mand of the post. My cavalry scouted out during the day, and found the enemy at the railroad crossing, about 6 miles from Morehead.

During the 4th instant everything remained quiet, the enemy being about 5 miles from Morehead, the body of their troops being at the barracks. A small force of cavalry appeared on my right on Crab Point. Two companies were sent to that point to prevent the enemy from taking position there.

On the 5th instant Colonel Ripley, Ninth Vermont Volunteers, arrived from Fortress Monroe and took command of his regiment. The Twenty-first Connecticut Volunteers, Colonel Dutton commanding, also arrived, and I immediately advanced upon Newport Barracks with the Twenty-first Connecticut, Ninth Vermont, and one piece of artillery. I arrived at the barracks about 6 p. m., and finding no enemy (they having left the barracks about 4. 30 p. m.), sent out a reconnaissance under Captain Cummings, Mix' new cavalry, to ascertain the exact position of the enemy. He returned about 2 a. m. of the 6th instant, and reported the discovery of their campfires about 11 miles from the barracks.

While re-establishing my lines on the 6th instant the enemy's cavalry was reported about 5 miles from the barracks. I immediately started out with about 30 cavalry 5 miles from the barracks, and charged upon them with the cavalry. We continued the charge, driving the rebels before us and directly into their camp, in which were about 350 cavalry and a section of artillery, under command of Colonel Jeffords, the rebels escaping by superiority of their horses. The enemy immediately opened on us with small-arms and artillery, and we retired in the direction of the barracks. Having no cavalry fit to operate, and no artillery whatever, I could not give battle to the enemy.

In this affair we lost 2 horses captured, the riders being dismounted in the charge, and the horses dashing into the enemy's camp; one of them belonging to my own orderly, the other being ridden by Lieutenant Ward, of General Palmer's staff. About 6 miles from Newport we recaptured 5 of our wounded.

On my return to the barracks I immediately established a strong picket-line, covering the barracks and the village, and disposed of the forces in such manner as to render them capable of making a good defense, if attacked. I then informed General Palmer by telegraph of the state of affairs, and appealed to him for a section of artillery and 100 cavalry to enable me to advance upon the enemy, and was by him directed to come to New Berne to consult upon future operations, and to place Colonel Dutton in command of the sub-district during my absence, which I did.

While in New Berne, on the morning of the 7th instant, I received a telegram from Colonel Dutton that Colonel Ripley had been driven out of the barracks and retreated toward Morehead. I returned to Morehead per steamer Ella May, bringing with me five, companies One hundred and fifty-eight New York State Volunteers, two 12-pounder howitzers, and one mountain howitzer. On my return to Morehead, on the 8th instant, I found the forces had retaken their former position at the barracks, they having retreated therefrom without any apparent cause, and only upon rumors and the reports of the approach of the enemy in that direction.

On the 9th instant I made a reconnaissance in force, with portions of the Ninth Vermont, Twenty-first Connecticut, and One hundred