a portion of General Banks' body guard, and Hampton's battery, were cut off from the main body by the rebels. Infantry, cavalry, and wagons were streaming back in wild confusion along the road and the fields on either side as far as the eye could reach. The battery having been at once ordered to the summit of the hill, I supported it with my cavalry, formed in line of battle in the field on either side. A few shell checked the small force of rebels who were pressing on us from Middletown.

After a hasty consultation Colonel Tompkins, Captain Hampton, and myself decided to try and rejoin the main body by a mountain road on the west of the pike, Colonel Tompkins stating that he had a captain who could guide us. Colonel Tompkins, forming the advance with a portion of his regiment, was to move out the cross-road a piece and halt until the column should be formed, the battery and my own command following. I ordered forward Companies A and E to support the battery. I would earnestly call your attention to the fact that I have not since seen Colonel Tompkins and his command, and to the critical situation in which I was placed by his desertion, as he took with him the only guide we had, the Vermont captain. I have subsequently learned that Colonel Tompkins pushed on without the battery, and that Companies A and E, of my regiment, entered Winchester about 1 a. m. on Sunday with the battery. Captain Hampton and his two battery wagons remained with me. I halted a few minutes for Captain Hampton to bring up these two battery wagons from the rear, and then moved rapidly on, but could not overtake the battery.

Before moving I ordered Captain Foster, of Company M, to bring out of the village a loaded supply train of 35 wagons that remained there, which he did in the face of a large body of rebel cavalry who appeared to the south of the village. I also brought up a portion of General Banks' body guard, and some of the First Maine, First Michigan, First Maryland, First Virginia, Tenth Maine, and Fifth Connecticut, some telegraph operators, one of the Signal Corps, &c., who had been cut off near Middletown.

Now, about 5 p. m., I moved forward as rapidly as the battery wagons allowed, and without halting, along rough roads parallel with the pike, making inquiries at every step. Late in the evening we reached a grade running to Winchester and joining the Winchester and Strasburg pike, say 1 1/2 miles south of Winchester.

At one time, just before reaching this grade, we heard the beating of the enemy's drums, and I ascertained that they were not more than three-quarters of a mile from us. About 11 miles from Winchester I came upon a road running westerly again to Pughtown, 14 miles, and easterly 6 miles to Newtown. Learning that the grade I was on entered the Winchester and Strasburg pike, and thinking I might be compelled to take a more westerly road, I halted here, to be sure of a way of retreat, and throwing out pickets on the Newtown road, ordered forward Captain Hammond's company to reconnoiter as far as the pickets of General Banks, if possible, and send me report. While standing here signaling was going on from a height many miles in our rear for a long time, and two rockets, possibly in replay, were sent up from near Winchester.

Standing to horse some hours about daybreak two orderlies returned to me, reporting that Captain Hammond had forced he enemy's pickets and entered Winchester, but that they occupied the pike near the fork of the grade and the Winchester and Strasburg pike, rendering it extremely hazardous for us with our train to attempt to enter