It also gives me pleasure to bear testimony to services rendered by Captain Williams' company of militia, from Loveland; also the officers of my staff - Captains [William] von Doehn, assistant adjutant-general; [Dennis] Kenney, jr., commissary of subsistence; [Ernst] Peugnet, assistant quartermaster, and Simpson; also Captain Austin, who was very efficient in scouting.

Believing that i have done my duty, and all that you except of me under the circumstances, I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. W. NEFF,

Lieutenant Colonel Second Kentucky Vol. Infty, Military Commander.

Numbers 15. Report of Colonel Peter Kinney, Ohio Militia.

HEADQUARTERS,
Camp Portsmouth, July 29, 1863.

SIR: Agreeably to orders from Governor Tod, I assumed command of this post on the 14th instant. About 2,500 militia reported for duty together with some 350 volunteer militia from Portsmouth. I had at my disposal but there hundred stand of interior arms and one brass 6-pounder, which had been condemned as unfit for service, all of which I placed in the hands of the volunteers. I sent dispatches and couriers to all the neighborhood within 20 miles to request the citizens to turn out and blockade the roads by felling, and thus delay Morgan from crossing the Scioto.

From information received from scouts on the 16th, it appears that the enemy had reached the Scioto at or near Jasper, and were coming in this direction. I accordingly sent out a detachment of 300 men, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Varner, of the Fifty-sixth Ohio, who most kindly proffered his service. Colonel Varner took his [command] to Pond Creed, about 5 miles distant, and encamped there to the night.

Ascertaining on the morning of the 17th that the enemy, had crossed the Scioto and moved east, in the direction of Jackson Court-House, Colonel Varner's command was ordered back to the city. On this day one thousand muskets were received from Columbus, and put into the hands of the militia camp. The number of men there having accumulated to about 5,000, and not having arms for them all, I discharged all those unarmed, thinking they would rendered more service by getting in their crops than lying in camp at a large expense to the State.

By ordered from General Burnside, I proclaimed martial law in the city on the 16th, and called upon the citizens to arm themselves and report for duty, which order was cheerfully responded to.

On the evening of the 19th, hearing that a portion of Morgan's command was in the neighborhood of Jackson, I ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Sontag, with a detachment of 500 men from the First Scioto Militia, to proceed by rail to Jackson, with written instructions to debark his command at Jackson, and then to send out detachments of not less than 20 nor more that 35 men to scour the hills upon every approach to Jackson. Instead of obeying his orders. Colonel Sontag divided his command, by leaving one-half of it at Keystone Station, in charge of Major Slane, with orders to march for Ewington, in Gallia Country, where he would join him. Colonel Sontag them proceed to Jackson, from which place