Lieut. Col. C. Ross SMITH, CULPEPER, March 8, 1864. Chief of Staff, Cavalry Corps: The second reconnaissance sent out yesterday evening returned at 7 o'clock this morning, and reports as follows: They went beyond Woodville, but could gain no intelligence of any force of the enemy nearer than the Rapidan. No troops have passed on this side of the ridge since last fall, and citizens report no force in the valley unless well down. Fires in the direction of Little Washington proved to be burning brush. About 150 of the Sixth Virginia Cavalry are between there and Sperryville. As usual only a few were seen. Major-General PLEASONTON, W. MERRITT, YORKTOWN, VA., March 8, 1864. Comdg. Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac: GENERAL: General Butler informs me that transports have been ordered to take my command to Washington. I have received no orders. J. KILPATRICK, Brigadier-General, Commanding Expedition. 35. The First Regiment Michigan Sharpshooters, assigned to the Ninth Army Corps by Special Orders, No. 55, current series, from this office, will be placed en route, without delay, for the depot of the Ninth Corps, at Annapolis, Md. The Quartermaster's Department will furnish the necessary transportation. 36. Annapolis, Md., is hereby announced as a depot and rendezvous for such troops of the Ninth Army Corps, Major-General Burnside, U. S. Volunteers, commanding, as have been, or may be, ordered to that point. The new organizations in the respective States, now or hereafter to be assigned to the Ninth Corps, will, so soon as their recruitment is complete, be placed en route to the depot in question. General Burnside will immediately arrange for the care, control, and instruction of the aforesaid troops. HDQRS. FOURTH DIV., DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA, Col. A. MOOR, Commanding First Brigade, Fourth Division: COLONEL: I am directed by General Averell to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of March 2. In reply he directs me to state that he has requested that Keeper's battery may be at once 42 R R-VOL XXXIII He furnished with horses, and thereby put into condition to move. thinks that with the force you now have, two, or at most four, guns are all that it is advisable to send to Beverly in the present condition of the roads and the uncertain state of the weather. As soon as horses are furnished one or two sections will be ordered to Beverly. There are not now in the battery horses enough to take one section. In case of an attack by the enemy in so great force that the position cannot be held, he advises that you fall back with your main body to Laurel Hill, keeping open your communication with your base on the railroad. He desires the position at Laurel Hill held as long as it can be done without danger of sacrificing your command. In case you are compelled to fall back upon Beverly he would advise that you send two companies to the heights beyond Middle Fork, with instructions to hold that position. These companies can be detailed from your command at Beverly, or from the command of Major Bowen at Buckhannon. He recommends that you keep on hand at Beverly about one week's supplies. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, MARCH 8, 1864. Capt. WILL RUMSEY, Assistant Adjutant-General: SIR: Scouts report they have been whipped badly at Winchester. They are falling back skirmishing. Major Hunter went into Winchester and drove a small squad out; the rebels were re-enforced, and coming back drove our men out. They are falling back skirmishing. The rebels are supposed to be 250 strong. W. W. MILES, Captain, Commanding Pickets. My force is not strong. HDQRS. FOURTH DIV., DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA, Col. A. MOOR, Beverly: Martinsburg, March 8, 1864. Order four guns of Keeper's battery to Beverly. WILL RUMSEY, Assistant Adjutant-General. POINT LOOKOUT, MD., March 8, 1864. General BUTLER : Commander Parker reports the steam-tug Titan, captured by the rebels at Cherrystone, burned in the Piankatank yesterday. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, G. MARSTON, Brigadier-General General HECKMAN, Getty's Station: YORKTOWN, March 8, 1864. GENERAL: Have Duncan's brigade ready to embark at Portsmouth at 7 o'clock to-morrow morning without fail, with two days' cooked rations and 70 rounds ammunition. The proper officers at Norfolk will answer your requisition in this behalf. Telegraph me at Fortress Monroe any difficulties in the way of the execution, and will smooth the difficulties, but there must be no impossibility. B. