Captain FARIS, Oakland: CUMBERLAND, August 22, 1864. It is reported McNeill is preparing for a raid into the Glades. Be on the alert. Give Godwin notice to be active and not suffer himself to be caught off his guard. CUMBERLAND, August 22, 1864. What information did you get from Averell's scouts? Where have they been? Did they come through Martinsburg? What did they learn of the rebels? General KELLEY: HANCOCK, August 22, 1864. General Averell's scouts came from Martinsburg to Bath; found country all clear; they say no rebels heard of near. General Averell is in Martinsburg. I think the road all safe and sound in this quarter. They say heavy firing was heard in direction of Point of Rocks yesterday. Shall we move up to Back Creek or North Mountain? Answer immediately. P. B. PETRIE, Captain PETRIE, Hancock: CUMBERLAND, August 22, 1864. I think you had better not run down to North Mountain yet. You might send a small squad on hand-car, if you think best, and commu nicate with General Averell if he is in Martinsburg. B. F. KELLEY, HEADQUARTERS SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION, Major-General COUCH: Latest reports of scouts place the main forces of the enemy at Winchester and Bunker Hill. They advanced a skirmish line yesterday, and attacked our cavalry pickets at Smithfield, but obtained no success that we can hear of. All quiet at last accounts at Martinsburg. Heavy firing this morning. WM. W. AVERELL, HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE SUSQUEHANNA, GENERAL ORDERS, } Fort Mifflin, near Philadelphia, is hereby announced as the military prison for this department, and will be directly under the orders of the commanding general of the same. By command of Major-General Couch: JNO. S. SCHULTZE, Assistant Adjutant-General. [AUGUST 23, 1864.-For Sheridan to Halleck, reporting operations, &c., see p. 20.] HARPER'S FERRY, W. VA., August 23, 1864-10.30 p.m. Major-General AUGUR, Commanding: Some of my scouts report Pickett's and Field's divisions here, and that they will go through Snicker's Gap. I do not believe they are here, but the rebels have been very bold. I have not been able to capture any other than of Ramseur's and Rodes' divisions. Keep your scouts well out toward Snicker's Gap and let me know quickly of any movement. If there is anything in this report, it is that Pickett's and Field's divisions were at Culpeper, as reported by Lazelle. There will be a rise of the river, caused by heavy rains in the mountains, so Kelley reports. Everything is all right here; a little skirmishing; nobody hurt. On the 21st the pickets of the Sixth Corps pitched into the pickets of the rebs about the possession of the crest of a hill and drove them off it, but there has been no fighting. The cavalry also skirmished at Summit Point and Berryville, but with little loss. I have everything well in hand, but I do not feel justified in acting otherwise than on the defensive. Have you heard from the Eighth Illinois Cavalry? P. H. SHERIDAN, HEADQUARTERS HARDIN'S DIVISION, TWENTY-SECOND ARMY CORPS, DEPT. OF WASHINGTON, Lieutenant-Colonel THOMAS, Washington, D. C., August 23, 1864. Commanding Second Brigade: I am directed by the general commanding to instruct you that you will notify Major Goebel to the following effect: The six companies of the Fourth Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps and the four companies of the Tenth Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps, now in this command, are consolidated for certain purposes, and the senior officer of the two detachments is to command the combination. All duties, such as drills, police, and punishments, are to be regulated by the commanding officer of the combination. All reports are to be made out separately for the parts of regiments and consolidated at the headquarters of the commanding officer of the combination before being sent to brigade headquarters. The senior officer on duty with each detachment of these regi ments will be responsible for the regimental property and will make the required returns of his detachment to the regimental headquarters and the Adjutant-General. The foregoing instructions will be followed until further orders. Very respectfully, R. CHANDLER, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY BRIGADE, Lieut. Col. J. H. TAYLOR, COLONEL: I have the honor to report that a citizen named J. J. Perk presented himself at the picket-lines this evening. He left Culpeper Court-House last Friday, and reports there are no troops there at present, except a small conscripting party and small parties of ten or fifteen daily passing through toward the Valley; that, as he estimates, 20,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry left Culpeper last Friday a week, he thinks, on the Sperryville road toward Thornton's Gap, but does not know, but they went via Warrenton to Chester Gap. Fitzhugh Lee has the cavalry; the infantry are a part of Longstreet's corps. He does not know whether or not there are troops at Warrenton. An examination of his method of estimating the strength of the force above referred to places it at about 10,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry. Cars run to Culpeper daily bringing supplies. Mr. Perk, who claims to be with family accompanying refugees, has been sent to Lieutenant-Colonel Wells. Nothing has been heard from the force under Colonel Gansevoort. