Affair At Falmouth

Report of Capt. G. W. Berry, commanding Home Guard, to General Lew Wallace. 

Camp 5 miles from Falmouth, Sept. 18, 1862.  General:  On yesterday 28 cavalry attacked us at 3:30 o'clock; my men all being on scout except 11.  We fought them for about forty minutes under cover of a house, when 23 of them retired, leaving 5 men and 5 horses on the ground; how many were wounded and carried off I cannot tell.  I counted cartridges, and I saw I could not stand another forty minutes' attack, and at night fell back here.

We had only 1 wounded and he vary badly.  I send you the prisoner we took in hopes you can get some information from him.  He tells me they have eighty pieces of artillery; also tells me that he can't understand why they are retreating.

Respectfully,

G. W. Berry, Commanding Home Guard.

Taken from War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies.  Series 1, Volume 16, p. 989.