mile beyond the village of Front Royal Company K, under the command of Lieutenant Marvin, was detached and ordered on grand-guard duty at Chester Gap. He reported in camp at noon yesterday. Major Town was also detached with his command upon some duty which did not come to my knowledge, while my command, Companies F and G, under Lieutenant Fletcher, was ordered to proceed on the River road to Luray and report to Colonel Fillebrown, of the Tenth Maine Infantry. Overtaking the column of infantry about 6 miles from Front Royal I immediately took the advance, and with due caution, supported by infantry skirmishers, proceeded to Milford.

Arrived at Milford, Colonel Fillebrown drew in his company of skirmishers, and I detached a squad of mounted men and threw them out as flankers, but owing to the nature of the country it was almost impossible for horsemen to surmount the natural obstacles in their way. Two miles and a half beyond Milford I halted my command and awaited further orders-this at 12 o'clock noon. At 5 o'clock p. m. I marched back a mile and bivouacked for the night.

At 4 o'clock in the morning (June 30) I awaited orders in the saddle. By orders of Colonel Tompkins my command, with the exception of 20 men from Company G, who had gone back to Milford the night previous to guard the bridge, fell into column, and led the reserve of cavalry. Following the advance, except when specially ordered to divert the course of the column, I arrived in sight of Luray and a body of rebel cavalry. The advance dashed bravely and gallantly at the enemy, while I kept on increasing our seed to the speed of the advance, thereby keeping in good supporting distance.

Passing through Luray, I was met by Colonel Tompkins, and ordered to overtake our advance and bring them in, but after riding some 4 miles along the New Market pike I perceived that our cavalry must have diverged form the road, as nothing but scattered rebels could be seen, and they far ahead; so I returned to Luray. On the return to Luray Lieutenant Fletchers had information of a fellow secreting one of our guns which dropped in the charge, and that the man actually belonged to the Southern Army. So of course the lieutenant properly arrested him, and reported the fact to Colonel Tompkins. The man was afterward released by Lieutenant Daniels.

In marching from Luray to Front Royal my command formed the advance, passing Major Town with his command at the ford 6 miles from Luray, and withdrawing the guard from Company G at Milford,

and arrived in camp about 8 o'clock p. m. of the 30th ultimo without further incident worthy of remark.

Officers and men behaved well.

Yours, very respectfully,

A. PALDI,

Major, First Michigan Cavalry, Commanding Detachment

JULY 1, 1862.-Skirmish near Fort Furnace, Powell's Big Fort Valley, Va.

Report of Brigadier General John W. Geary, U. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS BRIGADE, Near Buck's Ford, Va., opposite Passage Creek, July 1, 1862.

SIR: In obedience to special orders from Brigadier General A. S. Williams my command took up the line of march at daylight this morning and