(Copy)
Rockcastle County, wed, aug. 21 1862, 9 p.m.
Capt. S. B. Brown.

I have ascertained to a certainty to a certainty that the rebels are in great force at and below London. About 1000 Cavalry at London and three or four thousand infantry beyond there towards Barboursville. I have seen several there who were prisoners, and four different men who were with waggons tell me that they laid in the woods and saw the infantry passing for half a day towards Barboursville. They have destroyed everything south of here and we are feeding the last corn we can get: we cannot live here — there is nothing more for horses — it is all nonsense to talk about feeding the little patches of green corn to our horses, that would starve the women & children & kill our horses.

There are also four hundred rebels at Mt Vernon. They are threatening me from both positions & some danger of them getting between me & Richmond.

The Country is pefectly desolated. How the people are to live here I can't see.

My position here is not tenable. The force in front is overwhelming, and we can get nothing more for our horses & nothing for ourselves in another day or two, & no support following me that I know of; assistance must

come quickly or the position at Cumberland gap will be lost and heavy forces will be marching on Richmond & Lexington.

Now gentlemen stir yourselves or you go up. This is no idle talk you must wake up to the danger of your position.

Starvation will compel me to retire to where I can get provisions which I will do slowly, expecting to have assistance sent speedily.

Telegraph the substance of this to the Gen^l and send this letter to him.

If there were no forces in front of us we could not live here: everything destroyed.

Leonidas Metcalfe
Colⁿ of Cav,
W. M. Oden, Lieu^t, Colⁿ
J. K. Faulkner, Major
Chas Milward. Maj.