THE REPUBLICATION, in its entirety, of the War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, is a service project undertaken by the National Historical Society in the interest of libraries and scholars who have long needed a reissue of this indispensable work. Each of the 128 volumes is published in full, including the Index, and all are heavily bound in buckram for long and continued use. This and other volumes of the set are available only from the National Historical Society.

Copyright 1972 by

THE NATIONAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY Gettysburg, Pa. 17325

The National Historical Society seeks to expand and enrich know-
ledge of the American past and, through its programs and services,
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tory that is our heritage.

THE

WAR OF THE REBELLION:

A COMPILATION OF THE

OFFICIAL RECORDS

OF THE

UNION AND CONFEDERATE ARMIES.

PREPARED, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR, BY

The late Lieut. Col. ROBERT N. SCOTT. Third U. S. Artillery.

PUBLISHED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF

Lieut. Col. HENRY M. LAZELLE, Twenty-third U. S. Infantry.

PURSUANT TO ACTS OF CONGRESS.

SERIES I-VOLUME XIX-IN TWO PARTS.

REPORTS....

PART II.

Sept. 20-Nov. 14, 1862.

CORRESPONDENCE, ETC... Sept. 3-Nov. 14, 1862.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

1887.

CHAPTER XXXI.

OPERATIONS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, WEST VIR-

GINIA, MARYLAND, AND PENNSYLVANIA.

SEPTEMBER 22, 1862.—Skirmish at Ashby's Gap, Va.

Report of Col. R. Butler Price, Second Pennsylvania Cavalry, command-
ing Cavalry Brigade, Third Army Corps.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY BRIGADE,

Near Fort Blenker, Va., September 25, 1862.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL: I have the honor to report that, in conformity

with orders from headquarters of the Third Army Corps, I proceeded,

on the 20th instant, at 4 p. m., with a portion (800 men) of the bri

gade under my command, and one section of the Third U. S. Artillery,

commanded by Lieutenant Shuetz, to Ashby's Gap, for the purpose of

capturing or destroying a large train of wagons, reported to be in that

vicinity. After passing the village of Aldie, at Bull Run Gap, we en-

countered the pickets of the enemy. Skirmishing was kept up from

that point for a distance of 10 or 12 miles, when the advance guard,

aided by two companies of the First Vermout, while closely following a

party of about 60 men, came suddenly upon the main body (about 400)

of the Sixth Virginia Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Green.

The order to charge was promptly obeyed. After a short but severe

struggle, the enemy broke in great disorder, some taking to the woods

but the principal part going through the gap. Their horses were fresh,

and could not be overtaken. Having been instructed not to go through

the gap, I halted, and, after a short rest, returned, arriving in camp on

the 23d instant, at 5 p. m.

The object of the expedition, I regret, was not accomplished, the train

having been removed to the other side of the ridge on the day before.

Three wagons only remained, one, empty and without horses, found and

burned in Paris. The other two, containing a few articles of little value,

werecaptured.

Our loss was as follows:†

*For Summary of Principal Events, see Part I.

Nominal list, omitted, shows 1 officer (Capt. S. G. Perkins, First Vermont Cavalry)

killed, and 2 officers (Lieut. Col. A. W. Preston and Lieut. C. A. Adams) and 6 en-

listed men, Iirst Vermont Cavalry, wounded.

(3)