Numbers 2. Report of Captain Thaddeus Fitzhugh, Fifth Virginia Cavalry.

STEAMER TITAN,

Piankatank River, March 5, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report that I have just returned from an expedition across the Chesapeake Bay to Cherrystone, Northampton County, Va., where I captured the entire guard (cavalry), with their horses, arms, &c., and a large supply of subsistence stores, consisting of a large supply of army bread, 600 barrels of pork and bacon, also 9 army coats and several army cooking stoves, all of which I had to destroy by burning, not having the force or time sufficient to put on board the following vessels, which I afterward captured, viz: The steamers Iolas the schooner, bonded the Iolas, and brought the Titan safely across the bay into this river. I cut the submarine telegraph cable and destroyed the machinery and captured the operator, whom, together with crew of the Iolas, I paroled, not having the force sufficient to guard the prisoners and work the boat across the bay. All this I accomplished with 13 men of my company, assisted by Messrs. Maxwell and Burely, acting masters, C. S. Navy, who acted gallantly and were of great value to the success of the expedition. All of my men acted nobly, particularly Sergeant Marchant.

T. FITZHUGH,

Captain Co. F, Fifth Va. Cav., Lomax's Brigadier

Major-General LEE.

[First indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS LEE'S CAVALRY DIVISION,
March 27, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded.

Captain Fitzhugh deserves credit for this affair, particularly as his men were on furlough at the time of its inception.

FITZHUGH LEE,

Major-General.

[Second indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS,
March 30, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded.

Captain Thad. Fitzhugh deserves great credit for his bold enterprise, consummate skill, and extraordinary success, his bold followers demonstrating that the efficiency of the cavalry of this army is not limited to dry land. A portion of the same regiment aided in the capture of the Satellite, &c., last year at Rappahannock.

J. E. B. STUART,

Major-General.

[Third indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS, April 1, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded for information of War Department.

Captain Fitzhugh, the naval officers, and the whole party deserve great credit for the success of their bold expedition.

R. E. LEE,
General.