this work was not accomplished until 5 p.m. In accordance with the terms of the truce I then notified Colonel Wilder that it was at an end, when, much to my surprise, Colonel Dunham, who had assumed command of the fort in the mean time, requested that it might be prolonged in order to enable them to complete burying their dead. Major Morgan, who bore my message, promised that I would no offensive movement,and afterward Colonels White and Walthall, whom I sent to communicate with Colonel Dunham as soon as I heard of his request, agreed that this might continue for one hour.

After my interview with Colonel Scott in the morning I determined that I would not renew my attack upon the works. My previous attempt had satisfied me that I had been deceived as to the strength of the enemy's works, as well as their numbers and disposition and the possibility of their being re-enforced. They had at the commencement of the engagement, as I have since learned from their officers, about 2,300 men, and were re-enforced by Colonel Dunham with 500 men from the north side of the rive during its continuance. Their works were mounted with ten guns, of which there were two 12-pounder Napoleon guns, one 3 1/4-inch Parrot gun, and the others 6-pounders, mostly rifled. My own force, owing to the heavy details left as pickets at Cave City, numbered only 1,613 officers and men, including Ketchum's battery of two 6-pounders and two 12-pounder howitzers. The force with which Colonel Scott joined me was 300 cavalry, with two small mountain howitzers, and he reported that there were two regiments of cavalry belonging to his brigade on the opposite side of the river. I felt assured that with this force, disproportioned as it was to that of the enemy, I might, by a determined assault, have taken the fort, but the heavy loss which I had already sustained, especially on my left, and the certainly that it would be greatly increased by a renewal of the attack, coupled with the conviction that the place could be easily and speedily taken by a larger force without loss of life, determined me not to make another attempt upon it. As soon therefore as notice had been given to the enemy of the termination of the truce I withdrew my troops under cover of the woods to the turnpike. While on the march I was informed of the request of Colonel Dunham that the truce might be prolonged, and immediately sent Colonels White and Walthall to communicate with him, as I have before stated. I halted the brigade on the turnpike just beyond the bridge crossing the railroad and remained there until the expiration of the hour agreed on, when I resumed the march and proceeded without molestation to Cave City, which I reached about midnight.

My loss in this affair was 3 officers and 32 men killed, and 28 officers and 225 men wounded, of whom some have since died. Of these the greater part in proportion to the numbers engaged fell in the attack on the right of the enemy's works. The wounded were first removed from the field to the depot and other buildings at Rowlett's Station, where their wounds were dressed, and afterward those who could bear transportation were conveyed in ambulances and wagons to Cave City, where they were placed in the hotel and depot and every possible arrangement made for their comfort. Those whom it was not thought proper to remove were left at Rowlett's Station under the charge of surgeons and with the assurance from Colonel Wilder that they should not be molested, which assurance, I am glad to say, was fully carried out.

On the following day (15th instant), having taken the pledge of the telegraphic operator captured at Cave City not to give any information to the enemy, I sent him into their lines under the charge of Captain