at 9 o'clock I moved off with 17 men, 3 of them belonging to the Hanover Troop, and a few belonging to a Maryland company. Our movements (in brief) are as follows:

February 29. -Ascertaining at 10 o'clock at night that the enemy had moved from Beaver Dam, in what direction the pickets, who were station 4 1/2 miles below, could not tell, we moved through woods, plantations, &c., avoiding all roads, though the night was intensely dark and rainy, until we saw the camp-fires of the foes. Leaving the horses and the men, three of us marched on foot through a dense forest and morass and gained a position from which we had a view of the whole line of encampment. We sent a courier to Colonel Johnson, at the Junction, informing him that the enemy were on the Trinity Church road. The signals for preparation and marching having been thrown up, we discovered the whole line in motion. Returning to our horses we rapidly moved across three farms and gained a position on the Fork Church road, leading directly toward South Anna railroad bridge. Two men were placed immediately on the road and the remainder drawn up a few paces in their rear. In five minutes the head of the column reached our position (between 12. 30 and 1. 30 o'clock). The men were anxious to fire into the enemy, but were prohibited on the ground that they were marching into a trap from which it was scarcely possible for any to escape. The utmost caution was observed in retiring from our position, in order that the enemy might not know that their movements were observed. We pushed on to Mr. Redd's, and sent 3 couriers with a dispatch to Colonel Johnson (and General Elzey, at Richmond, by telegraph from Junction), at the Junction, informing him that the enemy were moving down on Fork Church road, and suggesting that he mass his troops upon that road immediately, and that we would guard the fords and bridges on Colonel Johnson]'s right flank and inform him of any demonstrations in that direction. We then went to the New Market bridge and tore up the planking, and remained until we were assured that the rear of the enemy had passed Fork church, which was about daybreak.

March 1. -Surprised at not hearing the attack, which we confidently expected would be made upon the enemy at about 4 o'clock this morning, we moved on to the Junction, and about 5. 30 or 6 o'clock heard the report of cannon and small-arms. We reached the position where the enemy were posted after they had retreated, and found to our utter astonishment that they had passed quietly down to and encamped within 200 yards of our batteries near South River bridge, and remained there probably one or more hours without the men at the batteries knowing of their proximity or they being aware of the position of the batteries; and we presumed that the attack made by Colonel Johnson with a small force just before it was light enough to ascertain the position of our batteries saved them and all the bridges in the vicinity. Why the troops were not put in position two hours before (as the dispatch was received at telegraph office, so says the operator, at 2. 30 o'clock) we know not; but it was our opinion that, caught between the Little and South river with only two bridges accessible, both of which could have been torn up early in the night (a courier, Mr. Samuel Anderson, of Hanover Troop, who offered to act as guide, was sent down about 10 o'clock, giving information of their probable move to Blunt's Bridge) or easily guarded, 1,000 infantry properly posted in the ample time afforded could have almost totally