some corn, and a vast variety of stuff such as ammunition; tools, harness, material of wear, &c., all hauled into town and under guard. But a great deal is slipping through our fingers for want of force to take and hold it.

This is a lovely spot, a fine, clean village, most beautiful and romantic surrounding country, and polite and educated secesh people. It is the spot to organize our brigade. For a week or two are almost independent of quartermasters. The road from you to this place has some very bad places, perhaps five miles in all; the rest is hard, smooth, and dry - a good road. Our teams broke down a good deal, but got within twenty miles. I left a guard at Wolf Creek bridge. That is where the road from Tazewell comes to the river, and the bridge is very important. We got rebel papers to the 5th. Notice the article marked in the Lynchburg paper mentioning our advance; also letters, &c., which you will find interesting; also important list of captured stores. Our prisoners, the officers and militia, nine gentlemen, but unimportant. I found them out on parole. You will not greatly disapprove of this when you know the facts. In short, if you can get the permission you want to come here with your brigade, do so, by all means, as fast as you can get tents for them. We are in no need of re-enforcements for defense, if our information is correct, as yet, but the point is too important to lose. You will see some beginning at fortifying the Narrows. It was a strong place. I will retain Gilmore's cavalry. It is a necessity. Captain Gilmore and his two lieutenants pretty much captured this town. They have behaved admirably. Do get a revocation of the order sending them to the rear, at least for the present. You will need them very much. Will you send up their tents and baggage to-day. They must stay for the present. They can send tents, &c., up with their own teams now there. I say nothing about the major and his command. They deserve all praise. Say what you please that is good of them, and it will be true. The taking of Giles Court-House is one of the boldest things of the war. It was perfectly impudent. There were more secesh standing on the corners than were in the party with Major Comly and Captain Gillmore when they dashed in.

Respectfully,

R. B. HAYES,

Lieutenant Colonel Twenty-third Regiment Ohio VOL. Infantry, Commanding

[12.]

CAMP Numbers 6,

Giles Court-House, May 8, 1862-7 p. m.

Colonel E. P. SCAMMON:

SIR: We are getting on very prosperously gathering up forage, &c. We have in town 600 bushels of corn in addition to amount heretofore reported. Our stores of all sorts exceed anything this side of Fayette. We are in much need of shoes. We have got a lot of secesh, which, though inferior, will help until our quartermaster gets a supply. It is ascertained that the enemy is fortifying beyond Walker's Creek in a gap of Cloyd's Mountain, twelve or thirteen miles from here; that they have the Forty-fifth, Thirty-sixth, and probably Twenty-second Virginia, also a small number of cavalry and three to six pieces of cannon. They advanced to within four miles of us last night, but learning of our re-enforcements they retreated. Their advance guard was seen by my patrols and promptly reported, but on scouting for them they were found to have turned back. To-day I sent Captain Gilmore with half

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