No armed rebels were visible during our stay unless one or two suspicious-looking horsemen who appeared at a distance, and who fled on perceiving us, were such. Late in the afternoon I rejoined the battalion and marched on the submit of the Blue Ridge until within 3 miles of Ashby's Gap, but as I found no water, and deeming it unsafe to encamp in the valley, I returned on the same evening to the gap, and posted the command on a hill to the north of and within a short distance of the pike. During the night two camp-fires were visible to the southwest of the pike, and between 1 and 2 miles distant. Horsemen, one at a time, were also heard at intervals on the road. The pickets were doubled, but nothing further of importance occurred.

In the morning a party was sent to the town after forage, and learned that a few of Mosby's men had made their appearance a few minutes after our departure the previous afternoon and made many inquiries as to our numbers, &c.

During the greater part of the 18th the roads about the gap were traversed by small parties under non-commissioned officers, and the position of affairs at Snicker's Ferry ascertained. In the latter part of same day, the rations becoming low, I started on the return, taking the path on the east side of the ridge. The command marched to a point abreast of Purcellville and then crossed to the west side of the mountain and camped at a place of one or two houses known as Valley View. Here we found detachment of 2 officers and 25 men of the One hundred and thirty-ninth [?] New York.

On the 19th, after impressing from the inhabitants one-half days' rations of corn-meal and bacon, I started for this place, reaching here at 9 p. m.

The information obtained may be summed up as follows, viz: First, the absence of all conscripts detachments from the sections of country embraced in a radius of 10 miles from Snicker's Gap; second, the presence of numerous guerrillas in the region about Upperville and Paris; third, the poverty of the inhabitants on either side of the ridge as to cattle and the necessaries of life, with the exception of corn-meal and bacon, of which they appear to have an abundance; fourth, the thoroughly rebel character of nine-tenths of such inhabitants. Had the command carried a supply of rations for five days (a matter which will receive strict attention in future), other and more tangible results might have been attained. The command during the four days marched between 70 and 80 miles.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HENRY PEALE,

Major, Commanding Eighteenth Connecticut Volunteers.

Captain WILLIAM M. BOONE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MARCH 17-18, 1864. - Reconnaissance to Sperryville, Va.

Report of Colonel Thomas C. Devin, Sixth New York Cavalry, commanding brigade.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION,
March 18, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that, in compliance with instructions from division headquarters to reconnoiter the front, I