FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. CAVALRY, MIDDLE MILITARY DIV., Numbers 39.
Petersburg, Va., April 23, 1865.

The command will be in readiness to move at 6 a. m. to-morrow, the men to carry five days' rations upon their persons and ten days' rations of coffee, sugar, and salt to be carried in the wagons. Officers will provide themselves with rations. Thirty rounds of carbine ammunition will be carried on the persons of the men and 100 rounds in the wagons, the artillery to carry all their caissons of the men and 100 rounds in the wagons, the artillery to carry all their caissons can old. Two days' grain will be carried if it can be obtained. Captain Earle, acting chief commissary, has been ordered to furnish the necessary amount of subsistence.

By command of Bvt. Major General W. Merritt:

E. M. BAKER,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

FIELD ORDERS,
HDQRS. CAVALRY, MIDDLE MILITARY DIV., Numbers 40.
April 23, 1865.

I. The command will move in the morning in rear of General Crook's command, which marches at 6 a. m., in the following order: First, First Cavalry Division, second, Third Cavalry Division; third, wagon trains.

Headquarters wagons and ambulances will march in rear of their respective divisions.

II. General Custer will detail a sufficient force to march in rear of the trains.

III. The attention of division commanders is practicularly called to the necessity of each man carrying thirty pounds of grain on his horse.

By command of Brevet Major-General Merritt:

E. M. BAKER,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

CAMP COMPANY G, FIFTH MASSACHUSETTS CAVALRY,

Near Petersburg, Va., April 23, 1865.

Brevet Major-General FERRERO,

Commanding Defenses of Petersburg:

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of a scout made on the north side of the Appomattox River by my command April 22: I took the river road, sending out parties on all cross roads. At Mr. Gill's I learned that two sleep had been killed a his farm by soldiers on the 20th instant. These men crossed the river in a boat. They were armed with the Spencer carbine. At the village of Matoaca I learned that soldiers were in the habit of crossing the river at various points in boats and on rafts. Soldiers have often been to Mr. Keesee's, taking such things as suited their fancy. This gentleman lives about nine miles from Petersburg. He had two mules taken on the night of the 20th. It is said they were taken by two of his former slaves. One mile this side of Mr. Keesee's I crossed over to the Hickory road, some three of four miles distant. In this district there had been no soldiers. I found that about two weeks ago there had been soldiers at houses some six miles from the city, taking horses and arms, searching trunks, taking jewelry, &c. For the past ten or twelve days there have been no depredations committed north of the River road, as far as I could