sustain my request for a court of inquiry I will forward them so soon as required.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWARD M. McCOOK,

Colonel, Commanding Regiment.

Colonel J. B. FRY, Chief of Staff, Army of the Ohio.

Numbers 3.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel Robert R. Stewart, Second Indiana Cavalry, of action August 21.

NASHVILLE, TENN., August 22, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report herewith the part taken by my command in the engagement which occurred between General Johnson and General Morgan on the 21st instant near Gallatin.

Leaving McMinnville on the 11th instant, our efforts to find or obtain intelligence of the whereabouts of the enemy were fruitless until the 19th instant, when at Cookville we obtained reliable information that General Morgan, with a command 800 strong, was at Hartsville. This intelligence we got by intercepting the enemy's mail.

General Johnson here asked my advice as to whether we should follow in pursuit. I replied that we had been in search of the information just received, and urged that we should follow in the morning, with a force of cavalry about 700 strong, consisting of detachments of the Second Indiana, Seventh Pennsylvania, Fourth Kentucky, and Fifth Kentucky Regiments. We took up the line of march and moved 2 1/2 miles beyond Hartsville, where we recaptured some prisoners, horses, mules, and wagons which had been taken from Colonel Boone a few days previous. At this place we learned that Morgan had gone retake Gallatin. Early next morning we pushed forward in the direction of Gallatin. My command-the Second Indiana-composed the advance of the column. I threw forward Companies C and D as an advance guard. After moving some 9 or 10 miles, Captain Johnson, of Company D, sent back word that they were in sight of the enemy's pickets. I returned the order to the advance guard to press them. This being done, and 1 1/2 miles farther advanced, word was returned from the front to the column that the enemy in force were moving to the right and left. We also received reliable intelligence that Morgan had been re-enforced, and that his command was at least 3,000, consisting of cavalry and infantry, all of which I communicated to General Johnson, who in reply ordered me to engage them.

I here halted the advance guard, and the enemy appearing in heavy columns on my right, I had my men to throw down the fence of an open field, marched my regiment in, formed it into line, gave the command forward, and opened fire upon the enemy's column, which after two volleys was broken, and we drove them about 500 yards, when a terrific fire was opened upon the right and left flanks of my command. Seeing that no support came to my aid, I ordered Captain Leabo to take command of the right squadron, face it to the right, and protect the right flank. Discovering that this force was insufficient for the purpose I ordered Companies A and B charge in aid of Captain Leabo, which they did, but the fire being so destructive, they were compelled