The arms and horses taken will be turned over to the proper department. The prisoners, 10 in number, I sent to headquarters under charge of Captain Clay.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. RICHTER JONES,

Colonel, Commanding Outposts.

Lieutenant Colonel SOUTHARD HOFFMAN,

Asst. Adjt. General, Eighteenth Army Corps.

JANUARY 30, 1863.-Engagement at Deserted House, or Kelly's Store, near Suffolk, Va.

REPORTS.

No. 1.- Major General John J. Peck, U. S. Army.

No. 2.- Brigadier General Michael Corcoran, U. S. Army.

No. 3.- Colonel Samuel P. Spear, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry.

No. 4.- Colonel William McEvily, One hundred and fifty-third New York Infantry.

No. 5.- Brigadier General Roger A. Pryor, C. S. Army.

No. 1. Reports of Major General John J. Peck, U. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES FORCES, Suffolk, Va., February 4, 1863.

On January 29 information reached me that General Pryor had been encamped at Holland's Corners, 14 miles distant, with a force of all arms, the preceding night. Captain Ward, of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, was promptly dispatched to procure reliable data and watch his movements. Late in the afternoon this most valuable and daring officer reported that General Pryor had gone in the direction of the Deserted House, with some 2,000 infantry, 500 cavalry, and a number of pieces of artillery. Parties were sent to the indicated point and returned about 8 p.m. with information of his arrival there. I at once organized a special force, consisting of the following: Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, Colonel Spear; Follett's (Fourth U. S. Artillery) battery; Davis' (Seventh Massachusetts) battery; two companies mountain howitzers; the Thirteenth Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Dobbs; the Sixth Massachusetts, Colonel Follansbee; the One hundred and thirtieth New York, Lieutenant-Colonel Thorp; the One hundred and sixty-seventh Pennsylvania, Colonel Knoderer; the Sixty-ninth New York, Colonel Murphy, and the One hundred and fifty-fifth New York, Colonel McEvily; Colonel Gibbs commanding the infantry (amounting, by the morning reports of that day, to some 4,800 total), and placed it under the command of Brigadier General M. Corcoran.

He left about 1 a.m., with instructions to proceed cautiously, ascertained the locality of the enemy and force him from his position, inflicting all the loss possible. About 3.20 a.m. the cavalry came upon the rebel picket, driving it in and back upon the enemy's main line of battle. Follett's battery supported by the Thirteenth Indiana Regiment, and