Until further orders, Capt. S. Riddle will report to Captain Allen, commanding forces south of Eastern Branch. The quartermaster will furnish necessary transportation. By order of Colonel Haskin: R. CHANDLER, Assistant Adjutant-General. CAMP NEAR WOODSTOCK, May 28, 1864-12 m. Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Chief of Staff: (Received 10.40 a. m. 29tlr.) I have been detained for shoes. Have now received a full supply. I shall depend entirely on the country. Hope to form a junction with Crook at Staunton, and then move immediately on Lynchburg. D. HUNTER, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Brig. Gen. J. C. SULLIVAN, Commanding Infantry Division: GENERAL: Lieut. J. H. V. Field, chief ordnance officer, reported to me at Cedar Creek that a number of the infantrymen are without knapsacks, and could not carry their spare 100 rounds of amunition agreeably to orders. On this I directed him to transport whatever could not be transported by the men on account of the deficiency of knapsacks. By some misapprehension of Lieutenant Field, it appears that this conditional revocation of the first order in regard to men who were without knapsacks was misconstrued as a total revocation of the order. Please, therefore, have the original order obeyed, and 100 extra rounds placed in the knapsack of every man who has one. I am much pleased with the infantry, who must form the main reliance of every army. They are fine, stalwart, soldierly young fellows for the most part. You will have a beautiful division with proper care, and if we can only inspire them with confidence by teaching them their own strength, and every man is determined to do his whole duty, we are sure, under God's blessing, of complete victory. Impress on all your officers and men the importance of strict and unhesitating obedience to orders. In this is the true strength of every army, and it is under the inspiration of perfect discipline that "Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety." With vigilance, energy, and judicious management, no officer commanding any division that I have seen in this war-and I have seen many-will have more cause to be proud of his men than will you. They have all the physical material, and already possess many of the qualities that go to make up a noble soldiery.. I am, general, very sincerely, your friend, D. HUNTER, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Brig. Gen. J. C. SULLIVAN, Commanding Infantry Division: GENERAL: I have much pleasure in informing you that in your statement of facts in regard to the affair of the abandoned ammunition, the major-general commanding fully acquits Col. James H. Dayton and Col. R. S. Rodgers of all responsibility for the loss-they appearing to have done their whole duty in the matter with the fidelity to be expected from officers of such excellent repute. The papers in the case are now referred to Lieutenant Field, chief of ordnance, on whom the responsibility would seem definitively fixed, unless his report can greatly alter the present bearing of the facts. You will be kind enough to communicate the tenor of this paragraph to Colonels Dayton and Rodgers in case they were apprised of the former correspondence on this subject; otherwise not. I am further instructed to direct that your division shall move upon the advance at sunrise, without further orders, to-morrow morning. I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, CHAS. G. HALPINE, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Brig. Gen. J. C. SULLIVAN, Comdg. First Infantry Division, near Woodstock, Va.: GENERAL: You will notify the commanding officer of the One. hundred and sixtieth Ohio State Militia to hold his regiment in readiness to move to-morrow morning (the 29th) at daylight with wagon train returning to Martinsburg, W. Va. I am, general, most respectfully, your obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Maj. Gen. JULIUS STAHEL, Comdg. Cavalry Division, Army of the Shenandoah : GENERAL: I am instructed by Major-General Hunter to request that you will immediately detail one good company of cavalry, under officers whom you will select for their discreetness and good conduct, to act as a permanent provost guard for this army. The company commanders will report to Lieutenant-Colonel Starr, assistant provost-marshal forces in the field. I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your servant, CHAS. G. HALPINE, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Major-General STAHEL, Commanding First Cavalry Division: SIR: Your command will move forward at sunrise to-morrow morning without further orders, the orders of march issued at Cedar Creek being your guide.