short time, but the rebels were put to flight with considerable loss. The casualties on our side were 3 men of the Seventy-fifth badly wounded. The men behaved nobly."

J. C. FREMONT,

Major-General, Commanding.

Honorable E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

APRIL 12, 1862. - Raid from Fairmont to Valley River and Boothsville, Marion County, W. Va.

REPORTS.

Numbers 1. - Brigadier General Benjamin F. Kelley, U. S. Army.

Numbers 2. - Captain John H. Showalter, Sixth West Virginia Infantry.

Numbers 1. Report of Brigadier General Benjamin F. Kelley, U. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS RAILROAD DISTRICT,
Wheeling, Va., April 12, 1862.

COLONEL: In my order addressed to Captain Showalter I directed him to kill or capture the following-named persons, who were refugees, sent out to raise companies by John Letcher in the western counties of Virginia, viz: John Righter, John Anderson, David Barker, Brice Welsh, John Lewis, John Knight, and Washington Smith.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. F. KELLEY,

Brigadier-General.

Colonel ALBERT TRACY, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 2. Report of Captain John H. Showalter, Sixth West Virginia Infantry.

FAIRMONT, MARION COUNTY, VIRGINIA,

April 12, 1862.

SIR: In pursuance with the inclosed order I proceeded with a part of my command in search of the parties named in the order.

Barker was killed by my men on the Valley River, near the railroad. My men were in three squads; they were commanded by one captain, two sergeants, and two corporals. They also killed Ashcraft. Barker made a prisoner of one of my men, who was sick at his home, and took him to Ashcraft's house. They also killed one Kaufman, who belonged to Righter's gang.

These men all belonged to Righter's company. My men were piloted and assisted by the Boothsville Home Guards. The Home Guards killed a man in Boothsville whom I know nothing of .

J. H. SHOWALTER,

Company A, Sixth Virginia Infantry.

Brigadier General B. F. KELLEY.