attempting to destroy it. The rebels were speedily driven away, the bridge repaired, and we crossed about daybreak. Passing near Prince George Court-House we crossed the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad about noon of the 17th, rendering useless the repairs that had been made after our previous raid, and reached City Point on the afternoon of the same day.

The conduct of both officers and men under my command during the march was such as to deserve my warmest commendation.

I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

NEWTON HALL,

Major, Commanding Third New York Cavalry.

Major F. JACOBS, Jr.,

Commanding First Brigade, Kautz's Cavalry Division.

Numbers 82. Report of Colonel Samuel P. Spear, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, command Second Brigade, of operations May 5-17.

HDQRS. 2nd CAV. Brigadier, KAUTZ'S DIV., 18TH A. C.,
Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 25, 1864.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to instructions received from you as per letter of May 24, 1864, I have the honor to make the following report:

May 5.-The Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, excepting one company on detached service, took up the line of march near Portsmouth, Va., about 5 a. m. Arriving at Bowers' Hill, a distance of 4 miles, they were joined by eight companies of the Fifth Pennsylvania Cavalry. We then marched direct for Suffolk, where four more companies of the Fifth Pennsylvania Cavalry joined us, making in all twenty-three companies, twelve of the Fifth Pennsylvania Cavalry and eleven of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry. With this forced I proceeded in the direction of the Black-water River, bivouacking at Andrews' Corners.

On the morning of May 6 we again started, and by a circuitous route reached Birch Island Bridge, Blackwater River (the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry being in the advance). Here, after a short but determined resistance, we crossed. Lieutenant L. F. Prud'homme, my acting assistant adjutant-general, was severely wounded in the thigh. At this point the carbineers of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry were dismounted and charged on foot, all under command of Major A. J. Ackerly, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry. After crossing the river my brigade proceeded at once to Wakefield, on the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad. There the railroad and telegraph line was destroyed, together with a large amount of Confederate Government stores.

May 7.-At daylight my brigade again started, being this day in the rear of the column. Marched direct for Sussex County Court-House. Left it on the left and marched for the Nottoway River to a bridge situated about 4 miles above Jarratt's Station, arriving there about dusk. Mean time the command had been divided, a portion of it (the First Brigade), with which was the Fifth Pennsylvania Cavalry (one of the regiments of my brigade), going