which place I reached in safety about 2.30 o'clock on the morning of the 24th.

I am sorry to report the loss of Captain white, of Company D, Who fought bravely; Lieutenant Dwyer, of Company B, and Lieutenant George H. Griffin, First Battalion adjutant, and First Battalion Quartermaster-Sergeant Haviland; also First Sergeant Watson and Quartermaster-Sergeant Appleby, of Company D, and 21 privates.

Very respectfully,

P. G. VOUGHT,

Major, Fifth New York Cavalry, Ira Harris Guards.

Colonel O. DE FOREST.

N. 8. Report of Lieutenant Charles A. Atwell, Battery E, Pennsylvania Light Artillery, of action at Front Royal, May 23.

WILLIAMSPORT, MD., May 27, 1862.

DEAR SIR: On Friday, May 23, at about 2 p. m., the rebel forces reported to be under command of General Ewell, made a sudden descent upon the town of Front Royal, Va., occupied by the First Regiment Maryland Volunteers, Colonel John R. Kenly. Two of the companies were on guard in the town, and barely made their escape. I got my two guns in readiness, and in less than five minutes opened a heavy fire on them to the right of the town, where they were in large numbers, and succeeded in holding them back.

The rebels now moved from here along the top of the hills to the left, and coming down under cover of a hollow crossed under the railroad bridge and kept off to our rear through the woods. I checked them once or twice in this movement, but their numbers were too large to hold them back. The enemy now appeared in large force to the front and right of the town, and we directed both pieces on them, being well supported by our infantry, who were deployed on our right and left.

Two companies of the Fifth New York Cavalry coming up were sent forward along the main road, but had to fall back immediately. Colonel Kenly now ordered me to fall back, cover his infantry, who first fired his camp equipage and stores, and then retired across both branches of the Shenandoah River, burning the bridges.

We took a position on a hill left of the road and the infantry, with two companies of the Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, who were on guard here to the right. We held these position for nearly an hour, but were compelled to fall back, as the enemy were fording the river above and below us. My section of artillery covered the retreat for about a miles, and I was then ordered by Colonel Kenly to the front, and the cavalry brought up the rear. At this time our loss was very small, but 2 killed and 8 or 10 wounded.

Our last stand was on the main road from Front Royal to Winchester, where the rebels, having advanced on our flanks under cover of the woods, succeeded in surrounding us, and I was unable to use my pieces, as the two forces were mixed up together, and my cannoneers, having no side-arms, were cut to pieces by the rebel cavalry. I had my advanced gun limbered up and ran it through them. The fighting