the late raid on Middleton, Tenn., and also the following one of my own, as commanding officer of the two regiments:

When the order was received at the camp of my regiment, Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, I was absent from camp, and on returning to camp found the regiment had left. I followed on, overtaking the command some 2 miles from Salem, on the Murfreesborough and Middleton road, assuming command of the Third and Fourth Ohio as a detachment of the Second Cavalry Brigade. I found on my arrival, however, the Thirty-ninth Regiment Indiana Mounted Infantry between the Third and Fourth Ohio, and it was reported to me they had been ordered there. I sent two or three different messages to the head of the column to find out for what purpose they were put there, but failed to receive any answer.

On arriving near Middleton, and going on with the Third Ohio Cavalry, I found that the Fourth Ohio Cavalry had been turned off in another direction, and I saw nothing more of the regiment until it joined, just before the command started back to Murfreesborough, when I commanded the rear guard for 2 or 3 miles, consisting of the Third and Fourth Ohio Cavalry, and was joined after this by other regiments.

The circumstances of our return while I was in rear are accurately stated in the reports of the regimental commanders.

I was relieved as rear guard some 4 miles from Middleton by the Fourth U. S. Cavalry, when I returned to camp with my command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ELI LONG,

Colonel Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.

Captain W. B. CURTIS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Cavalry Division.

Numbers 8. Report of Major George W. Dobb, Fourth Ohio Cavalry.

CAMP FOURTH OHIO VOLUNTEER CAVALRY,

May 25, 1863.

SIR: In compliance with your order, I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Fourth Ohio Cavalry in the recent raid on Middleton:

We left camp Thursday evening, the 21st instant, at 7.30 o'clock, and marched to the Salem pike for the purpose of joining the other troops ordered on this expedition. The regiment was ordered to take the rear of the column, which position we maintained until we arrived at the enemy's camp shortly after daylight. On reaching the front, I was ordered by Major Sinclair, assistant adjutant-general, to move forward with the regiment to the left, and ascertain if any of the enemy were secreted in the woods in that direction. I advanced about 1 1/2 miles, but could discover no traces of them. I then returned in the direction of their camp, which had been set on fire. While moving slowly in column, a small squad of the enemy made a dash at the rear of the regiment, but were quickly repulsed. At this moment I received orders to join the balance of the brigade and to throw out a strong rear guard. In this order the column commenced moving in the direction of Murfreesborough. The enemy, having recovered from their surprise, followed