which they pursued the enemy from Beaver Dam to Richmond, and thence to the Pamunkey and down the Peninsula, making repeated charges, capturing many prisoners and horses, and thwarting any attempt of the enemy to charge them. The major-general commanding begs leave to tender to Major-General Hampton and his command his sincere thanks for their co-operation in following up the enemy and their gallant assault upon his camp at Atlee's Station on Tuesday night, in which the enemy's entire force was stampeded and completely routed, leaving in the hands of General Hampton many prisoners and horses. Lastly, the conduct of the home guards of King and Queen County, and of Captain McGruder's squadron of the Forty-second Battalion Virginia Cavalry, which, in conjunction with small detachments of furloughed men, under Captain Fox and Lieutenant Pollard, of the calvary of the Army of Northern Virginia, attacked the retreating column of Colonel Dahlgren, killing the leader and capturing nearly 100 prisoners, with negroes and horses, deserves public acknowledgment.

By command of Major-General Elzey:

T. O. CHESTNEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

ADDENDA.

HDQRS. LEE'S DIV., CAV. CORPS, ARMY OF N. VA.,
March 4, 1864.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector-General:

GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit the inclosed papers,* found upon the body of Colonel U. Dahlgren, of the U. S. Army, who was killed by a portion of my command, assisted by a portion of Colonel Robins' cavalry battalion and a detachment of the home guards of King and Queen, in that county, upon the night of the 2nd. These papers were sent by Lieutenant Pollard, commanding a detachment of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry, to Colonel Beale, and by him transmitted direct to me. They need no comment. Colonel Dahlgren commanded a force picket to co-operate with Brigadier-General Kilpatrick in his ridiculous and unsoldierly raid, and lost his life running off negroes after the failure of his insane attempt to destroy Richmond and kill Jeff. Davis and cabinet. The force of negroes and Yankees captured after his fall amount to about 140.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FITZ. LEE,

Major-General, Commanding.

RICHMOND, March 4, 1864.

Honorable J. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:

DEAR SIR: It has occurred to me that the papers just captured from the enemy are of such extraordinary and diabolical character that some more formal method should be adopted of giving them to the public than simply sending them to the press. My own conviction is for an execution of the prisoners and a publication as justification;

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*See inclosures Lee to Meade, April 1, p. 178.

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