HEADQUARTERS OUTPOSTS,
January 25, 1865-11.35 a. m.

General HARLAND,

Commanding:

GENERAL: My confidential agent has just come in from Kinston, N. C. No signs of any movement this way nor in contemplation. The enemy intend moving the ram to Goldsborough. The Kinston bridge was taken up to prevent its destruction by freshet. General Hoke is still at Wilmington. A lot of the Sixth North Carolina Cavalry will desert within a few days. I have a Raleigh paper of January 16, 1865; will send it by this p. m. train.

P. J. CLAASSEN,

Colonel, Commanding Outposts.

HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION,
Winchester, Va., January 25, 1865.

Major-General HALLECK,

Chief of Staff of the Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: In obedience to instructions, and from military necessity, the Valley of the Shenandoah from Winchester to Staunton, a distance of ninety-two miles, was so much desolated as to make it necessary to issue at the present time a small number of rations. These destitute people cannot be provided for according to the system proposed in your communication of December 24, 1864, to Major-General Dodge. The people of this section are now so poor that there is no way that a tax fund can be created, except by an attempt to sell household furniture, and even then I doubt if there would be purchasers. The number now issued to will reach probably 800, but will increase. The issue made to these people have been carefully managed, and are only made in small quantities.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

WINCHESTER, VA., January 25, 1865-10.40 a. m.

Brigadier-General RAWLINS,

Chief of Staff, City Point:

Captain Folwell, Fiftieth New York Volunteer Engineers, was the officer who had charge of the bridge train for me last summer, and is the officer that I should like detailed, with his company, to report to me.

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 39.
Washington, January 25, 1865.

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8. The leave of absence heretofore granted Bvt. Major General George A. Custer, U. S. Volunteers, is hereby extended five days.

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