roads were good. A detachment of mine captured two hospitals on the Marietta and Dallas road, containing a colonel, 3 captains, 1 lieutenant, 35 enlisted men, 14 nurses, and 2 surgeons.

E. M. McCOOK,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Brigadier General W. L. ELLIOTT,

Chief of Cavalry.

HDQRS. FIRST CAV. DIV., DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Lost Mountain Post-Office, June 19, 1864.

GENERAL: Yesterday evening my scouting parties found and drove in rebel pickets on all the roads leading from here to Marietta and Powder Springs. I have heard nothing from the Second Brigade yet, but suppose it is somewhere in the vicinity of Acworth. I send you two papers (rebel) of the 15th and 17th.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. M. McCOOK,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

General W. L. ELLIOTT.

HDQRS. FIRST CAV. DIV., DEPT. OF THE CUMBERLAND,
In the Field, Lost Mountain Post-Office, June 20, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report that the Second Brigade of my division, detached on the 17th instant in accordance with orders received from the chief of cavalry, has returned. Lieutenant-Colonel Lamson, commanding, reports that he moved in the direction of Acworth, on the Powder Springs road, as far as Gary Davis' house, where he took the right-hand fork and struck the Sandtown road at one Burnett's; thence took a road leading in the direction of Big Shanty as far as Captain Owen's, whence he followed a road which strikes the Acworth and Marietta road about two and a half miles southeast from Acworth, near which place he went into camp at 10 p. m. On the 18th and 19th he sent out heavy scouts and patrols on both sides of the railroad, one to within two miles of Moon's Station, and another at the same time to Allatoona Furnace, and scoured that section of the country thoroughly, but failed entirely to discover any enemy. This morning I sent out a strong scouting party of 250 men, with directions to scout the roads to and beyond Powder Springs. The roads scouted by them are dotted on the accompanying map,* made by Major Scranton, Second Michigan, commanding the party. They met a small scout of the enemy about four miles from here, and drove them back upon a picket, at Powder Springs, of about 30, whence they continued to drive them on the Atlanta road to the Sweet Water Creek, where they met a force of probably a regiment, who barricaded themselves. They report the stream impassable. Our loss, 1 man killed. The name of the colonel inquired about by General Elliott to-day is Hardcastle, Thirty-third Mississippi Infantry.

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*Omitted.

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