mile above Chattanooga, having marched on foot from Nashville. The regimental commander was ordered to draw horses from a number of convalescents that had been turned in to recruit. Two hundred and thirty-eight of these horses in a most pitiable condition, at least one-third of them being unable to sustain the weight of the equipments, were drawn. On the 5th of May the regiment was ordered to Wauhatchie Station, on the Nashville, and Chattanooga Railroad, to recruit the stock by full feeding, grazing, and grooming. The most stringent regulations were carried out in regard to these horses, but it was impossible to obtain full supplies of forage, and there was nothing to graze the animals upon. All this time and up to the present period there has been full work for the regiment in the way of scouting, &c., and there are but thirty-seven serviceable horses belonging to the command, and the majority of them have been captured. As I deem it useless to enumerate the different scout made by this command, I will merely state that heavy details from the regiment have been on this kind of duty at least every other day since the 18th of June.

On the 18th of June a detachment of 100 men from this command, under Captain John M. Bacon, Company C, in company with other detachments from the brigade, the whole under command of Colonel L. D. Watkins, started on an expedition to La Fayette, Ga. On the morning of June 24, before daylight, the enemy, under command of Brigadier General G. J. Pillow, attacked our forces, and Captain Bacon, in obedience to orders from his brigade commander, retired with his detachment to the court-house and occupied it in conjunction with a portion of the detachment from the Sixth Kentucky Cavalry. The conduct of Captain Bacon and his command is spoken of by all officers present as being praiseworthy in the highest degree; in fact, this officer's name has become a synonym for coolness, efficiency, and bravery. Loss of the regiment during this engagement was 2 killed, 3 wounded, and 7 missing. On the 14th of August a drove of cattle numbering some 1,800 guarded by a detachment of infantry, were attacked by some 600 rebels, with two pieces of artillery, five miles south of this place. Colonel Faulkner, commanding brigade, started in pursuit a detachment of eighty men, under command of Captain Bacon, and accompanied by Captains Speed and Cooper; Lieutenants Ryan, Kilmore, Hunter, and Harper going with the party. The enemy were overtaken and a running fight opened and kept up until the enemy had retreated across the Pine Log Creek, tearing up a portion of the bridge. Captain Bacon with his command charged up to the bridge under fire of the enemy's artillery, stationed across the bridge. The conduct of officers and men of this regiment is spoken of by Colonel Faulkner as being very gallant.

In conclusion, I will say that while the regiment was stationed at La Fayette, Ga., it thoroughly scouted the country to a distance of thirty miles, most of the detachments of this command being under Major George Welling, who was nearly always successful in his objects. The bravery, energy, and vigilance of this officer cannot be too highly spoken of.

I have the honor to be sir, very respectfully,

WICKLIFFE COOPER,

Colonel, Commanding Fourth Kentucky Cavalry, Vet. Vols.

Lieutenant H. B. KELLY,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Third Brigadier, First Cav. Div.