line thrown out from my own command, having received no support from any other source. After the command had crossed the river it was moved off to Cross Keys in good order, though under a terrific fire from the enemy's artillery which was put in position on the opposite side of the river. I then turned the command over to Brigadier-General Custer, who had been ordered to the command of the division. September 29, the division under command of General Custer moved from Cross Keys to Mount Sidney, covering the country lying between the roads via Weyer's Cave to Piedmont and Mount Sidney, under orders to collect and drive off all stock, horses, &c., and to destroy all forage, grain, and flouring mills, returning to Mount Crawford on the main pike under same orders, where in rear of the Sixth Corps the division camped for the night. On the morning of the 30th Brigadier-General Custer was relieved from the command of the division and ordered to assume command of Third Cavalry Division, and I was again ordered to the command of the division and to report to Brevet Major General Torbert at Harrisonburg, Va. I moved the command to near Harrisonburg and camped for the night.

On the morning of the 1st of October I moved the division, by order of General Torbert, on the Port Republic road down Page Valley to Luray, driving off all stock of every description, destroying all gain, burning mills, blast furnaces, distilleries, tanneries, and all forage, reaching Luray on the evening of the 2nd, where the division remained until the morning of the 7th, subsisting entirely upon the enemy. October 3, I sent a reconnoitering party up into Blue Ridge Mountains, surprised a party of bushwhackers destroyed their rendezvous, capturing 2 prisoners, 10 wagons (loaded with plunder of every description),medical supplies to the value of $5,000, horses, mules, &c., and sent one bushwhacker to his long home. Sent scouting party through Thornton's [Gap] to Sperryville; found all quiet at that point. October 4, had two bushwhackers shot to death in retaliation for the murder of a soldier belonging to my command by a bushwhacker, the soldier having been found by my command with his throat cut from ear to ear. October 5, sent Major Farabee, First West Virginia Cavalry in command of a detachment of 300 men, through Thornton's Gap to Rapidan railroad bridge, who rejoined the column of the 7th on the road to Front Royal reporting the entire destruction of the bridge by cutting down, the timber being so green that it would not burn, and the capture of 1 lieutenant and 8 men and horses; no organized force of the enemy seen on his route. October 6, destroyed tannery, the property of Peter Borsk, of Luray, used for the exclusive benefit of the rebel army. Unfinished leather to the value of about $800,000 was destroyed here. October 7, moved the division down the Luray Valley to Front Royal. October 11, moved the division, under orders from Brevet Major-General Torbert, through Chester Gap, Flint Hill, Gaines' Cross-Roads, and Little Washington, to Sperryville; sent detachment to Thornton's Gap; captured General Rosser's picket post in the gap; found no enemy at Sperryville. On my arrival at Sperryville I learned of the movements of McCausland's cavalry command in the direction of Amissville to form a junction with Mosby's guerrillas (some 400 strong, with four pieces artillery) with a view to making an attack upon the Manassas Gap Railroad at Salem. As soon as the command was fed I moved across to Amissville, via Little Washington and Gaines' Cross-Roads, for the purpose of cutting off his retreat and following him up. On my arrival at Amissville, at 6.30 a.m. of the 12th,