Berryville nearly all of the Reserve Brigade train day before yesterday, and went off with what he could carry through Snicker's Gap. Send these dispatches to General Grover for General Sheridan, if it is possible for you to communicate with him. Don't lose any time in getting up the Valley. Yours, &c., A. T. A. TORBERT, Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Chief of Cavalry. GENERAL ORDERS, Į HDQRS. DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA, Brig. Gen. John D. Stevenson, U. S. Volunteers, having reported to these headquarters in obedience to orders from the headquarters of the Middle Military Division, is hereby assigned to the command of the Military District of Harper's Ferry, headquarters at Harper's Ferry, W. Va. By order of Brevet Major-General Crook: P. G. BIER, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION, In the Field near Middletown, Va., August 15, 1864. Lieut. Col. A. J. GREENFIELD, Commanding Second Brigade: SIR: You will please proceed with the portion of the Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry, now present with the division, to the headquarters of Brigadier-General Torbert, chief of cavalry of Middle Military Division, reporting in person to General Torbert. You will report immediately. By command of Brigadier-General Duffié: E. W. CLARK, JR., Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General. P. S.-When ready to move you will please report in person at these headquarters. By order of Brigadier-General Duffié: No. 11. E. W. CLARK, JR., Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL ORDERS,) HDQRS. 1ST CAV. DIV., ARMY W. VA., E. W. CLARK, JR., Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION, Lieut. Col. J. W. FORSYTH, DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Chief of Staff Middle Military Division: COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of yesterday directing me to remain at Harper's Ferry until further orders My command arrived at this place last evening on its way to join the Middle Division in the field, losing twenty-six horses on its march from Hancock from exhaustion. About 600 mounted men have joined my command this morning from Harper's Ferry, making my command about 2,500 strong. One-third of my horses are totally unfit for further service at present, and would be abandoned should I continue my march at once from this place. I have made arrangements for obtaining 500 horses from Cumberland Valley and 500 from the West during the next three days, and I expect to be able to increase my command to 3,500 within the next five or six days. I am informed that no forage can be obtained from the East at Harper's Ferry, and, as forage can be furnished from the West, I shall remain here unless the major-general commanding particularly desires my command at Harper's Ferry. The repair of the railroad and telegraph will probably be completed in two days. The worn-out condition of one-third of my horses was not caused by want of forage or care, but results solely from the fact that they have marched 1,700 miles since the 1st of May without rest. A large number require shoeing. The facilities for remounting, refitting, and drilling are much better here than at Harper's Ferry. I shall, therefore, remain here until further orders are received from the major-general commanding. I shall use every endeavor to be ready for the field in five or six days. Respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. W. AVERELL, OFFICE MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, Brig. Gen. W. W. AVERELL, Commanding Division, Martinsburg: GENERAL: Your communication of yesterday I have received. I will do what I can toward sending the mounted men of your command now here to you at Martinsburg, in compliance with your request. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brigadier-General AVERELL: T. MELVIN, Assistant Adjutant-General. CUMBERLAND, August 15, 1864. General Sheridan has countermanded the order in regard to the Eighth Ohio Cavalry; the detachment will remain at Beverly till further orders. B. F. KELLEY, HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DISTRICT OF HARPER'S FERRY, Harper's Ferry, W. Va., August 15, 1864. Lieutenant-Colonel FORSYTHI, Chief of Staff, Middle Military Division: SIR: Your dispatches regarding General Duffié and the bridges were received yesterday and answered. I shall answer all such twice, in case one may be captured. The railroad bridge is completed. Wagons are crossing to-day. The new pontoon bridge from Washington will be ready in two days, if the expected lumber comes up. General Duffié must have joined you. General Averell is at Martinsburg; will be inspected to-morrow by Captain Sumner. Men are at work on the railroad between here and Martinsburg; it will be repaired this week. I must consequently furnish troops to occupy Martinsburg and the different stations between here and Hancock. My infantry force consists of two volunteer regiments and three Ohio 100-days' men. The two volunteer regiments are between here and Frederick, but as it is sufficient to have one regiment on that line I have concentrated the other, and shall move it to Martinsburg if necessary. The three Ohio regiments are not needed on Maryland Heights, and they could be used for guarding the [railroad], did not their time expire this week. Four regiments are needed on the line of the railroad-two in Martinsburg, one between here and Martinsburg, one between Martinsburg and Hancock. As the time of these Ohio regiments is so nearly⚫ out, I am anxiously awaiting orders regarding this matter from the general commanding, and as to whether I shall let them go or not at the expiration of their time of service. The distance between Harper's Ferry and the headquarters of the Middle Military Division is now so great that it is difficult to forward dispatches from here with the necessary speed. Can stations be established along the road for the purpose of forwarding with more speed and greater security? I have less than 100 cavalry for all duty, including that of couriers. Can the general commanding spare some hundred or more to report to me for duty, my force being wholly inadequate for the calls upon them. