Numbers 18. Report of Lieutenant Colonel William P. Thompson, Nineteenth Virginia Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS, Near Union, November 8, 1863.

COLONEL: At 3 o'clock Wednesday morning, November 4, instant, I received your dispatch at the foot of Cold Knob Mountain, directing me to retrace my steps from an expedition I was then on to Western Virginia, as the enemy had appeared in large force in the upper end of Pocahontas County. I had with me 120 mounted men.

In obedience to your order I hastened to my old camp (camp Miller). While taking off my saddles I received a further order from you to move my whole command to Mill Point, as the enemy were advancing rapidly. In conformity with that order I moved the cavalry forward rapidly, and directed Captain J. W. Ball to move the dismounted men to Mill Point by a regular march. When I arrived at your headquarters I received a verbal order to proceed on the Beaver Creek route until I met the enemy, and hold him in check until Colonel Arnett (who was at Marling's Bottom) should pass the intersection of that road with the turnpike.

In obedience to your order I did move forward on said road, and met the enemy about 3 p. m., and commenced blockading the road and skirmishing with him. This I continued for several hours after nightfall; then, Colonel Arnett having passed with his command the point of danger and effected a junction with the residue of the infantry, in obedience to your order, I fell back to the hill south of Mill Point, encamping within 300 yards of the enemy, who had been constantly pressing on with great pertinacity.

In these series of skirmishes I lost 1 man killed. The enemy suffered considerably, as I had my skirmishers dismounted and in ambush behind formidable blockades.

At daylight of the morning of the 5th, the fight of Mill Point commenced. Being in person in command you are familiar with the incidents of that fight. When you had determined to withdraw your command from that point, which was then exposed to a severe and accurate shelling of the enemy's batteries, you directed me to protect the retreat with the cavalry. I sent the major part of my command to the rear, retaining with me Captain young and Lieutenant Coffman, with about 30 men. These men I held on the hill under a terrific shower of shell and grape about forty minutes, until I saw the infantry in a comparatively safe position, when I slowly retired, the enemy pressing on with his skirmishers and main column. At one time the enemy prepared to charge in column with his cavalry, but a skillful and determined movement of the detachment under Captain young deterred him. The best commentary upon the success of the retreat from Mill Point to Droop Mountain exists in the fact that the enemy at no time was within less than 200 yards of our rear, a distance of 7 miles in a beautiful cleared valley, and yet we lost but 1 man wounded and not one killed or taken prisoner.

At 3 p. m. I reached the base of Droop Mountain, when a mounted force of the enemy attempted to cut off my junction with you. With the aid of a few shells from Captain Lurty's battery we put them to a total rout. That night, Colonel Cochran with his regiment, the Fourteenth Virginia Cavalry, kindly relieved me from all picket duty.