Not hearing the order to retire, I did not give it, and only left the field when I found most of the men were drawn off on our left and a heavy force of the enemy were advancing in that direction.

Respectfully submitted.

J. W. ALLEN,

Colonel Second Virginia Regiment.

Captain R. J. WINGATE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Indorsements.]

HEADQUARTERS VALLEY DISTRICT,
April 7, 1862.

Colonel Allen will please state how many men he had engaged on March 23.

By ordered of Major-General Jackson:

A. S. PENDLETON,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. SECOND REGIMENT VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS,
-,- -, 1862.

The number of my regiment engaged on the 23rd instant did not exceed 320 rank and file.

By order of Colonel J. W. Allen:

R. W. HUNTER,

Aide-de-camp.

Numbers 28. Report of Captain J. Q. A. Nadenbousch, Second Virginia Infantry.

CAPTAIN AT BARTONSVILLE, VA,

March 23, 1862.

COLONEL: Companies D, H, and I, of your regiment, and Company H, Twenty-seventh Virginia Volunteers, were ordered forward at dawn on the 23rd instant to support Colonel Ashby's command. They moved forward, without breakfast, near Kernstown. After ascertaining the position of the enemy we were ordered forward to protect the battery from a line of skirmishers which were concealed in the woods near by. Company H, under Captain Hunter, and Company I, under Captain S. J. C. Moore, were at once thrown forward as skirmishers. The line was without delay moved forward into the edge of the woods. Upon arriving at this point the line of the enemy was observed at a distance of about 100 yards. I at once ordered the men to fire on them, which was promptly obeyed. We continued to advance firing, when the enemy retired of field rapidly, but were soon heavily re-enforced. Seeing this, I at once ordered forward the reserve, Company D, under Lieutenant Hoffman, and Company H, Twenty-seventh Virginia Regiment, under Captain Edmondson. These companies at once moved forward and reenforced our line, which kept up a brisk fire, doing great execution. Colonel Ashby, seeing heavy columns of the enemy in the rear in the woods, ordered us to fall back, which order was obeyed, and the command fell back to the road.