railroad to obtain supplies. On the 26th we returned to Villanow and scoured the valley during that day and the suceeding, but found nothing save a few scouting squads, which we cahsed to the hills. On the 27th we again returned to Sugar Valley for supplies, where Inow await your order. I find no influential rebels in this country; they have left. I have found, on the contrary, a number of very reliable loyal men, who can be trusted to give us infors in that quarter. To-day I have sent a company toward Subligna and another toward Floyd Springs. My scout from the latter place yesterday reports a small force of rebels this side. Your dispatch of the 28th seemed based upon the understanding that I was at La Fayette, and had some command in addition to my own regiment. I think likely some order sent me has not been received. I expected something the night of the 27th at villanow, but nothing came. Newtown (which in the original dispatch was Estentown) is east of Resaca, and one regiment, in my opinion, is not sufficient to guard the line from there to the head of McLemore's Cove. The Fifth Kentucky Cavalry is at Resaca. Capron's brigade left for the front. The Third Kentucky is, I presu, e still at La Fayette with Colonel Watkins.*

I remain, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN T. CROXTON,

Colonel Fourth Kentucky Mounted Infantry.

Captain S. B. MOE,

Asst. Adjt. General, District of Etowah, Chattanooga, Tenn.

[38.]

Reports of Lieutenant Colonel George L. Godfrey, First Alabama Cavalry (Union), of operations July 11-13 and July 28-29.

HDQRS. FIRST REGIMENT ALABAMA CAVALRY VOLS.,
Rome, Ga., July 13, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to submit the following report of an expedition which has just terminated:

In compliance with orders from General Vandever, I left Rome the 11th instnat, at 5 a. m., with 225 men. Crossing the Eotwah, I took the river road south of the Coosa toward ---- Mills; thence by Howell's Cross-Roads to Center, Ala., reaching the latter point about 8 p. m. I enocuntered no force oin the road except a few scouts and pickets in squads [of] from three to eight; of these I captured 8 and killed 1. I also captured Colonel Wright, aide to Goivernor Brown, at his father's house, about twenty miles from Rome. The only force I could hear of about Center was two companies of conscripts, who kept well out of my reach. I left Center at 3 a. m. the 12th instnat, sending one squadron south to destroy a ferry-boat on the Coosa at a crossing south. With the remainder of the force I proceeded north to Cedar Bluffs, seven miles, where I found three flats, which, after crossing my command, I destroyed. Taking the Alabama road, I proceeded toward Rome about ten miles, when I struck in toward the river for forage. Finding no corn, I encamped for the night in an oat-field about eighteen miles from Rome, having picked up but two or three persons during the day. I started this morning at sunrise and reached camp at 2 p. m. without seeing any scouts or picekts on the road. The nearest force of any size I could hear of was at Bull Mountain (could not learn what force) and Gadsden, at which places there are a portion of two

---------------

*See also VOL. XXXVIII, Part II, p. 777.

---------------