HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, Thursday, March 3, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command during the late expedition into Albemarle:

I left Pony Mountain with my command at 2 p. m. Sunday, the 28th ultimo, and marched to the vicinity of Madison Court-House, where I arrived about 6 p. m., and bivouacked until 2 a. m. the following day, at which hour I marched on the road leading to Stanardsville. A small picket of the enemy was driven in a few miles north of Banks' Ford on the Rapidan. Nothing further was seen of the enemy until we arrived at Stanardsville, where a mounted force of about 20 men was encountered. After the exchange of a few shots they fled in the direction of Orange Court-House. From Stanardsville I took the road leading to Charlottesville. From prisoners picked up along the route I learned that Fitzhugh Lee's division of cavalry was encamped in the vicinity of Charlottesville, having been sent there to obtain forage and recruit his command. The pickets of the enemy were met about 6 miles from Charlottesville, and, when forced to retire, fell back in the direction of that place. We succeeded in driving the enemy before us until we reached a point about 2 miles beyond the Rivanna River, and within 3 miles fo Charlottesville. Here I discovered a superior force of the enemy's cavalry, supported by four batteries of artillery, in position, and a very heavy force of infantry (which I have since learned was Early's division). To satisfy myself concerning the enemy's strength and position I ordered Captain Ash, of the Fifth U. S. Cavalry, with two squadrons of his regiment, to charge the enemy's right flank. Captain Ash drove the enemy back very gallantly, and succeeded in capturing 6 caissons filled with ammunition, 2 forges and harness complete, besides destroying the camp of the enemy. Learning the vast superiority of the numbers of the enemy, compared with my own, and the strength of his position, I determined to withdraw my command, which I did deliberately and in good order. After recrossing the Rivanna I burned the bridge over that stream; I also burned a large flour mill at that point, as well as two other mills at different points on my route. I retired on the road leading to Stanardsville. When 16 miles from Charlottesville I fed my command and bivouacked until daylight. Through a misunderstanding, 500 men of my command, under Colonel Stedman, Sixth Ohio Cavalry, marched all night and recrossed the Rapidan before daylight, thus reducing my command to 1,000 cavalry and one section of artillery.

At daylight on the morning of the 1st I resumed my march on the road to Stanardsville, at which point a small picket of the enemy was posted. Here I destroyed a quantity of Government stores, consisting of bags, caps, saddles, leather, muskets, flour, and whisky. Taking the road from Stanardsville to Madison, I continued my march without interruption from the enemy until a point was reached at which the road branched in two directions, one branch leading to Burton's Ford on the Rapidan, the other to Banks' Ford. Here a brigade of rebel cavalry was drawn up, under command of Generals Stuart and Wickham. My advance guard, composed of one squadron of the Fifth U. S. Cavalry, under Captain Leib, was charged by the First and Fifth Virginia Cavalry, led by Stuart in person. At first the charge, being unexpected, was partially successful, and