Pasquotank. They got our guns and all our private property. We have the names of some of the rebels. Joseph Forbes was one of the leaders.

E. C. SANDERS,

Captain, First North Carolina Infantry.

Colonel W. A. HOWARD.

Numbers 2. Report of Captain William B. Avery, commanding U. S. gunboat Lancer, of affair near Shiloh, N. C., September 20, 1862.

UNITED STATES GUNBOAT LANCER,

September 21, 1862.

SIR: I reached Shiloh at 4 p. m. Friday, 19th, at dark. I landed 60 men, taking with me Lieutenants Fowler and Moore, and leaving the vessel in charge of Acting Master Allen. Being joined by the two lieutenants [and] Sanders with 20 men, we started at 9.30 p. m. for the place where the rebels were last heard of; reached that place to learn they were last heard of 4 miles off, in a swamp near the "lake," as they term a sort of pond. The men were two-thirds of them in carts, and so, by changing, the 12 miles already passed did not fatigue them much.

We left for "the lakes" at 4.30 a. m., so our hopes of surprising them before light were dispelled. In the swamp we found the men had gone one way that morning, half an hour previous, and the things had been sent another the night previous, toward the house of one Willis Williams. We had been told that it was there they had been encamped; so I decided to push on after the things, expecting to find a portion of their force with push. After 3 miles' more march we reached it to find no one there, and to learn that the things had been sent there the night before and they would not receive them, and they were taken back. The first house from the school-house we learned that the carts had some men without arms, and one man lying down apparently hurt. We knew they must be the prisoners, and I immediately took Lieutenant Enos C. Sanders and 20 of the best men and gave chase after them. They had two and a half hours the start, and we had been traveling all night. By following their tracks we knew the road they took, and by inquiring learned that we were gaining on them. We went across the battle-field and over the bridges across the river and canal.

About 1 1/2 miles beyond the river we came on them just as they were halting for dinner. The road was straight for half a mile to them, and through a swamp, so we could not avoid being discovered by the guard, which numbered some 15 men, I am told. We made a dash for them, and without firing a shot they took their guns and fled to the swamp across a corn field, leaving the muskets and prisoners in our hands. I immediately returned and reached the main body of the men at 2 p. m., having gone 18 miles in four hours.

We then started for Shiloh, distant 12 miles, and reached it 6.30 p. m., and at 8 p. m. all were on board, having been gone twenty-four hours.

Besides the 7 prisoners from shiloh they had 2 of my men who had straggled behind and met the rebels, who had come into the road. I went down some twenty minutes after. Had I been half hour later I should have met them. Had I been one hour earlier I should have surprised them before they started. Had I been so fortunate I should have