men, 431. Casualties: Killed-enlisted men, 3; wounded-1 commissioned officer and 49 enlisted men-4 mortally, since died. prisoners captured during the engagement, 23, nine of whom were wounded.

JAMES W. MCMULLIN,

Major, Commanding Seventh Iowa Veteran Infantry.

D. T. BOWLER,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, 1st Brigadier, 2nd Div., 16th Army Corps.

[38.]

Report of Colonel John T. Croxton, Fourth Kentucky Mounted Infantry, of operations Jun 23-30.

HDQRS. FOURTH Kentucky VETERAN MOUNTED INFY.,
Sugar Valley, June 30, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command since leaving Chattanooga:

On the 23rd we left Chattanooga with orders from the major-general commanding to proceed to Resaca via Ship's and Snake Creek Gaps, patrolling the country en route. Being advised that a force of several hundred rebels were annoying the railroad and supposed to have their headquarters about Villanow, I was instructed to get in rear of them and capture of disperse them, in order to relive our line of communications to the front from the serious annoyance they were inflicting. On the night of the 23rd we encamped at Rock Spring Church, intending to move directly to Ship's Gap on the following morning, at which time Colonel Watkins had, as I learned, determined to move to Rome. Between 5 and 6 o'clock on the morning of the 24th a half-dozen men belonging to Colonel Watkins' command gallped into my camp, reporting that their command had been surrounded and surprised at daybreak, and, as they supposed, had been captured. These men belonged to the force on picket north of the place, and the enemy had succeeded in getting between them and the town. I immediately mounted my command, and leaving oine company to load and guard the train, gallped at full speed toward La Fayette. On the way I met a citizen scout of Colonel Watkins and several soldiers, all of whom confirmed the impression that the whole command had been captured. When within a mile of the town I met Captain McNeely, of the Seventh Kentucky Cavalry, who had charge of a small squad who had either been on picket or succeeded in escaping from the town. He also supposed the place had been surrendered. I immediately sent Captain Hudnall with his company to the right of the road to look our for the enemy in that direction, and gallped on in toward the town. Captain mcNeely volunteered to dash ahead with his squad and determined the position of the enemy. When in t he outskirts of the town he came upon a line of dismounted men who poured a volley into his little band, wounding several men and horses and forcing him to retire. We were a few hundred yards in rear, and I immediately turned from the road to the right. As soon as two companies had cleared the road sufficiently I halted, dismounted, and deployed them, and ordered them to move forward to engage the enemy, while five companies were moved rapidly to the right, aiming, as I did, to strike the Dug Gap road (having learned the enemy came by that road), and attack him on his left flank. Lieutenant-Colonel Kelly with the remaining companies was directed to remain on the road and look out for matters there, as I deemed it important to hold that road, as it led to my train.