declared their allegiance to the United States, "ordering an election for the civil officers and a representative to the Congress of the United States," and concluded, "I hope that by their joint action this interesting people may be relieved from their present position, and brought into that association with the State of Maryland to which their geographical position naturally points."
On November 16th, Maj. W. T. Martin, of the Second Mississippi cavalry (subsequently major-general), cut off a foraging party of the Thirtieth New York, near Falls Church, and captured 30 prisoners, killing 4 and wounding several. On the 18th Lieut.-Col. Fitzhugh Lee, of the First Virginia cavalry, attacked a Federal picket in the same vicinity, part of the Brooklyn regiment (Fourteenth New York) of hard fighters. Two of Lee's men lost their lives, and 2 of the enemy were killed and 10 captured. On the 26th a squadron of Pennsylvania cavalry, on a reconnaissance to Vienna, was attacked by 120 men of the First North Carolina cavalry, under Col. Robert Ransom, and stampeded. Ransom reported the capture of 26 prisoners, and a considerable number of horses, sabers and carbines. The attention of the government was invited to these successful affairs by General Johnston.
Skirmishes followed, of like character, near Dranesville on the 26th, near Fairfax on the 27th, and at Annandale, December 2d.
Gen. S. G. French, stationed at Evansport, reported on December 15th that his position had been under fire from Federal batteries on the Maryland shore during the past three weeks.
On December 20th Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, with a force comprising the Eleventh Virginia, Col. Samuel Garland; Sixth South Carolina, Lieutenant-Colonel Secrest; Tenth Alabama, Col. J. H. Forney, and First Kentucky, Col. T. H. Taylor, in all 1,600 infantry; Capt. A. S. Cutts' Georgia artillery (four pieces), Maj. J. B. Gordon's North Carolina cavalry, and Capt. A. L. Pitzer's Virginia cavalry, moved toward Dranesville for the purpose of protecting an expedition of army wagons after hay. At the same time a Federal expedition approached Dranesville, on a similar mission. Upon discovering the presence of the enemy, Stuart sent Pitzer to keep between them and the wagons, and order the latter
