VII. No change of armament will be made in batteries without authority from these headquarters.

VIII. After an engagement with the enemy, a full report of the same will be made by the battery commander, through the intermediate artillery commanders, to the headquarters, with a statement of loss or damage sustained of personnel and materiel.

By command of Major-General Rosecrans:

C. GODDARD,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

MARCH 11, 1863.

Colonel J. C. KELTON,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. of the Army, Washington, D. C.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to inclose for the consideration of the General-in-Chief, a copy of a letter, dated the 10th instant, from Brigadier General Q. A. Gillmore, commanding District of Central Kentucky,* which is deserving of prompt and serious consideration.

The force now in Central Kentucky is the minimum for its protection during the winter, while the condition of the roads are such as to preclude raids or invasions in force, but will be quite insufficient for the purpose as soon as the ground becomes dry and the dirt roads practicable. If, therefore, an additional force of from 5,000 to 10,000 men can be spared from any other department, I earnestly recommend their being sent to Kentucky.

The condition of the State is anything but satisfactory, politically, and the Union people are so very uneasy, owing to a belief in their insecurity, that it is having the effect of preventing them, to some extent, from planting their usual crops.

I believe the danger to be exaggerated, yet the temptation to the rebels to exert themselves to raise a large force for this express object is very great. I forwarded a letter from Governor Robinson on this subject a few days ago.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. G. WRIGHT,

Major-General, Commanding.

MARCH 11, 1863.

Brigadier General Q. A. GILLMORE,

Commanding District of Central Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.:

GENERAL: I was not satisfied with the manner in which the pursuit of the rebels was conducted during the late raid of Cluke, and the subject should receive a through investigation.

On Tuesday night, the 24th ultimo, a portion of the mounted force left Winchester, and Colonel Runkle reported that he would be in Mount Sterling by midnight. His horses we represented as being comparatively fresh, while those of the rebels were entirely broken down. He had nearly twice the force of the rebels, a part of them old troops, and I was entirely satisfied that he would successfully engage the enemy on Wednesday. Nothing of importance seem to have ben effected, and his subsequent withdrawal to Paris permitted the enemy to recruit his horses while he was breaking down his own.

You will, therefore, call upon Colonel Runkle for his report of his management of his command, and institute such other examination into

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*Not found, but see p. 131.

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