Finding him so far in my rear I pushed on and in a few moments struck enemy's line of battle. I immediately attacked and drove him from his position, routing the entire line and capturing 200 prisoners with their horses, equipments, and arms. In this engagement and the running fight which ensued more than 40 of the enemy were left dead on the field. My entire force, including my reserves, which were not engaged, did not exceed 500 men. In pushed on, continually engaging the enemy's rear guard, until about 9 a. m., when they succeeded by a rapid movement in gaining some two miles upon my advance. Upon reaching a point two miles from Newman I again overtook him, and captured 20 prisoners in the engagement which ensued. My command had up to this time traveled about seventy miles without having halted.

About this time Colonel Cook, with a portion of his regiment, and General Ross, with two small regiments, each about 100 strong, reported to me increasing my force to about 700 men. I here found that on the head of McCook's column approaching town he had observed Confederate troops in the town, and without engaging them turned off, leaving the town to the right. Feeling certain he would attempt to come into the La Grange road below the town, I ordered Colonel Ashby to move through Newman and down the La Grange road to gain his front if possible. I then sent scouts and pickets out upon all roads by which the enemy could approach the town, and moved with the remainder of my command, now less than 300 men, down between the railroad and the main La Grange road in the hope that I might strike the enemy's flank. After marching about three miles I discovered the enemy in a dense wood forming a line, the right flank of which was scarcely fifty yards in my front. Almost at the same moment I received a dispatch from Colonel Ashby informing me that he had struck the head of the enemy's column just as it was entering the main La Grange road, three miles and a half below Newman, and that the enemy was forming a line of battle dismounted. Feeling that I was upon the flanks of the force to which he referred, I determined to attack immediately, notwithstanding the great disparity of numbers, the enemy having fully ten times my force. I immediately sent orders to Colonel Ashby to engage the enemy in front, while with the remainder of my troops I attacked with great vigor. I met with a strong resistance at first, but in a few moments the enemy gave way, when with a shout and a gallant charge, the entire line was thrown into confusion and commenced a disorderly retreat. We pursued rapidly, captured a great number of prisoners, and divided the enemy's forces.

While pursuing the enemy, I heard firing in my rear, when I was surprised to learn that General Ross had left his horses where he had first dismounted. Feeling convinced that they were being attacked, I immediately recalled the line, returned, and drove off the enemy, capturing a number of prisoners and horses, and recovering all of General Ross' horses. Immediately after this success, and before I had re-established my lines, the enemy made a most determined charge, driving back a portion of my line and throwing the whole of it into temporary confusion. In a moment my troops were rallied and the enemy repulsed. The fight had now lasted two hours. We had driven the enemy from every position and captured 400 prisoners, including 3 brigade commanders, one of whom lay wounded upon the field. At this moment General Anderson came up with