wagon employed by a rebel commissary in collecting supplies for the rebel army was captured, on the 13th, near Fearnsville. I brought in no prisoners.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

FRANKLIN A. STRATTON,

Lieutenant Colonel Eleventh Pennsylvania Cav., Commanding Cav. Expedition.

Brigadier General CHARLES K. GRAHAM,

Commanding Naval Brigade.

FEBRUARY 13 - 17, 1865. - Expedition from Camp Russell (near Winchester) to Edenburg and Little Fort Valley, Va., and skirmishes.

Report of Lieutenant Colonel George R. Maxwell, First Michigan Cavalry.

HDQRS. FIRST MICHIGAN VETERAN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY,
Camp Russell, Va., February 19, 1865.

SIR: I have the honor to report that, in compliance with instructions received from cavalry headquarters, I started on the evening of the 13th instant, with 300 men of the First Brigade, First Division; marched to Strasburg, rested an hour and fed my horses; started at about 11.30 p. m., and pushed on to Edenburg, meeting with no opposition until arriving at that place, where the enemy's pickets were encountered; strenuous efforts were made for their capture; none were captured, owing to the horses of my command being too weary to compete with the fresh horses of the enemy. Sent 100 men to destroy an iron furnace in Little Fort Valley. Held Edenburg till 8 a. m. the 16th, with slight skirmishing. At 11 a. m. started to return. As the column got well under way the rear guard was charged by about fifty men of the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry, of McCausland's command, the enemy being repulsed with loss; a constant skirmish was kept up upon my rear guard until we [sic] to Woodstock, when the enemy charged through, supported by a part of the column charging back to relieve them. The enemy suffered severely in this encounter, as they could not complete with our superior carbine. I halted my column, sent a part across Tom's Brook, and with 100 men of the First Michigan charged them and drove them back within one mile and a half of Edenburg, then returned to Cedar Creek unmolested save by a few partisans near Strasburg. At Cedar Creek communicated with the party sent to destroy the furnace, and learned they had successfully accomplished their task. The furnace was in almost working order, ore was being taken out, and machinery repaired. This party captured ten men - five soldiers and five detailed men. It appears that the picket-line of the enemy at Edenburg has no effective support nearer than Staunton. Prisoners report that General Rosser is at Luray, organizing cavalry.

In passing over the ground where the enemy attempted to capture my rear guard, it was ascertained they had three men killed and a number wounded. I had one man mortally wounded.

My command arrived in camp at 3 a. m. 17th instant, having carried out successfully the task assigned me.

The results of the expedition may be summed up as follows: The iron furnace in Little Fort Valley entirely destroyed; three of the