I accordingly moved at daybreak, and have come 10 miles from Princeton to a point which will prevent the force from the Wyoming road coming on my rear without going to wyoming Court-House. The movement was made with the most perfect system an order. This may make them abandon their plan and return, unless they are prepared with transportation to follow me up in force. I am trying to get information on which to base my plan for action and to provide measures for the protection of the line. I trust my course will meet the approval of the general commanding. Prudence seemed to demand it and starvation threatened us.

I have no news from colonel Crook since he reached Lewisburg, and am anxious to hear from him.

The engagement yesterday was warm and continued at intervals through the whole day. During the latter part of the day the enemy did not venture beyond the village. We lost about 30 killed and 70 wounded. Prisoners report the enemy's loss about double or treble that number. Will send you official report as soon as it can be made up. Our officers and men behaved admirably and are in excellent spirits, though outnumbered two to one.

J. D. COX,

Brigadier-General.

Colonel ALBERT TRACY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE KANAWHA,
Camp Flat Top, May 21, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to submit to the commanding general the following report of the movements of my command on the 16th, 17th, and 18th instant, and the affairs in which they were engaged:

On the evening of the 15th Colonel Scammon's brigade was at Adair's near the mouth of East River; the main body of Colonel Moor's brigade was at French's, 4 miles above Colonel Scammon's camp, where the road from Princeton to Pearisburg meets the Chamberlain Gap road. A detachment of four companies, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Von Blessingh, Thirty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was at the crossing of the Princeton and Wytheville road, with orders to extend their reconnaissance to Rocky Gap and up the Cumberland Gap road as far as possible. A detachment of four companies of infantry and one of cavalry were at Princeton, where I had my headquarters, awaiting the completion of the telegraph to that place, my arrangements being completed for transferring my headquarters to Adair's the next day.

On the afternoon of the 15th Colonel Moor threw a party of two companies of infantry, under Captain E. Schache, Twenty-eighth Ohio Volunteers, across East River Mountain from French's to reconnoiter the position of the enemy near the mouth of Wolf Creek. They found an outpost of a cavalry company 8 miles from the mouth of the creek, which they attacked and routed, killing 6, wounding 2, and taking 6 prisoners. None of our men were injured. The main force of the enemy was found to be encamped above The narrows of New River and about the mouth of Wolf Creek, variously reported from 5,000 to 8,000 men.

About noon of the 16th Colonel Moor reported that the detachment on the Wytheville road had a skirmish with 1,500 of the enemy there, killed 3, and retired without loss in the direction of French's; also that