the grass which they picked up) it will, I hope, be conceded that the battalion deported itself in a creditable manner.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

CH. WETSCHKY,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding First Maryland Cavalry.

Brigadier General JOHN P. HATCH,

Chief of Cavalry.

Numbers 17. Report of Colonel Thornton F. Brodhead, First Michigan Cavalry, of operations May 24-27.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST MICHIGAN CAVALRY,
Williamsport, Md., May 28, 1862.

SIR: Your order of the evening of the 24th instant was received by me while prostrate with lung fever and hemorrhage, which for ten days had confined me to my quarters. The five companies of the regiment present were promptly notified of the intended movement and promptly placed in readiness.

In compliance with your order for detail, Major Paldi, with detachment of three companies of the command, proceeded to Middletown, reported to Colonel Murphy, of the Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and accompanied him 5 miles on the Front Royal road, where he found the enemy's pickets of infantry and cavalry in large force. They retired to Middletown, where they found the train in disorder from an attack of a party of the enemy's cavalry who had possession of Newtown.

Major Paldi immediately proceeded to the front, without orders, to protect the train and ascertain the enemy's force. On approaching Newtown the enemy retreated to a wood on the right of the road, where they were held in check until the arrival of the artillery and infantry. At this point, with the rest of the command, I moved to the front, leading with my companies the advanced of the column.

Under orders from General Banks I now proceeded at once to Winchester, where, on the arrival of our forces, I was ordered to furnish two companies for grand-guard duty on the Front Royal road, which detachment was placed under command of Major Town. The balance of the command bivouacked on the outside of the town. major Town proceeded on the Front Royal road 2 1/2 miles, where he was joined by two companies of the Tenth Maine Volunteers, and established his grand guard. Several attempts were made during the night by a superior force of the enemy to drive them in, but their position was maintained until 7 o'clock on the morning of Sunday, when they were compelled to retire on the line of the First Brigade. Thereupon the detachment joined the balance of the command.

Finding I had very much overtasked my strength, utterly exhausted by the day's march from Strasburg, I assigned the command to major Paldi; Lieutenant-Colonel Copeland just recovering from a long illness, and too feeble for duty in the saddle.

About 5 o'clock Sunday morning, when our pickets were being driven in every direction, a regiment of the enemy's infantry appeared on a hill on the right of the turnpike, driving a small party of