the infantry were posted in line, and the cavalry sent out six miles on each road to collect horses and give notice of the approach of any considerable force of the enemy. Late in the afternoon our scouts were driven in and sharp picket-firing was heard, at the same time a cloud of dust was seen coming down the road. The colored troops immediately took arms and sang "John Brown" for ten minutes in expedition of an attack. It soon appeared that the dust was raised by our own cavalry, who had made a detour, and, after a brief skirmish with the enemy, were coming into camp.

We spent another night in loading the two transports and the gun-boats, and re-embarked on the morning of the 20th. Passing down the river we boats ashore at Union Wharf, Urbanna, and Carter's Creek for information, but failed to learn anything of importance. At the mouth of the river we met the two returning transports, which relived the gun-boats of their load, when the expedition returned to Point Lookout, arriving early in the morning of the 21st instant. We brought in 375 head of cattle, 160 horses and mules, about 600 contrabands, including between 60 and 70 recruits for the army and navy, and a large number of plows, harrows, cultivators, wheat drills, corn-shellers, harness, carts, and carriages, &c., for the use of the contraband settlement on the Patuxent.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully your obedient servant,

ALONZO G. DRAPER,

Colonel Thirty-sixth U. S. Colored Troops, Commanding Dist.

Major R. S. DAVIS,

Asst. Adjt. General, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina.

JUNE 19, 1864.-Affair near Petersburg, W. Va.

Report of Major General Franz Sigel, U. S. Army.

MARTINSBURG, June 20, 1864.

(Received 10 p. m.)

General Kelley reports from Cumberland that Captain Boggs, with a detachment of the Pendleton Home Guard of about thirty men, returning from Creek with supplies, was attacked near Petersburg yesterday, June 19, by about sixty of McNeill's men, under command of Lieutenant Dolen. They drove the guard to the woods, captured several horses, and burnt one wagon. Captain Boggs rallied his men and recaptured the train, killing Lieutenant Dolen and several of his men.

F. SIGEL,

Major-General.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL, Washington.

JUNE 23-24, 1864.-Skirmishes near Falls Church and Centreville, Va.

Report of Colonel Charles R. Lowell, jr., Second Massachusetts Cavalry, commanding Cavalry Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY BRIGADE,
Near Falls Church, Va., June 24, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that a patrol from the camp of the Sixteenth New York Cavalry, consisting of four men, was