[Inclosure.]

General Ransom commanded the advance guard of cavalry as they entered the village Sunday, 4 p. m. No infantry till Monday morning. General Early in command of the whole. There were here McCausland, Hays, Stafford, Gordon, Echols, Wharton, Bradley T. Johnson, Breckinridge, and Terry. Mosby's command did not come up from near the river, but some of his men were here. The Ransom command had four field pieces and two brass pieces. I saw three entire batteries. The cavalry force commenced retreating. When they advanced on Washington they had about 12,000; on their retreat they had more infantry than the force they had taken through on Monday. Imboden also had some. Stated they left Richmond 1st of June, and others at various times up to the 4th of July. They seemed in dread and panic all the time here, openly both officers and men stated that the objects of the movement was forage and provision; the main one being to draw Grant north of Potomac.

Numbers 37. Statement of Artificer Nelson A. Fitts, Company B, Ninth New York Heavy Artillery, of the Confederate strength, &c.

Sunday morning, July 10, on the left of New Market, while retreating, I was taken prisoner by a squad of the Twentieth Virginia Cavalry, and was taken to the headquarters of that regiment and marched with them to Silver Spring, on Seventh-street road, getting there on Monday the 11th about 3 p. m. The cavalry joined the rest of the command between Rockville and Seventh-street road, and I passed the entire length of it; saw their troops and artillery. I also observed some of the inhabitants that gave them information in regard to the forces in Washington, and I could point out the places and men if I were to go back on the same road.

On the 12th, about sundown, we left Seventh street in a hurry, marched to Rockville, getting there at daylight on the 13th; halted half an hour, and then went on until 2 p. m., then stopped until dark. We followed the line of telegraph from Rockville to Poolesville, halted on the Maryland side until light (I saw their train and artillery parked), then crossed the Potomac at Edwards Ferry. The prisoners and infantry forded the river and halted, and then their artillery crossed. I counted forty-two pieces as they crossed. They had told me that they had sixty pieces, and I counted them to find out. The colonel of the Twentieth Virginia Cavalry told me that their force at Monocacy was 50,000, and judging from what I saw of the troops myself I should think their whole force was between 40,000 and 50,000. There was Ewell's corps, commanded by Early and Breckinridge, also a part of A. P. Hill's corps that went to Baltimore. After crossing the Potomac the prisoners left the troops and marched toward Leesburg, halting about three miles this side on the 14th about 2 p. m.; staid there until the 16th at 1 a. m. Whilst there, they were attacked in the rear; I could hear the artillery.

We left on the 16th and marched to Upperville; halted there until dark, then started to cross the mountains at Ashby's Gap, and there