[CHAP. XXVIII.

Report of Colonel Stanley Matthews, Fifty-first Ohio Infantry, commanding Twenty-third Brigade, of reconnaissance on the Madison road.

HDQRS. TWENTY-THIRD BRIGADE, October 19, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that in obedience to your orders I marched the Twenty-third Brigade from the Crab Orchard road to the Madison road by the old road along Roundstone Creek, reaching the designated point about 4 p.m. The advance, consisting of two companies of the Eighth Kentucky Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel May, on reaching the road captured several small squads of straggling rebel soldiers, belonging principally, as they stated, to Leadbetter's brigade, some to Gillespie's, and two or three to Chenault's cavalry regiment, recently organized in Madison County, Ky.

I sent a party on the road across Rockcastle River to Cruesis', where 6 prisoners were captured. I ascertained that Chenault's cavalry had passed the same day, some hours before my arrival, and a portion at least had remained at Cruesis' until about an hour before sunset, engaged in slaughtering beef, when on receipt of a dispatch from Scovill's Cross-Roads they left in haste, without cooking their meat. A negro captured there stated that he had come from Scovill's; that the last of the troops encamped there had left at 3 o'clock that afternoon for Manchester, he escaping in the hurry of their departure. The cavalry at Chenault's could take the same direction, without going as far as Scovill's. The Madison road was covered with tracks of cattle and sheep, which had obliterated all other, and seemed to be the last made. From the best information I could gather from prisoners and citizens I believe all thee trains and cattle of the enemy had passed.

I was told by one of the prisoners that 500 of Morgan's cavalry left Richmond on the night of the 17th instant, going toward Lexington, but the understanding was that on their return they were to go out by the way of Irvine, though it was also stated that Morgan had sent word to Major Coffee, residing on the Madison road near the foot of the Big Hill, that he would be with him last night and exchange him.

About dusk a party of 4 horsemen, riding toward us from the north, were hailed by the pickets, and not answering the challenge, were fired upon. One was taken prisoner (his horse being shot), but the rest escaped. The prisoner is a citizen; the others it is likely belonged to Morgan's cavalry.

The result of the reconnaissance, besides the information just detailed, was the capture of between 25 and 30 prisoners and 10 or 15 horses, a particular account of which will be hereafter furnished.

Respectfully,
STANLEY MATTHEWS,

Colonel, Commanding Twenty-third Brigade.

Brigadier General H. P. VAN CLEVE, Commanding Fifth Division.

Numbers 4.

Report of Colonel Edward M. McCook, Second Indiana Cavalry, commanding First Cavalry Brigade, of expedition from Crab Orchard to Big Hill and Richmond, October 21.

LEBANON, KY., October 24, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report that in pursuance to your order I left