this date General Averell fell back to Greencastle, where I had previously detached fifteen men and an officer from Lieutenant H. T. McLean's party. This latter officer had pickets near McCoy's Ferry, which were driven, about 3 p. m., back to Mercersburg. The enemy's advance, 200 men, charged through the town, forced the small party to fall back after a severe skirmish. Dark coming on, a picket was left at Bridgeport, while Lieutenant H. T. McLean fell back to Saint Thomas, seven miles from Chambersburg, on the Pittsburg pike. In course of the day and evening all of the horses in the Valley, amounting to several thousand, were moved north by order, and the trains of General Averell, with those at Hagerstown, refugees, &c., came through and encamped near Chambersburg. I notified General Averell that I had no force to protect them. That officer was duly notified of Lieutenant H. T. McLean's movements as well as that I had no force to protect his trains.

The following dispatch was sent:

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SUSQUEHANNA,
Chambersburg, July 29, 1864-10.15 p. m.

General W. W. AVERELL,

Greencastle:

Lieutenant McLean was driven out of Mercersburg by about 200 of the enemy. A force of about 400 and two artillery afterward came up.

D. N. COUCH,

Major-General.

At 12.30 a. m. July 30 a dispatch from Lieutenant H. T. McLean was received that his pickets at Bridgeport had been driven in. I immediately notified General Averell as follows:

CHAMBERSBURG, July 30, a 1864.

Brigadier General W. W. AVERELL,

Greencastle:

Lieutenant McLean's pickets have been driven in at Bridgeport, on the road leading from Mercersburg to Saint Thomas. The force moving via Mercersburg has at least two pieces of artillery.

D. N. COUCH,

Major-General.

At 2 a. m. a verbal message from Lieutenant H. T. McLean informed me that he was being pressed in from Saint Thomas.

The following dispatch by telegraph was sent:

CHAMBERSBURG, July 30, 1864-2 a. m.

General W. W. AVERELL,

Greencastle:

My force, Lieutenant McLean, is being driven in from Saint Thomas, and falling back upon Chambersburg.

D. N. COUCH,

Major-General.

At 1 a. m. Major John S. Schultze, assistant adjutant-general, gave orders to Captain Brown, quartermaster in charge of the train above mentioned, to move via Shippensburg north. At 3 a. m. the enemy was near the town and I directed Major John S. Schultze to so notify General Averell and ask him what he intended to do. No replies had been received from that officer, and he subsequently informed me that he did not receive my dispatches of the enemy's advancing until 3.45 a. m. Upon finding the enemy so near, in order

a The hour was not given, but was between 12.30 and 1 a. m.