* I am, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient servant, CHAS. G. HALPINE, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Maj. TIMOTHY QUINN, Commanding First New York (Lincoln) Cavalry: MAJOR: I am instructed by the major-general commanding to request that you detail Captain Prendergast with his company to act. as a permanent headquarters guard. He will report with his command at sunrise in the morning. All the orderlies belonging to your regiment, now at headquarters and not in Captain Prendergast's company, will be returned to duty with your command. Very respectfully, your most obedient servant, JP. G. BIER,] Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Maj. Gen. FRANZ SIGEL, Commanding Reserve Division, &c., Martinsburg: GENERAL: The major-general commanding department requests that you will immediately have Captain Rosney's battery (D, First Pennsylvania Artillery) prepared and held in complete readiness for active service. You will also order Capt. J. V. Keeper's battery (B, First Virginia Artillery) to Martinsburg, and have at least one section thereof immediately converted into horse artillery, and completely prepared for active field service. You will also be kind enough to convey to Captain Barringer, assistant quartermaster, chief quartermaster of department, the order of General Hunter to provide without delay the additional horses which will be required for Keeper's battery as thus reorganized. I have the honor to be, general, your most obedient servant, Assistant Adjutant-General. CUMBERLAND, May 28, 1864. Maj. T. A. MEYSENBURG, Assistant Adjutant-General, Martinsburg: I have ordered the One hundred and sixty-first Regiment Ohio National Guard here and the One Hundred and fifty-second, at New Creek, to proceed without delay to Martinsburg and report to you. B. F. KELLEY, Brigadier-General. *See circular, p. 587. Maj. T. A. MEYSENBURG, CUMBERLAND, May 28, 1864-9 p. m. Assistant Adjutant-General, Martinsburg: The following dispatch* just received in reply to mine asking Colonel Harris how he got the information that the rebels had gone from the Valley to join Lee. B. F. KELLEY, CAMDEN STATION, Baltimore, May 28, 1864. Brig. Gen. B. F. KELLEY: (Received 1.10 p. m.) I left Martinsburg last night. Colonel Cole is in Washington. He saw Stanton and the President; you can imagine for what purpose. Sullivan's reputation is not safe; look out for secret operations. I am fully posted. By the way, I hear it from good authority that General Butler is to be relieved. Yours, Brigadier-General KELLEY: W. P. SMITH. BEVERLY, May 28, 1864. Rebel forces nearly all gone from the Valley to re-enforce Lee. This is absolutely reliable. Col. T. M. HARRIS, Beverly: T. M. HARRIS, Colonel, Commanding. CUMBERLAND, May 28, 1864-4.30 p. m. How did you learn that the enemy had left the Valley? Please give me all the particulars immediately. B. F. KELLEY, BEVERLY, May 28, 1864. Brigadier-General KELLEY: My own scouts, who have been beyond Franklin, and General Hunter's scouts, who came through from Cedar Creek and arrived last night, concur in this statement. The rebel forces passed through Staunton on 21st, going to join Lee. Have written you the particulars. There is no doubt of its correctness. T. M. HARRIS, *See Harris to Kelley, May 28, bottom of this page. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Maj. Gen. JULIUS STAHEL, Commanding Cavalry Division: GENERAL: I think it right to inform you that, from information just received by the major-general commanding, it appears probable that McNeill, with his seventy guerrillas (perhaps re-enforced by men from Imboden's command), has withdrawn or will withdraw to-night from his position south of New Market, in Major Quinn's front, and will make an attempt to annoy our pickets on the flanks and rear, and to operate on our line of communication via Edenburg and Woodstock, by which the major-general commanding expects to receive important dispatches. I give you this information for whatever you may consider it worth, and to be acted upon as you please in strengthening the pickets or sending out a patrol. Very respectfully, your most obedient servant, [CHAS. G. HALPINE,] Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Maj. Gen. JULIUS STAHEL, Commanding First Cavalry Division: GENERAL: Maj. T. Quinn, First New York Cavalry, is holding New Market, and the position one mile south of it, in the immediate presence of the enemy. He asks that 200 cavalry be immediately ordered to report to him, in order that he may be able to relieve his pickets to-night with the proper force. General Hunter thinks the request reasonable, but refers the matter to you for such action as you may think fit. I am, general, most respectfully, your obedient servant, HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION, DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA, Col. W. H. FRENCH, Commanding C. S. Cavalry: COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of yesterday regarding the exchange of Private Manning, Fourteenth Virginia (C. S.) Cavalry, for a private of the First West Virginia (U. S.) Cavalry, and in reply to state that the exchange may be effected at any time you shall appoint if Manning has not been sent to the rear. I avail myself of the opportunity to inform you that on the 26th instant a party of men numbering thirty-nine when they crossed the river, claimed to be Confederate cavalry, went to the house of a citizen where one of my men was posted as a guard for the protection of private property, and robbed him of his horse and accouterments. It was reported subsequently that Captain French was in command of the party. This conduct, |