HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WASHINGTON,
June 12, 1863.

Colonel LOWELL,

Second Massachusetts Cavalry, via Poolesville:

Consult your own discretion in your direction. Go where you please in pursuit of Mosby. A squadron from Winchester will probably pass Middleburg or Aldie to-day. It has been notified to be on the lookout for Mosby.

J. H. TAYLOR,

Chief of Staff, Assistant Adjutant-General.

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FAIRFAX COURT-HOUSE,

June 12, 1863.

Lieutenant-Colonel TAYLOR,

Chief of Staff, and A. A. G., Dept, of Washington:

Your communication from Colonel Lowell is received. I have just returned from Freedom Hill, from which place I sent out a detachment last night. I received word from this detachment about midnight that Mosby crossed the pike, about 2 miles above Dranesville, at 9 o'clock lat night. Mosby had 11 prisoners with him, and some mules and horses, which he captured from the troops in Maryland. My force pushed on in pursuit of him, and will drive him toward Aldie and Middleburg, their hiding place, and at which point Major Hammond, of the Fifth New York, must have arrived in the night. Major Brewer was ordered from Winchester to Leesburg, so that in case they went in that direction he would intercept them there.

Respectfully,

JUL. STAHEL,

Major-General.

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CHANTILLY, VA., June 12, 1863.

Via FAIRFAX COURT-HOUSE, VA., 8 p. m.

Colonel J. H. TAYLOR.

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. Department of Washington:

I did not find Mosby at Ball's Mills, as hoped; found his track across the Old Carolina road, about 1 mile from the creek. He had crossed the creek from the east, near Garlick's Ford, moving on the west side to near Carter's Ford, recrossing, and moving across fields to the Middleburg road. He passed Carter's yesterday at noon. We crossed Goose Creek at Carter's, and proceeded to Little River road, near Aldie. Had just selected 200 of my best horses to go up through Middleburg, when Major Hammond appeared from that direction with 400 men of his own regiment and the First. [West] Virginia Cavalry, reporting all quiet at Middleburg. Mosby had arrived yesterday at 2 o'clock, and disbanded immediately. He had no artillery with him where I followed his trail. I shall return to camp by Chain Bridge early to-morrow, unless otherwise ordered.

C. R. LOWELL, JR.,

Colonel Second Massachusetts Cavalry.

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