Captain Elder, with the 70 men at Pine Tree, retreated with the Twelfth New York Cavalry. He, just as his pickets, were being drawn in, saw half a dozen rebels on the road between Pine Tree and Red House. The only one seen by any of us at the Red House was one at Batchelder's Creek on the Tuscarora road, as one of my pickets went down to get a drink. They challenged each other, and my picket fell back to his post. All the men of the detachment came inside the works at New Berne unharmed, save Corporal Jones and Private Matthew Kirkham, both of Company E, who were in the wagon. The men under Captain Elder, lost all their effects except those on their backs, being ordered by the commanding officer of the Twelfth New York Cavalry to leave their knapsacks in the woods, as they could not retreat fast enough with them on. The camp at Pine Tree was burned. I did not destroy anything at the Red House, as I hoped to be able to save them from the enemy, who seemed to be on the Neuse road only, and what little was there would not avail them much.

I understand that William H. Ingram who came in, was again allowed to go out by the general commanding, to communicate if possible with the forces at Beach Grove. He is, I believe, still absent. I saw no vedettes on my way in till near Fort Totten. Considering the number of sick men, all praise is due to officers and men for the good order that prevailed.

I understand that the wagon was used by order of the colonel commanding outposts upon its arrival at Batchelder's Creek. I have been unable to hear from if or those who were in it since. The line of outposts guarded by the detachment extended from Pine Tree along the road to Red House, thence along the Tuscarora road to where the road is crossed by Batchelder's Creek.

Hoping this will be found complete enough, I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

IRA WINANS,

Captain Co., A., 99th N. Y. Vol. Intry., lately Commanding Detach.

Lieutenant W. W. WELLS,

Special Aide-de-Camp to Colonel Claassen.

Numbers 7. Report of Captain Charles G. Smith, One hundred and thirty-second New York Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS OUTPOSTS,
Batchelder's Creek, near New Berne, N. C., February 7, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that I came on duty as outposts general officer of the day at 9 a. m., January 31, 1864, and was relieved at New Berne, N. C., on the morning of February 2. The following is a summary of events connected with my tour of duty:

On January 31, visited all the posts along our front from the Red House to Beech Grove, and found all quiet and everything satisfactory.

On the morning of February 1, at about 2. 30 o'clock, a cavalry messenger from Lieutenant Haring brought word of an attack on our pickets near the Neuse bridge. I proceeded there at once with Lieutenant Pittman and 8 men of the Twelfth New York Cavalry, leaving