HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT SIXTEENTH NEW YORK CAVALRY, Washington, D. C., April 24, 1865.

Lieutenant E. P. DOHERTY,
Sixteenth New York Cavalry:

SIR: You are hereby detailed for the duty specified in the preceding order, and will report immediately ot Colonel L. C. Baker for instructions.

J. SCHNEIDER,

Captain, Sixteenth New York Cavalry, Commanding Detachment.

In pursuance to the foregoing orders I reported to Colonel Baker, at the time and place specified, and received the following information and instructions. He informed me that the had reliable information that he assassin Booth and his accomplice were somewhere between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. He gave me several photographs of Booth and introduced me to Mr. Conger and Mr. Baker, and said they would accompany me. He directed me to scour the section of the country indicated thoroughly, to make my own disposition of the men in my command, to forage upon the country, giving receipts for what was taken from loyal parties, and to land at or near Belle Plain at all hazards, to swim my horses ashore if I could not land otherwise, and return when I thought proper. I embarked upon the steamer John S. Ide, at Sixth-street wharf, this vessel having been placed at my disposal by the following order:

ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE, RIVER TRANSPORTATION, Sixth-Street Wharf, Washington, D. C., April 24, 1865.

CAPTAIN OF STEAMER JOHN S. IDE:

SIR: Having received on board twenty-five men and horses, proceed down the river, subject to the orders of the officer in charge; having performed the duties required of you, return to this city and report to me.

Respectfully,

E. S. ALLEN,

Captain and Assistant Quartermaster.

I then proceeded down the river ot Belle Plain, and having landed my force I issued the following order to the captain commanding the vessel:

HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT SIXTEENTH NEW YORK CALVARY, Off Belle Plain, Va. April 24, 1865.

Captain H. WILSON,
Commanding Steamer John S. Ide:

CAPTAIN: You will please moor off, after landing my command, to a place of safe anchorage, not to exceed one mile form this place, and there await further orders. Should you not receive a dispatch from me before, the 26th instant at 6 p. m.return to Washington. Should you see any see nay of the enemy's force report the fact to the gunboat. Forage will remain on board you boat.

E. P. DOHERTY,

First Lieutenant, Sixteenth New York Cavalry, Commanding Detachment.

I then proceed in the direction of Fredericksburg, and after advancing about three miles I turned shout west and struck the Rappahannock River about twelve miles above Port Conway, 6 a. m. There I met two fishermen, who unformatted of a number of surgeons living in the vicinity, and having previously learned the fact that Booth was crippled I deemed it proper to visit the different surgeons and search their premisses, making such inquiries and examinations as were thought necessarily; this being accomplished, and, finding no traces of the assassin or his accomplice, Mr. Conger requested me to furnish him four men and a corporal, which I did, and he moved down the Rappahannock, following its course. I then marched with the remainder of my com-