Numbers 414.

Reports of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Klein, Third Indiana Cavalry, commanding First Brigade, of operations August 18-20 (Kilpatrick's raid).

HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, THIRD CAVALRY DIVISION,
Sandtown, August 21, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to report that my understanding with General Kilpatrick was that he would cross the West Point railroad not far from East Point, and strike the Macon railroad near Chapman's, taking down the railroad to Griffin, where I was to meet him.

I left with my command, 292 men (General Kilpatrick with the remainder of the cavalry force at Stevens, seven miles from Fairburn), at 11.30 p. m. of the 18th. I reached Fairburn at 1.30 a. m. 19th, Fayetteville at 9 a. m., and Bear Creek Station, nine miles above Griffin, at 11 a. m. Four miles above Bear Creek Station, at Lovejoy's, I was driven back at 4.30 p. m. 19th, after having torn up portions of 3 miles of track and 3 miles of telegraph, captured 2 trains of cars, burned 1, and was driven from the other by the guard and Ferguson's cavalry. I could learn nothing of General Kilpatrick's force from either the conductor of the captured train from East Point or from some prisoners captured from Ferguson's brigade of cavalry which had left a point between Atlanta and Decatur at daylight of the 19th.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBERT KLEIN,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Brigadier General W. D. WHIPPLE,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, THIRD CAVALRY DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Sandtown, Ga., August 23, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command in the late expedition against the enemy's communications in the rear of Atlanta:

At 11 p. m. of the 18th instant, with my command of 13 officers and 292 men, I left the main column at Stevens' farm, seven miles from the railroad at Fairburn. Agreeably to instructions, I tore up a portion of track and telegraph wire, and at 2 a. m. 19th moved on Fayetteville road, reaching that place at 7 a. m., meeting a small force and capturing some prisoners, 40 mules, and 20 wagons, the latter of which were burned. Moved on Griffin road to near Mount Zion Church, turned to left, crossed Flint River, eight miles from Fayetteville and eight miles from Fayette Station, on Macon railroad, at which point I intended striking, but, by a mistake of our guide, struck railroad four miles above Fayette, at Bear Creek Station at 11 a. m.; commenced fearing up track and telegraph wire, destroying over 1 solid mile of track at intervals of three miles railing road toward Lovejoy's Station, and 3 miles of wire, taking it down, reeling, and hiding it. The railroad ties were piled up and iron laid on them and burned. At Bear Creek captured a train of 9 cars loaded with whisky, meal, wheat, lard,