men to report to Captain Carle, provost-marshal of division, I detailed Lieutenant P. S. Earley to report, who, upon reporting, proceeded in the direction of Brentsville, and when about one mile from that place, across the Broad Run bridge, his command was attacked by the enemy. Major Larrimer (staff officer) ordered him to charge the enemy, which he did, killing some 5 of them, with a loss of 3 killed (1 major and 2 privates) and 3 wounded; none captured. We also lost four horses killed. The enemy fired from an ambuscade in the pine woods on the right of the road. The horses of his command were taken from the unserviceable ones of the regiment in order to furnish the detail, and consequently were totally unfit to move and unable to attack a superior force of the enemy. Re-enforcements being ordered, I proceeded with the balance of the command and scoured the country some six miles beyond Broad Run without being able to meet the enemy and returned to camp, arriving at 8 p. M.

I have the honor to be, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. KERWIN,

Major, Commanding Thirteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry.

Major R. A. McCOY,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

[33.]

FEBRUARY 25-26, 1864.-Scout from Vienna to Farmwell Station, Va.

Report of Major Casper Crowninshield, Second Massachusetts Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND MASSACHUSETTS CAVALRY,
Vienna, Va., February 26, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report that pursuant to orders received from Colonel Lazelle, commanding cavalry brigade, I left this camp at 7 a. M. February 25 with the following force: Second Massachusetts, 200; Sixteenth New York, 200; Thirteenth New York, 125; total, 525 men. I marched up the pike to Dranesville, where a large force of the enemy were said to have been the day before. On the way up one or two rebel cavalrymen were seen on the hills on the right of the pike. At Dranesville, having satisfied myself that no large force of the enemy had been in that vicinity since the day on which Captain Reed's party was attacked, I moved on to Belmont. On the way up I could not hear of any force of the enemy having been seen, except in small parties. I also learned that there was no force of the enemy either at Leesburg or vicinity. I learned that the force which had attacked Captain Reed had gone back toward the Blue Ridge, passing through Middleburg on the afternoon of Monday, the 22d. A Union man who had just come from Aldie said that there was no force of the enemy there or in the vicinity. From Belmont I went to Farmwell Station. Here I heard of a small party of ten rebels having passed down toward Herndon Station that morning. I also crossed Mosby's trail going toward Aldie, after the fight with Captain Reed. From Farmwell Station I went to Gum Spring, and here also heard that the rebels had gone through Middleburg with their prisoners on Monday afternoon and had not been back since. At Gum Spring we saw two rebels in the distance. I then marched to Centerville, and thence into camp, reaching camp at a little after 1 o'clock this morning. From all that I