This order I carried out to the best of my ability, but the enemy's cavalry coming in in large force on the road leading to the saw-mill from General Hancock's battle-ground, drove in the pickets that I had taken the precaution to place upon that road in charge of Captain Majtheny, of the First Indiana Cavalry, causing them to fall back upon the combined reserves of Captains Majtheny and Carter. After checking the advance of the enemy by two well-directed volleys, these reserves fell back upon the combined reserves of Captains Majtheny and Carter. After checking the advance of the enemy by two well-directed volleys, these reserves fell back across Hatcher's Creek, when I ordered up another company to their support, under command of Captain Hess, in the meantime sending word to General Warren notifying him of the approach of the enemy's cavalry. I succeeded in holding the enemy in check for some time, when I was forced to fall back upon the infantry, which I found drawn up in line of battle, commanded by General Bartlett and superintended by General Warren in person. I now received verbal instructions from General Warren to report to General Parke as soon as the rear of General Bartlett's brigade had fallen back. This I did as soon as notified by General Bartlett that he had withdrawn his skirmishers, and returned to camp in rear of the Ninth Corps.

In the early part of the skirmish at the mill, in going to Captain Carter's assistance, my command became separated by the enemy advancing up a ravine on my left. Two companies, commanded by Captain Stille and Lieutenant Brooke, were thus separated, the former of whom had charge of the picketing of the Vaughan road to the crossing of the creek. These two companies, which thus became separated, according to my previous instructions fell back on the Vaughan road in rear of General Egan's command.

The causalities during the engagement were 1 man and 6 horses wounded.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. W. WALSH,

Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding Battalion Third Pennsylvania Cavalry.

Captain A. J. DALLAS,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 16. Report of Captain Henry H. Peirce, First Connecticut Heavy Artillery, of operations October 22.

FORT BRADY, VA., October 23, 1864.

SIR: Pursuant to instructions, I have the honor to report that the three 30-pounder and the four 20-pounder Parrotts (the latter belonging to Ashby's battery) were placed in position in the new work above Fort Brady during the night of the 21st, and everything put in order to open fire on the morning of the 22d. At daylight discovered what appeared to be one of the enemy's wooden gun-boats lying quietly in plain sight from my pieces, distant 1,000 yards, according to Colonel Abbot's computations. Fearing the distance might be greater or the powder prove weak (as it often does), ordered three and a half degrees elevation, which by the tables gives a range of 1,506 yards. The first shell (percussion) struck apparently about six feet from her hull and did not explode; added one-fourth degree to the elevation and worked all the pieces as rapidly as possible, concentrating the fire upon that single boat. Evidently taken by surprise, it took her some time to gen in readiness to move. Had the satisfaction of seeing sixteen shell strike