I saw of the enemy. From the prisoners I learned that they belonged to Hampton's division, and that it was he who attacked me the night before; that he had with him a large force of mounted infantry and cavalry and four pieces of artillery, and that he had retired to Hanover Junction, expecting me to move in that direction.

Taking this fact into consideration, and the condition of my command, I decided to move by the nearest route to General Butler's lines at New Kent Court-House. The command went into camp near Tunstall's Station Wednesday evening. Here captain Mitchell, with upward of 300 officers and men belonging to Colonel Dahlgren's party, joined me. Captain Mitchell reported that Colonel Dahlgren's and Major Cooke with about 100 men became separated from the main portion of his command during the night, since which time he had heard nothing of the colonel or his party.

We moved early Thursday morning to New Kent Court-House, where we were met by Colonel Spear and a considerable force of infantry and cavalry, sent out by Major-General Butler to assist us. Colonel Dahlgren, after becoming separated from the main portion of his command, crossed the Pamunkey at hanovertown and the Mattapony at Aylett's. Here he defeated a superior force of the enemy, captured nearly as many prisoners as he had men, and gallantry fought his way to a point within 3 miles of King and Queen Court-House, where he was ambushed, fired upon, and killed, and his little party of brave men, then under command of the gallant Lieutenant-Colonel [Major] Cooke, surrounded by a large force of citizens and regular soldiers, and all save 21 were taken prisoners. These latter abandoned their horses and made their way on foot to Gloucester Point.

The outrageous treatment of the remains of Colonel Dahlgren and the cruel and barbarous manner in which is men were hunted down and captured by citizens and soldiers with dogs determined me to visit the neighborhood of King and Queen Court-House with a sufficient force to punish those who had been engaged in the murder of Colonel Dahlgren and the captured of his men. With about 2,000 cavalry, three regiments of infantry, and a battery of artillery, under command of Brigadier-General Wistar, we marched to Plymount, near King and Queen Court-House, from which point Colonel Onderdonk, of the First New York Mounted Rifles, pushed forward to King and Queen Court-House and Carlton's Store, drove the enemy, some 1,200 strong, from his camp, destroyed the camp, and pursued him upward of 10 miles, killing and wounding a large amount of rebel stores collected at King and Queen Court-House the command returned to camp without loss of a man.

It is impossible to estimate the amount of property destroyed and damage done to the enemy during this raid. The Virginia Central Railroad was destroyed to a considerable extent near Frederick's Hall, at Beaver Dam, as well as the depot and stores of all kinds collected at this point. Culverts were destroyed and tracks torn up above and below Ashland, and the railroad bridges over the Chickahominy. Several viaducts and locks were destroyed on the canal at different points for a distance of 30 miles above Richmond. Eight large mills along the James River were burned, filled with flour and grain belonging to the Confederate Government.

Several thousand of the President's amnesty proclamations were scattered throughout the entire country, and I am satisfied that if