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Rh enemy back on every occasion; and on the 8th September, ascertaining that the enemy were about to occupy Poolesville, I ordered Colonel Munford to proceed to that point and drive them from the place. Munford's advance guard had just reached the town when the enemy appeared, with three regiments of cavalry and four pieces of artillery. Munford selected a position and opened fire with a Howitzer and Blakely, when the enemy also brought up two pieces and returned the fire. Their guns had scarcely opened when their cavalry suddenly advanced and charged the Howitzer. They were, however, received with two rounds of canister, which drove them back, and the Seventh Virginia cavalry, Captain Myers commanding, charged them. They also charged the Blakely, but Colonel Harman, with about seventy-five men of the Twelfth Virginia cavalry, met and repulsed them. Lieutenant-Colonel Burks, in temporary command of the Second Virginia cavalry, held the cross-roads commanding the approach to Sugar Loaf mountain and kept the enemy in check with his sharpshooters. The loss on this occasion was fifteen, killed, wounded and missing. The cross-roads were successfully held for three days, during which regular skirmishing and artillery firing took place, when on the 11th the enemy advanced in force with infantry. Having maintained the present front even longer than was contemplated by the instructions covering the investment of Harper's Ferry, found in the orders appended to this report, the cavalry was withdrawn to within three miles of Frederick.

Lee's brigade having fallen back from New Market and crossed the Monocacy near Liberty, Robertson's brigade was ordered to retire in the direction of Jefferson, and Hampton's brigade was directed to occupy Frederick city, in the rear of the army then moving toward Middletown. Hampton's pickets were thrown out on the various roads leading in the direction of the enemy's approach, and about midday on the 12th he was notified that a heavy force was advancing on the National road. As two squadrons had been left on picket at the bridge over the Monocacy, between Frederick city and Urbanna, it was of great importance to hold the approaches by the National road until the squadrons were withdrawn, and with this end in view, a rifle piece was added to the two guns already in position on the turnpike, and a squadron from the Second South Carolina cavalry, under Lieutenant Meighan, sent to support the battery. The enemy soon appeared, and opened fire on the cavalry, when, the squadrons at the bridge having rejoined