Major Quinn in the mean time pushed through the town, and the enemy took a position in column of squadrons, just in advance of the defile, well covered with skirmishers in front and on the flanks. A company of mounted infantry crossed at Inskip's Ford and relieved Major Quinn's skirmishers. The enemy at this point commenced maneuvering as if to charge. I made a disposition of the command to receive them, but the movements only proved to be a feint to draw in their parties on the right and left.

I was then ordered by Colonel Mulligan to carry out my original intention of precipitating my command upon the enemy, and that a gun would report to me in a few minutes. I moved my column toward the enemy as fast as the nature of the ground would admit, but no gun reporting, the enemy entered the pass before I could reach him, leaving only a small party of skirmishers, which we drove back at a trot. Shortly after the gun came up, and also Colonel Mulligan. We together pursued the enemy up, shelling him wherever we could use artillery, but night coming on and the position being one of evident advantage to the enemy, Colonel Mulligan ordered me to withdraw to the other side of the town and river, and on the morning of the 5th ordered me to report to my division commander without delay, which I did, reaching Halltown at 3 p. m. of the 7th instant.

I am, captain, your obedient servant,

C. FITZ SIMMONS,

Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding Cavalry Forces, First Division,

Captain WILLIAM M. BOONE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 3. Report of Colonel James A. Mulligan, Twenty-third Illinois Infantry, commanding Second Division.

HDQRS. SECOND DIV., DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA,
New Creek, W. Va., February -, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report that on the evening of the 3rd instant I took command of the column then in pursuit of General Rosser on the Moorefield and Hardy pike, Colonel Thoburn, commanding. On my arrival, reported the infantry, Fourteenth Virginia, Third and Fourth Pennsylvania Reserves, as exhausted, footsore, and unable to proceed. I ordered them into camp near Purgitsville, and with Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson, commanding 500 of General Averell's cavalry, Captain Greenfield's Independent Company of Cavalry, Carlin's battery, and a section of Ewing's battery, under Lieutenant Morton, moved to Reynolds' Gap, where we halted to await the arrival of General Sullivan's cavalry under Lieutenant-Colonel Fitz Simmons. The colonel not arriving, and unable to ascertain his location, at 4 o'clock in the morning I ordered Carlin's battery, which a guard of 200 cavalry, back to the infantry at Purgitsville, it being hazardous to risk so, much artillery with so light a force.

With the remaining force of 300 and the section of Ewing's battery we moved forward to feel the enemy, whom we discovered at 8 a. m. at Parsons' Ford, on the South Branch. At the same time Lieutenant-Colonel Fitz Simmons, advancing on the Romney road, reported to