placed Colonel Thoburn's division in position on this pike with the greater portion of his command to the right of it. Colonel Duval's division was coming up to do into position on the left of Colonel Thoburn's, when the enemy made a furious charge on the latter, driving his two or three left regiments in great disorder, and compelling me to use Colonel Duval's division to check an drive him back and retake the position lost by these regiments. Could I have placed the Second Division -Colonel Duval's - on the left, as originally intended, so as to have come on the enemy's right flank, the movement would unquestionably have resulted in the capture of the rebel attacking force - Hershaw's division. Some fifty-nine prisoners were captured from the enemy in this engagement. Our loss was 23 killed, 124 wounded, and 19 missing. The enemy's loss must have been much greater, since our men were posted behind stone walls and the enemy had to advance to the attack over an open country. After dark I went into camp in the old position.

The following morning, in accordance with instructions from the major-general commanding, I feel back to Clifton and took up my position with the rest of the army, being placed on the left of the line. September 8, moved my command, in obedience to orders from Major-General Sheridan, to Summit Point, where we were encamped until the morning of the 19th of September.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE CROOK,

Brevet Major-General.

Lieutenant Colonel C. KINGSBURY, JR.,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Middle Military Division.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA,
Near Cedar Creek, Va., October 17, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor or submit the following report of the part taken by the Army of West Virginia in the engagement of the 19th of September, 1864, between Opequon Creek and Winchester, Va.:

On the morning of the 19th, in obedience to instructions from Major General P. H. Sheridan, commanding Middle Military Division, I left camp at Summit Point at daylight, marched across the country to the point where the Berryville and Winchester pike crosses the Openquon, and there halted my command and help it in reserve. At about 12 m. I received orders to move my troops forward to the battle-field, which was some two miles in advance of the creek. The road to be passed over led through a narrow defile, whose sides were covered with a dense undergrowth of pine, rendering it very difficult to move along, except on the pike, and that was so blockaded by communication wagons, battery wagons, forges, ambulances, and stragglers going to the rear that the progress of the infantry was greatly impeded and the artillery was unable to some up for an hour after, having been compelled to halt at almost every step by the press in the road. I was instructed by General Sheridan to place my command on the right and rear of the Nineteenth Corps, and to look out for our right, as the enemy was reported to be moving in that direction. I directed Colonel J. Thoburn, commanding First Infantry Division, to take post nearly on the prolongation of the right of the Nineteenth Corps, which was opposite the extreme left of the enemy. Colonel I. H. Duval, commanding Second Infantry Division, was posted still farther to the right, for the purpose of swinging around on the left flank of the enemy. Colonel Duval's right in thus