JUNE 5-7, 1863.--Reconnaissance through Gates County, N. C. and down the
Chowan River.
Report of Maj. Franklin A. Stratton, commanding Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry.

CAMP SUFFOLK, VA.,
June 7, 1863.
GENERAL: Pursuant to orders, I left camp on Friday, the 5th instant, at 1
p.m., in command of five companies of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry and
a section of mountain howitzers, for the purpose of making a reconnaissance
through Gates County, North Carolina.
I proceeded through Somerton and Buckland to a point 1 mile beyond the
latter place, where I encamped about 10 o'clock at night. Early in the
morning, moving rapidly into Gatesville, I surprised and captured Major
[William J.] Hill, Fifth North Carolina Infantry, who was in
Gatesville on leave, one W. H. Davis, who, as his papers show, is a
mail-carrier and an agent of the rebel Quartermaster's Department, and
another man, driver of the vehicle which conveyed the mail agent.

I examined the letters and papers captured, but found no information to
aid my movements in that vicinity.
Being unable to obtain any intelligence of the enemy there, I then
proceeded down the Chowan River toward Mintonsville, keeping in view the
principal object of the expedition. Seven miles beyond Gatesville, I
captured a two-horse wagon and two carts loaded with salt; two of the
drivers of the vehicles escaped into the swamp, but one man was captured
who appears by his papers to have been engaged in carrying negroes across
the lines and in other speculations.
From this point I moved over to the Hertford road, and encamped for the
night near Sandy Cross. A march of 30 miles to-day, on the direct road,
brought the command into this camp at 5 p.m.
My examinations render it certain that no troops have crossed the Chowan
lately, unless, perhaps, some guerrillas may have crossed the lower part of
the river, below Rockahock Creek, in small boats, but even of such
movements I could gain no information.
The horses, wagons, salt, &c., captured have been turned over to the proper
officers.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
FRANKLIN A. STRATTON,
Major Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, Commanding.
Maj. Gen. JOHN J. PECK,
Commanding U.S. Forces, Suffolk, Va.