conspired to show its wisdom. An army sufficient to protect them could not be subsisted from the country in the vicinity of the works. The condition of the mountain roads and the usual severity of the winter thereabouts would have rendered it nearly impossible to supply rations by hauling from the rear. At least as a matter of economy the destruction of the works seemed a wise movement. The Confederates had carried away not exceeding perhaps from 3,500 to 4,000 bushels of manufactured salt, but every circumstance led to the belief that the quantity on hand would have been shortly taken, as soon as their means of transportation would permit, and that the leaders of the rebellion calculated on their supply of salt to come from these works. In addition to the destruction of the Salt-Works my expedition to Manchester threatened a body of 2,100 Confederate cavalry lying in camp at Paine's farm, 12 miles beyond the town, in direction of Cumberland Gap; so much so that it broke camp and left in great confusion during the night of my arrival. The country about the Salt-Works was thoroughly patrolled and reconnoitered. Fifty-six straggling prisoners were captured and sent back to the cross-roads and there paroled. There were 35 beef cattle captured from the enemy, which were driven in and used to subsist my command. There is a considerable amount of Government property scattered about in the hands of the citizens in vicinity of the Salt-Works. As many as 20 or 30 Government wagons, only slightly injured by fire, were seen by my patrols, and the number of such could have been increased to one hundred and more (if the statement of apparently credible men could be relied on) in that neighborhood. Government harness, mules, horses, and boots of various kinds were heard of constantly. This property was a portion of trains partially destroyed and abandoned by General Morgan (U. S. Volunteers) on his retreat from Cumberland Gap. I had no time to hunt up the property and no means to transport it away, and can simply make report of it as being there. While at the Salt-Works and en route there many of the members of Home Guard associations had interviews with me, and were stimulated to watch the mountain roads and tracks for stragglers and to complete and render effective their associations. At the time of my leaving they had already begun to spread terror among stragglers and to make it dangerous for small bodies of the enemy's cavalry to attempt incursions into their neighborhoods. The people in the mountain districts in direction of Manchester are loyal and true to the Government.

They have been robbed by the rebel army of nearly all of their available personal property-cattle, horses, and crops-and are left generally in a destitute condition.

I am, captain, very truly, yours, &c.,

CHARLES CRUFT,

Brigadier General, Commanding Twenty-second Brigade, Fourth Division.

Captain ATKINSON, A. A. G., Fourth Div., Army of the Ohio.

[Inclosure.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. TWENTY-SECOND BRIGADE,

Numbers 3.
Goose Creek Salt-Works, Ky, October 23, 1862.

Colonel Enyart, First Kentucky Volunteers; Lieutenant-Colonel Hanson, Twentieth Kentucky Volunteers, and Lieutenant-Colonel Spencer Second Kentucky Volunteers, are hereby appointed a board to destroy the Salt-Works near Manchester, Ky., and the manufactured salt on hand as speedily as practicable. They will take such measures as will