No. 1.

Reports of Major General Horatio G. Wright, U. S. Army, commanding Department of the Ohio, with instructions to Major General William Nelson.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Cincinnati, Ohio, August 31, 1862.

Nelson has been badly beaten, I fear, in an encounter with the enemy near Richmond, Ky., his force being, as he says, hopelessly broken and scattered. He is in Lexington, wounded, and I leave for that place in a couple of hours, to see what can be done. He gives no particulars. My orders were to make the Kentucky River the line of defense, and his orders in pursuance seem to have been disregarded. At any rate his force has been routed.

H. G. WRIGHT,

Major-General, Commanding.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

Washington, D. C.

LEXINGTON, KY., August 31, 1862.

I find matters here in a very bad condition. The force engaged in the late battle is scattered, there being only about 800 of them here, with what not engaged in the fight. I am not strong enough to resist the rebel forces, and shall be forced to fall back if they approach. The battle was fought in direct disobedience to my orders and those of General Nelson. General Manson, who was in immediate command until General Nelson came up, and who brought on the battle, has not been heard of. He is probably a prisoner. Have directed troops still coming in to rendezvous at Covington and Louisville until further orders and those in advance to fall back on these points on approach of a superior force. This until I can better understand matters.

H. G. WRIGHT,

Major-General, Commanding.

Major General H. W. HALLECK.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Louisville, Ky., September 2, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that I left Lexington last evening about 5 o'clock, arriving here about 4.30 a.m. to-day. On reaching Lexington I found that the force engaged in the battle in front of Richmond was utterly broken up, and that after all the exertions that could be made to collect the stragglers only some 800 or 900 could be found. The remainder of the force were killed, captured, or scattered over the country. The only force then a Lexington and its vicinity not engaged in the fight were six regiments of infantry, two of cavalry, all new except the Ninth Tennessee [Pennsylvania] Cavalry, and much demoralized by the reverse that had been sustained. Under these circumstances it would have been madness to attempt the defense of Lexington or the Kentucky River with the forces there or with any re-enforcements that could have been brought up in time, and I therefore reluctantly gave orders for the evacuation of the place on the advance of the enemy in force, falling back on Covington or Louisville, as might be proper.