made no serious attempt to enter, but, after some slight and insignificant skirmishing, withdrew his command and hurriedly make his way to Williamsburg.

Colonel Dahlgren, having been deceived by his guide, was unable to cross the James, but, following down the left bank, endeavored to enter Richmond about the time of the withdrawal of Kilpatrick. Dahlgren pushed forward vigorously, but the night overtaking him and hearing nothing from Kilpatrick, whose guns he had heard early in the afternoon, he withdrew and attempted to rejoin the main body. The next day Dahlgren became separated from his command, and being ambushed near King and Queen Court-House himself fell mortally wounded, and the small force with him (some 70 or 80 men) fell into the hands of the enemy. The rest of his detachment, under the command of Captain Mitchell, New York cavalry, after encountering numerous bodies of the enemy, succeeded in rejoining Kilpatrick's main force at Tunstall's Station, on the York River Railroad.

Captain Mitchell's report is herewith submitted, and attention called to the admirable manner in which he handled his small command.

The report of Brigadier-General Custer, whose expedition to the vicinity of Charlottesville was perfectly successful, is also transmitted herewith. *

On the return of Brigadier-General Kilpatrick, I caused a thorough inspection of his command to be made, and submit herewith the report of the inspection, showing the number of horses lost and disabled, together with the number of lost arms and equipments.

I also forward a nominal list of the killed, wounded, and missing in General Kilpatrick's command. It is believed the number of killed (2) and wounded (12) will be increased when the missing are finally accounted for. There were no casualties in General Custer's command.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General, Commanding.

Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, February 17, 1864.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,
Chief of Staff, Army of the Potomac:

GENERAL: In obedience to the instruction of the major-general commanding, of this date, I have the honor to state that the plan proposed by Brigadier-General Kilpatrick in the inclosed communication is not feasible at this time.

When the Stoneman raid was made last year, General Lee's army was closely engaged with the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville, and the country was clear, yet the damage done by that raid was repaired in a few days, while the loss to the Government was over 7,000 horses, besides the equipments and men left on the road. Had this force been retained for the Gettysburg campaign the results would have been more decisive.

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*See p. 162.

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