No. 7. Report of Colonel William R. Lloyd, Sixth Ohio Cavalry, of operations August 21-September 3.

HDQRS. SIXTH Regiment OHIO VOLUNTEER CAVALRY,
Hall's Farm, D. C. [Va.], September 13, 1862.

GENERAL: in obedience to general orders, this morning received, I respectfully submit the following report of the operations of the regiment under my command during the march of the army from Rapidan River:

My regiment had just returned from a reconnaissance to Stanardsville, which occupied two days and nights, when we were ordered to prepare for our retrograde march with the army. We went into the saddle at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, but did not leave the camp until the afternoon, of the next day, the regiment serving with the cavalry brigade which constituted the rear guard of your corps. We passed through Culpeper about 9 o'clock at night, and about 2 o'clock in the morning rested a few miles from the South Branch of the Rappahannock, on the road to Sulphur Springs. Our march was resumed in the morning, and we crossed the bridge on the road to the springs with the brigade before noon, and a detail from my regiment assisted in burning the bridge. We went into camp with the army at the springs about 9 p.m.

The next morning we were ordered to mount at 4 a.m., but did not move from the camp until 3 in the afternoon, when we proceeded in the rear of the corps in the direction of Rappahannock Station. That night we halted in the middle of the camp, on the road, saddled and unfed, until 7 o'clock the next morning, when continued our march toward Rappahannock Station.

About 9 in the morning I was directed by you to report with my regiment to General Schenck, then engaging the enemy at the North Branch of the river, near its confluence with the South Branch. I found General Schenck at the extreme right of his command, near Fant's Ford. He directed me to put my regiment in position to guard the ford and support a battery which he shortly afterward sent to that point.

About 1 o'clock in the afternoon I was directed to report to you for particular instructions, and was ordered by you to proceed with my regiment, one regiment of infantry (to be furnished for the purpose by General Stahel), and one section of the mountain howitzer battery, and cross the river at Fant's Ford. The stone house opposite the ford I was instructed to burn in case I should find it a protection for the enemy, whose pickets had been firing on us from the house during the morning. I was notified that a brigade would be sent across the river at the ford 2 miles below us. Our passage across the ford was ordered to be covered by artillery and infantry by General Stahel. We crossed the ford, the enemy's pickets retiring before us. At the distance of a mile from the river we found at different points a considerable force of cavalry and some infantry, who fell back as our advance or flanking parties approached them.

Whilst across the river we found a very sharp engagement suddenly commenced below us, which we subsequently found was brought or by the brigade which crossed at the lower ford. By direction of General Stahel we crossed the river, and encamped within gunshot of the ford for the night. The next morning the entire corps retraced its march toward Sulphur Springs. During the march our brigade was