of our wounded are concealed by Union families, and they are very anxious to be removed toward Washington. There are several wounded rebel officers concealed in winchester by secession families; also a number of wounded enlisted men. From information received before the arrival of Brigadier-General Kenly, I think that a thorough search should be made for prisoners, arms, and munitions of war. The Union families are anxious to have a thorough search made; are willing to submit to it themselves, and say that a thorough search has never been made in Winchester. On the afternoon of August 12, 160 guerrillas intended making a dash into Winchester (not knowing that an infantry force was there) by the martinsburg pike. Learning this on my arrival there I placed the Twenty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers in position to capture them, and allowed no one to leave the city; but they (the rebels) crossed to the Berryville pike and skirmished whit my pickets for an hour, showing only twenty or thirty ne, then left. Brigadier-General Kenly arrived before the train in Winchester, about 8 a. m. on the 13th. The head of the train arrived at 9 a. m. The mules were so exhausted that it was necessary to water and feel before proceeding, and it was 12 m. before the train was closed up. At 12 m. I started the train for this point and arrived here at 7 p. m. whit every wagon closed up. when I left General Kenly had about 150 men at Winchester. The train of Merritt's cavalry brigade was captured near Berryville while under General Kenly. Captain Mann, assistant quartermaster, in charge of he entire train, reports that there was no quartermaster whit that part of the train; that they unhitched and fed without authority. Too much praise cannot be given the loyal Union families of Winchester. They attended our wounded night and day, and have used all their coffee, tea, sugar, &c., for sick and prisoners passed through Winchester they supplied them, receiving insults from the rebel officers, and were ordered away; but the guard of enlisted men allowed them to distribute food secretly. The y report our men (prisoners) starving and crying for food. I would respectfully suggest, if possible, that commissary stores be distributed among those Union families of Winchester who have used their supplies to feed our sick, wounded, and prisoners. It was reported in Winchester that a corps of the enemy had been sent to re-enforce Early, but nothing definite could be learned.

Very respectfully,

O. EDWARDS,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

No. 5. ACTING ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE, CAVALRY RESERVE BRIGADE, August 15, 1864.

Captain W. H. EMMONS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Cavalry Reserve Brigade:

SIR: On the 12th instant I received orders from Captain Mann, in charge of the army train, to move the train to the front. The order of march placed the cavalry train in the rear of all. At this time I had not been able to obtain more than 200 sacks of grain, although I had my wagons at the depot from morning until night the two previous days. Under these circumstances I thought best to send part of the train on under Captain McKinney, commissary of subsistence of the brigade, and remain myself whit the empty wagons (seventeen) to hurry the loading of them, and bring them on that night or next morning. I could not get the teams loaded until near 1 p. m. only the 13th instant. In the meantime I learned the train had been captured. Herewith is Captain McKinney's report* of the circumstances attending the capture of the train.

The loss of the brigade is forty teams, six traveling forges. the train was loaded with regimental property, subsistence stores, forage, quartermaster's stores and clothing, camp and garrison equipage.

Very respectfully, you obedient servant,

WM. DEAN,

First Lieutenant, Regimental Quartermaster First U. S. Cavalry,

Acting Assistant Quartermaster Cavalry Reserve Brigade.

No. 6. BERRYVILLE, VA., August 13, 1864.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL TO GENERAL WEBER:

Major John Mosby attacked the rear of supply train en route for Winchester at this place at sunrise this morning and succeeded in destroying by fire about twenty wagons, and ran off the teams of twenty more. If teams and drivers with the neces-

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*See paper N. 3, ante.

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