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, In view of the near approach of the time when this army may be expected to resume active operations, the commanding general considers that the interests of the service require that the ladies now with the army, other than those here under the special authority of the War Department or these headquarters, as members of the Sanitary Commission or other charitable associations, should not longer remain with it. The commanding general therefore desires that the corps commanders cause the officers of their respective commands to be notified that it is expected they will make the necessary arrangements to send beyond the lines of the army, with as little delay as practicable, the ladies at present visiting them. The authority heretofore given the provost-marshal-general to grant permits to ladies to visit the army upon the recommendation of corps commanders is revoked. By command of Major-General Meade: S. WILLIAMS, Assistant Adjutant-General. CULPEPER, March 9, 1864. Lieut. Col. C. Ross SMITH, Chief of Staff, Cavalry Corps: A reconnaissance to beyond James City yesterday discovered no enemy or signs of any. There was a rumor to the effect that the enemy's cavalry was in the neighborhood. W. MERRITT, Brigadier-General GREGG : HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS, March 9, 1864. The general commanding desires to say that you need not send the force to Page County until further orders. Please answer at once. C. ROSS SMITH, Lieutenant-Colonel and Chief of Staff. Lieutenant-Colonel LOCKE, BRISTOE, March 9, 1864. Assistant Adjutant-General, Fifth Corps: A scout of 40 men from this point was nearly all captured this morning near Greenwich. I have sent a regiment of infantry and the balance of the cavalry in pursuit. Major Kerwin has also telegraphed to General Gregg at Warrenton to endeavor to intercept the party who made the capture. WM. MCCANDLESS, Colonel, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, Col. P. HUEY, March 9, 1864. Commanding Second Brigade Cavalry: COLONEL The general commanding directs that you send 100 men at once to the vicinity of Auburn under a good officer. A telegram just received from Major Kerwin, Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, says that a detachment of about 40 men, under Lieutenant White, Thirteenth Pennsylvania, were attacked and nearly all captured by a party of the enemy, about 200 strong, near Greenwich. Colonel Taylor is ordered to send out to New Baltimore a party of 100 men. The commanding officer of the party will scour well the country, and upon return you will report to these headquarters. I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION, Col. P. HUEY, Commanding Second Brigade: COLONEL The general commanding directs that you detail from your brigade 350 enlisted men, with a proper number of commissioned officers, to report on the Waterloo road, in front of and just beyond the town of Warrenton, at 10 o'clock this p. m. This command will carry two days' rations of subsistence and one of forage, and a full supply of carbine ammunition. Let care be exercised that none but shod horses be sent. You will direct Major Thaxter, First Maine Cavalry, to report at these headquarters at 9 o'clock this p. m. By command of Brigadier-General Gregg : H. C. WEIR, Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., March 9, 1864 WASHINGTON DEFENSES. Ordered, first, that Brigadier-General Canby cause an immediate inspection to be made, by a competent officer, of all the fortifications and defenses around Washington, and that he make a detailed report of their condition for defensive purposes, and in respect to supplies, ammunition, and forces; also as to the condition of the roads leading from Washington to the defenses, and of all roads necessary for the military operations of the fortifications. Second, that he cause similar inspections to be made every week, and present to the Secretary of War in person a report on Wednesday of each week until further orders, the first report herein directed to be made on Monday next, the 14th instant. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. ALEXANDRIA, March 9, 1864. Colonel TAYLOR, Chief of Staff and Assistant Adjutant-General: COLONEL: My men have scouted as usual to-day. They report that the picket at Prospect Hill, 4 miles above Fort Ethan Allen, was attacked twice during last night by mounted and dismounted men. The attack was repulsed. One rebel was killed. H. H. WELLS, Provost-Marshal-General. HDQRS. ARMY AND DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA, Maj. Gen. B. F. BUTLER, New Berne, N. C., March 9, 1864. Comdg. Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina: GENERAL: Your communication of the 5th, with inclosures, has just come to hand. Its reception has relieved me in regard to the character of the movement in the direction of Norfolk. Probably the raid of General Kilpatrick induced a call for some of Pickett's force in Virginia. Of this no information has reached me from North Carolina. As the Army of the Potomac will wait for good weather, the Confederates have some weeks in which to operate on their interior lines with all their disposable force. The dispatch courier of Pickett's I examined yesterday. He confirms most of the statements made by deserters and refugees. He says that General Pickett had moved his family to Goldsborough, and proposed remaining there for some time. I send him back, having no further use for him. The little steamer Bombshell is safe. She is very useful; more such are needed. The report desired by General Graham will be made without delay. General Harland has reported, in obedience to your instructions. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major-General BUTLER : JOHN J. PECK, YORKTOWN, VA., March 9, 1864. GENERAL: The force ordered left at 3 o'clock this morning. I have received orders to embark my command for Alexandria. When will the transports arrive, and how many animals and men can be shipped at a time? Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. KILPATRICK, |