of about a brigade, located to our right looking toward the ford, did not display any troops at all. The enemy appeared to desire to be quiet and made no unnecessary noise or demonstration. It was not until my artillery opened that the other side showed any, but then the enemy fired very rapidly from two positions about a mile apart, the guns in one battery being heavy artillery. The demonstration was kept up until 1 p. m. on the 7th, when receiving orders to return I did so, recrossing the Robertson by Clark's and Aylor's Fords. The enemy did not molest us on our return and the command arrived in camp the same evening, without other loss than the killed and wounded, a list of which I inclose. But 5 prisoners were made. The country through which we passed is rich and productive. There seems to be considerable forage yet in shock on the farms between the two rivers. From 12 to 15 head of beef-cattle were brought in by the command. There was not much hard fighting, but enough to show that the men and officers of the division had lost none of the spirit of last year's campaign. Colonel Chapman's command pressed forward vigorously, giving Lomax, with his little brigade, no time to rest even in the strongest positions, and Captain Ash, of the Fifth Cavalry, made a spirited charge with his squadron driving more than his number of the enemy's infantry out of a peculiarly strong place.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. MERRITT,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding Division.

Colonel C. ROSS SMITH,

Chief of Staff, Cavalry Corps Headquarters.

Return of casualties in First Cavalry Division in reconnaissance to Barnett's Ford.

Killed. Wounded. Captured or

missing.

Command. Offi Men. Offi Men Offi Men. Agg

cers cers . cers reg

. . . ate

.

8th New York Cavalry. . . 3 . . 4 . . . . 7

. . . .

1st U. S. Cavalry. . . . . . . 2 . . . . 2

. . . . .

5th U. S. Cavalry. . . . . 1 5 . . . . 6

. . . .

Total. . . 3 1 11 . . . . 15

. . .

Numbers 23. Report of Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick, U. S. Army, commanding Third Division.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS,
February 7, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that, in accordance with instructions from headquarters Cavalry Corps, I proceeded, on the morning of the 6th, with a portion of my division *(1,360 officers and men and one battery) to Culpeper Ford; crossed at 11 a. m. without opposition. A portion of my people crossed at the same hour at Germanna, above, and Ely's Ford, below. Reconnoitering parties were at once sent out toward Chancellorsville and on the different