break on the Braddock road without orders, and beyond an ambuscaded picket of our own, and were ambuscaded and fired into by a party of nine or ten rebels. the sergeant was shot through the head and killed instantly, and one man captured, with his horse; the rest escaped. Parties have been sent out above and below Centerville. I have nothing to report from them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. M. LAZELLE,

Colonel Sixteenth New York Vol. Cavalry, Comdg. Cavalry Brigade.

HDQRS. THIRD BRIGADIER, FIRST DIVISION, SIXTH CORPS,
Heaton House, August 14, 1864.

Lieutenant Colonel J. W. FOSYTH,

Chief of Staff, Middle Military Division:

SIR: I have the honor to represent that a lieutenant of the First Michigan Cavalry, in charge of a train parked in this vicinity, reported at these headquarters through an enlisted men this evening to the following effect: that a detachment of his men in sear ch of forage were fired on by a party of the enemy and one of them killed. Two companies of the Thirty-seventh Massachusetts Regiment of my command were immediately sent to the point designated, a house near the toll-gate on the left hand side of the road, just beyond Middletown going north. The lieutenant-colonel commanding the regiment accompanied the party. He reports that to enemy was found either at the point described or anywhere in the vicinity; that no dead boy was discovered, and that the safeguard stated that but one shot was fired in that vicinity during the day, and that at a sheep which was brought in and skinned in his presence. The pickets also report that no firing was heard.

I wound respectfully request that the matter be investigated.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

O. EDWARDS,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION,
Cedar Creek, Va., August 14, 1864.

Brevet Major General G. CROOK,

Commanding Army of West Virginia:

GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs that [you] send a force up and take the hill, and that a signal officer accompany the party sent. You will also hold the road at the base of the hill. The general desires that the command sent hold the hill.

Very respectfully,

JAS. W. FORSYTH,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS, &C.,
August 14, 1864.

Brigadier-General MERRITT,

Commanding First Division Cavalry:

GENERAL: The general commanding directs that you send, if your have not done so, a regiment at daylight in the morning to the point where the Back rad crosses Cedar Creek, to hold that point and scout