J. J. Reynolds to - CHEAT MOUNTAIN SUMMIT, VA., October 4, 1861, October 4, 1861

Elk Water, October 4, 1861.

SIR:

On the night of the 2d October, at 12 o’clock, I started from the summit of Cheat Mountain to make an armed reconnaissance of the enemy’s position on the Greenbrier River, 12 miles in advance. Our force consisted of Howe’s battery, Fourth regular artillery; Loomis’ battery, Michigan volunteer artillery; part of Daum’s battery, Virginia volunteer artillery; Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth, and Thirty-second Ohio Regiments; Seventh, Ninth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Seventeenth Indiana Regiments (the last four being reduced by continuous hard service and sickness to about half regiments); parts of Robinson’s company of Ohio, Greenfield’s Pennsylvania, and Bracken’s Indiana cavalry; in all about 5,000. Milroy’s Ninth Indiana drove in the enemy’s advanced pickets and deployed to our right, driving the — enemy on that flank into his intrenchments. Kimball’s Fourteenth – Indiana was advanced directly to the enemy’s front and right, to drive

. Omar, XIV] ENGAGEMENT AT GREENBRIER RIVER, W. VA.

_ his advanced regiment from a position suitable for our artillery. This was soon done in gallant style, and our batteries promptly took their positions within about 700 yards of the intrenchments and opened fire. Some of the enemy’s guns were visible and others concealed. We dis- – abled three of his- guns, made a thorough reconnaissance, and after – having fully and successfully accomplished the object of the expedition _ retired leisurely and in good order to Cheat Mountain, arriving at sun- – down, having marched 24 miles and been under the enemy’s fire four hours. Theenémy’s force was about 9,000, and we distinctly saw heavy re-enforcements of infantry and artillery arrive while we were in front of the works.

We took 13 prisoners. The number of killed and wounded could not be accurately ascertained, but from those actually counted in the field and estimated in the trenches, which could be seen from the heights, it is believed the number reached at least 300. Our loss was surprisingly small—8 killed and 32 wounded—most of them slightly, the proximity of our batteries to the intrenchments causing many shots to pass over us.*

Very respectfully, &c.,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General of the Army, Washington, D. C.

No. 2.

Report of Col. Nathan Kimball, Fourteenth Indiana Infantry.

– CHEAT MOUNTAIN SUMMIT, VA., October 4, 1861.

. SIR: In obedience to your orders, the Fourteenth Regiment Indiana

Volunteers. proceeded from this point at 1 a. m. on the 3d instant, as