPRINGS. THE ENEMY SUBSEQUENTLY ATTACKED HIS PICKET OF 33 MEN, UNDER THE COMMAND OF LIEUTENANT GLEASON, WHO, AFTER A BRISK SKIRMISH, FELL BACK, ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS, ON THE ROAD LEADING TO THE RESERVE (NEAR FAYETTEVILLE).