At the foot of the mountain the advance surprised and captured Captain J. T. Rozzer, Company K, Pickett's regiment, and four of his men, who were doing picket duty, their arms, horses, &c. I also arrested three citizens under suspicious circumstances, one being captured with the other prisoners, and the two others fifty miles from home without any business. The horses, horse equipmetns, and arms of these prisoners I will have taken up on my reports and properly accounted for. I did not lose a man killed, wounded, or missing, and have evidence to believe that we killed oin and wounded another. I do not think there is any considerable force of the enemy in that section of country. They seem to be dispersed in squads, and no doubt could rally 300 or 400 men on short notice. From the best information that could be obtained, I think Roddey has joined Forrest at Tupelo, Miss., taking most of Patterson's command with him.

Very respectfully,

JOHN B. MINNIS,

Major, Commanding Third Tennessee Cavalry.

[39.]

JULY 18-21, 1864.-Scout in Clear Spring and Sink Spring Valley, Ala.

Report of Captain Ethan E. Thornton, Twelfth Indiana Cavalry.

PAINT ROCK BRIDGE, ALA., July 21, 1864.

DEAR SIR: I left camp at Paint Rock the 18th ultimo [instant] at 6 p. m. with seventy-five men and marched through the valley in a northeast direction. About three miles from the camp we procured a guide and took the route toward Clear Spring Valley, intending to intercept the guerrilla Mead as he crossed from one valley to the other. We lay in ambush till nearly daybreak, when we marched to Clear Spring and lay in ambush till the evening of the 19th. Procuring another guide, we marched to our ambush of the former evening and remained till 12 p. m. Leaving our concelament we went up Sink Spring Valley about four miles, with the intention of surprising a gang of guerrillas known to be there. The barking of their dogs warned them of our approach, and they fled to the mountains. From appearances I supposed there were ten men at one house and five at another near by. The first was occupied by a man named Tipton, though his wife claimed to be widow. However, the age of the bage did not agree with the story of her widowhood. I did not learn the name of the other. After making several efforts to draw the guerrillas for the mountains, I fired the two houses and adjoining outhouses, and knowing that further surprise would be impossible, took our line of march for the railroad, stopping at each house along the road and shooting all the dogs. I think we could pass through the countty without being discovered. We arrived at Cold Spring at 7 p. m. and took the train for our present station. The men stood the tramp well, and behaved gallantly on every occasion. At 9 a. m. we disembarked at Pain Rock bridge. Company in fine health and spirits. All quiet around camp.

With much respect, I remain, your, most respectfully,

E. E. THORNTON,

Captain Company L, Twelfth Indiana Cavalry.

Colonel E. ANDERSON,

Commanding Twelfth Indiana Cavalry.

[39.]

8 R R-VOL LII, PT I