he seemed surprised, and ordered me to go immediately and tell Colonel Giltner to move on and attack the enemy in front.

I started back to the first cross-road, and had got about 1 1/2 miles when I met a courier from Colonel Giltner who said that his whole brigade had passed down the old stage road in a great hurry, having routed the Yankee pickets at Surgoinsville. I then turned to follow on after General Jones, and had gone on the Carter's Valley road to within 5 miles of Rogersville, when I learned that Colonel Giltner had not gone on down farther than C. C. Miller's, 8 miles east of Rogersville. I immediately about faced and went back to the road leading from the Carter's Valley road to the old stage road, coming out at Mr. C. C. Miller's, where Colonel Giltner was understood to be. When I turned back I was about 4 miles from C. C. Miller's (or Yellow Store), but when I got there all of the brigade under Giltner had passed along, except the artillery (Lowry's battery) and the rear guard.

I went on after Colonel Giltner, passing about half of his column (the rear half) in motion, and overtook him only a few hundred yards east of Dr. John Shields', 6 miles east of Rogersville. Colonel Giltner was at the time, with a portion of two companies of Colonel Carter's (First Tennessee), cavalry, together with Major Goforth and Captain Fulkerson, in a field on the right-hand side of the road. The squadron was under the command of Major Goforth, as I soon after learned. I delivered General Jones' order to Colonel Giltner to attack as soon as possible. The squadron under Goforth went on the right to flank the movement of the main column in its advance to attack the enemy, who were understood to be about a mile distant on an elevation in the woods to the left of the road. I think the attack was made about 9 a. m., nearly thirty minutes after I delivered General Jones' order to Colonel Giltner.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. H. WATTERSON.

Numbers 8.

Report of Colonel James M. Corns, Eighth Virginia Cavalry.

HDQRS. EIGHTH VIRGINIA CAVALRY, November 13, 1863.

GENERAL: At your request I make the following report of the part taken by the Eighth Virginia Cavalry at Rogersville, on the 6th instant:

After a forced march of twenty-four hours my regiment arrived at and crossed the Holston River, near Rogersville. At this point I was ordered across the country on a by-road to the Carter's Valley road, at a point some 8 miles above the town, and there await the arrival of Colonel Giltner. I had not waited but a few minutes when I was informed by you that Colonel Giltner was moving on the road between me and the river. At this juncture, being informed by you that there was a company of cavalry on picket some 4 miles in advance of me, I threw forward Company E, of this regiment, with instructions when they arrived at the enemy's picket to charge down upon them, and not to permit any of them to reach Rogersville to give the alarm. This order was carried out to the letter, not one of