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. M. LAZELLE, Colonel Sixteenth New York Cavalry, Comdg. Cavalry Brigade. Brevet Major-General CROOK, Commanding Army, Martinsburg : MY DEAR CROOK: Lowell found infantry and Fitz Lee's cavalry on the left, and McIntosh found infantry, cavalry, and artillery on the right, at Flowing Spring. I questioned another of the scouts, who confirms the story of Pickett and Field being here. These were the men I mentioned as being back near Winchester. One of Cole's cavalry, who lay in a hog-pen at Charlestown, says the camps are very large, and that trains came to the front yesterday evening and returned during the night. Have your cavalry on the alert in the morning. Respectfully, P. H. SHERIDAN. AUGUST 23, 1864-5.25 a. m. Capt. A. E. DANA, Assistant Adjutant-General: CAPTAIN: I return, as directed, the dispatch of General Wilson to Captain Reno. My picket, although very extended, is connecting with Generals Wilson and Custer. No movement has been discovered on the enemy's line. I sent out a strong reconnoitering party beyond Duffield's Station to watch their movements. Having no map, I cannot say whether the Halltown road is picketed or not by me; but what I can say is, that all the roads on my front are picketed, and there is no fear of surprise to be entertained in my direction. All is quiet here. As soon as the reconnoitering party returns I will communicate any further information. I remain, very respectfully, DI CESNOLA, Colonel, Commanding Second Brigade. AUGUST 23, 1864-12.05 p. m. Brigadier-General MERRITT, Commanding Division: I have inspected the whole line of my pickets which extends nearly six miles, but I could not see a single rebel in front of the line even with a good field-glass, so my supposition is that if there was any force in front of me it has left for some other point. The line as it is requires 400 men to make it efficient, and it would require two regiments to picket it, which I cannot very well do; but if General Custer's pickets would extend more toward the Charlestown road it would be very convenient to me. I was on the spot when the pickets of Custer began to drive those of the enemy on the Winchester pike, and remained there until all was quiet. My command has received three days' rations and two days' forage. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, yours, DI CESNOLA, Colonel, Commanding Second Cavalry Brigade. HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, Brig. Gen. J. H. WILSON, Commanding Third Cavalry Division: GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs that you order one brigade of your division to make a reconnaissance toward Charlestown. The general does not desire that the force sent out should become engaged; he simply desires information of the whereabouts of the enemy and his movements. This should have been sent through General Torbert, but his headquarters are so far off that the party could not be sent out to-day. Please notify General Torbert that you are sending out the party above named. Very respectfully, JAS. W. FORSYTH, Lieutenant-Colonel and Chief of Staff. HEADQUARTERS THIRD CAVALRY DIVISION, Lieutenant-Colonel FORSYTH, Chief of Staff: COLONEL: General McIntosh has returned, having gone by Zoar Church to within half a mile of the mill at Flowing Spring, head of Halltown, where he found the enemy's pickets and indications of a strong force in the neighborhood of the mills, reported by the people to be cavalry, infantry, and artillery. Cavalry was observed moving to the right rapidly after he struck the enemy's pickets. Nothing was seen beyond Zoar Church, though it was reported that Gilmor with about fifty men had moved toward Kearneysville. General McIntosh thinks he ought to have pushed a little farther, but at the cost of a fight. I have just received a note from General Torbert saying he had been to Kearneysville, but found no enemy. All quiet in the direction of Shepherdstown. Please let me know if this operation shall be repeated to-morrow. J. H. WILSON, HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, Capt. M. A. RENO, Chief of Staff, Cavalry Forces: Engle's, August 23, 1864. I have just ordered McIntosh, with three regiments, to make a reconnaissance of the enemy to ascertain his whereabouts, &c. Zoar Church and the head of Halltown run, and the country toward Charlestown, are the regions in which he is to operate. This reconnaissance is made in pursuance of instructions from General Sheridan, who directs me to inform you of it. I will inform you of results. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. H. WILSON, HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, Brigadier-General MCINTOSH, Commanding First Brigade: GENERAL: In accordance with instructions from the major-general commanding Middle Military Division, you will, without delay, make a reconnaissance toward Charlestown, using for that purpose about three of your regiments, leaving the balance of your brigade and the battery behind. The general does not desire the force sent out to become engaged; he simply wishes information of the whereabouts of the enemy and his movements. By command of Brigadier-General Wilson: L. SIEBERT, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, General STEVENSON: P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General, Commanding. |