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, MAX WEBER, Capt. P. G. BIER, Assistant Adjutant-General: CUMBERLAND, August 15, 1864. Your telegram of yesterday in regard to stragglers received. The number I have here is 1,200, mostly from your command. Not one out of the whole number is armed. I have no arms here to arm. The railroad is now repaired and working to Martinsburg. Shall I send them? They can be armed, I presume, at Harper's Ferry. I am extremely anxious to get rid of them. They are a great troublesome, worthless party. I am having complete roll made of them and will forward by mail. You can communicate any orders now via Martinsburg. Telegraph is working to that point. B. F. KELLEY, Brigadier-General. Capt. P. G. BIER, Assistant Adjutant-General: CUMBERLAND, August 15, 1864. I really know not what to do in regard to the 100-days' men. They are unwilling to remain after their time expires. I have no forces to compel them. Besides the necessity of protecting the railroad and the public property, we have 1,500 sick in the hospital, liable to capture by McNeill. B. F. KELLEY, Brigadier-General. Brigadier-General SULLIVAN, Charleston: CUMBERLAND, August 15, 1861. Department headquarters is at Harper's Ferry. No orders have been issued in regard to Ohio National Guard, except they are to be sent to the place where they were mustered in, and will take their arms with them when they go. B. F. KELLEY, HDQRS. MIDDLE DEPARTMENT, EIGHTH ARMY CORPS, Lieut. Col. SAMUEL B. LAWRENCE, Assistant Adjutant-General, Eighth Army Corps: COLONEL: I have the honor to submit for the information of the general commanding the following report as the result of my investi gation into the origin of the picnic recently held near. Wilmington, in the State of Delaware, and the effect of the arrest of the managers thereof and their subsequent release: The avowed object of this picnic was for the benefit of the rebel prisoners confined in Fort Delaware. It is urged in mitigation of the offense that permission was asked of the military authorities. Such, however, appears not to have been the case. One of the parties interested requested an officer of the Board of Enrollment to ask permission. This officer consulted unofficially with the provost-marshal, who disclaimed having any power in the premises, informing him that application must be made to the military commander. No such application was, however, made to him. The holding of the picnic, therefore, is regarded by the loyal men of the State both as an insult to the Government and as an experiment to test the forbearance of the military power and the animus of the disloyalists. As an evidence of the spirit affecting these people, it may be mentioned that the members of the band engaged for the occasion, after performing two national airs, were informed that such music was not desirable; that they wished to hear Southern airs, and unless the band could play such it might leave. wife of one of the parties desiring to know why they could not hold an entertainment upon their grounds, was answered by another in these words, "Because Abe Lincoln is President." The Other incidents connected with the affair, including the arrest and subsequent release of the managers, as also the ovation paid to them upon their return to Wilmington, have been reported in detail by the officers immediately interested. I beg, however, to inform you that the arrest of the parties above referred to was most salutary in its effects, reassuring and strengthening the loyal, encouraging the wavering, and giving assurance of future protection. The disloyal were proportionately disheartened and terrified. Men whose sympathies and votes go with the stronger side were visibly affected by such a display of energy on the part of the Government, and were rapidly determining in favor of loyalty, while the disloyalists were depressed and augured an unfavorable result in the approaching election. Such was the state of affairs when the return of the parties from their imprisonment reversed the situation. The effect of the release will probably prove fatal to the cause of the Government, regarded as it is as the result of intimidation. The disloyalists are reported to be organizing and arming. Prominent and influential men who have seldom been absent from home at night are now known to leave their premises after midnight, and to ride through the country, returning at daylight, and adopting various means to elude observation and to escape suspicion. These facts, together with many others of the same character, induce the belief that a widely spread conspiracy exists among the disloyal people of the State, and threats are indulged in as to their conduct at the coming election. A further cause of embarrassment may be found in the want of harmony existing between the military commander and the provost-marshal. The former, being guided by the strict letter of military law, and performing his duty in accordance therewith, has rendered himself unpopular with the loyalists, who regard his absence from their society with feelings of suspicion. I do not, however, regard it in any other light than as a natural result of a desire on his part to keep his acts untrammeled by feelings of personal sympathy, in order that he may the more faithfully discharge his duty to the Government; yet, while believing this to be the case I am forced to the conclusion that he does not enjoy the confidence of the loyal people of the State. The latter (provost-marshal), being a civilian, intermingles freely with the people, acquainting himself with their feelings and disposition, and enjoys, apparently, to the fullest extent, their confidence and esteem. Being thus associated he has means of information not possessed by the military commander, and not deeming himself in any way accountable to him a want of co-operation is the result. In view of the above facts I would respectfully suggest the propriety of largely increasing the military force in the State of Delaware, the same to be under the command of an efficient, experienced, and judicious officer, who shall be military commander and with whom the provost-marshal shall confer on all matters requiring the use of the troops under his command. Respectfully submitting the above, I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, LYNDE CATLIN, Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Inspector-General. SPECIAL ORDERS, WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, No. 271, * * * Washington, August 15, 1864. 27. Maj. Henry B. Judd, U. S. Army, is hereby relieved from the duties of military commander of Wilmington, Del. * By order of the Secretary of War: * |