of the brave, and at the same time as possessed of singular personal virtues and great executive abilities. The able and gallant manner in which he repulsed a division of the enemy under General Ransom at Leetown, and again between Kearneysville and Shepherdstown, on his first advance down the Valley, enabling General Sigel to remove his train and withdraw his command in safety from Martinsburg, and his subsequent aid enabling that command to reach Maryland Heights in safety, could not but impress me with respect for his abilities.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. M. HARRIS,

Colonel Tenth West Virginia.

Colonel J. M. CAMPBELL,

Commanding Third Brigadier, First Div., Army of Kanawha.

Numbers 72.

Report of Brigadier General Alfred N. Duffie, U. S. Army, commanding First Cavalry Division, of operations July 14-27.

HDQRS. FIRST CAV. DIV., DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA,
Harper's Ferry, W. Va., July 28, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the First Cavalry Division, Department of West Virginia, under my command from July 14, 1864, until July 27, 1864:

I arrived at Martinsburg, Va., with my command at 11 a. m. of July 14, 1864, having come by cars from Parkersburg, W. Va. At 5 p. m. of same date I proceeded under orders from Major-General Hunter, commanding department, to Harper's Ferry, Va., which place I reached at 1 a. m. of July 15. At this place I received orders from Major-General Hunter to proceed with my command to Hillsborough, Va., and report to Brigadier-General Sullivan for orders. My men being entirely without rations and ammunition, I was obliged to delay at Sandy Hook to supply them. Arriving at the ford near Knoxville I met the artillery and wagon train of General Sullivan's command, turned back, the crossing being deemed too rough to undertake. However, I determined to cross my artillery and wagons, which I succeeded in accomplishing with some little labor and delay. I then pushed forward with my command on the Hillsborough road. The First New York (Lincoln) Cavalry, in the advance, had a slight skirmish with a small force of the enemy, two or three miles from Hillsborough, killing and wounding a few, and capturing 12 of the enemy. I reached Hillsborough and reported with my command to General Sullivan at 10 p. m.

On the morning of the 16th I sent out the Fifteenth New York Cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Root, to make a reconnaissance toward Waterford. They skirmished with the enemy for several hours, driving his skirmish line back until the main body was discovered moving on the Leesburg pike toward Snicker's Gap. Colonel Root also reported a wagon train in sight, which was supposed to be a detachment of the main train of the rebel army. Upon the receipt of this information at 10 a. m., General Crook having arrived,