HEADQUARTERS SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION,
MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION,

February 6, 1865.

[Captain A. F. HAYDEN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:]

CAPTAIN: The party sent out in obedience to instructions of yesterday have returned to camp, with the exception of detached party sent to neighborhood of Smithfield. Lieutenant-Colonel McGee, who was in command, reports that in obedience to written and verbal instructions he scoured the country last night between the Berryville pike and Kabletown, sending one column up the Berryville and Charlestown pike, another along the river from Castleman's Ferry to Kabletown, and a third column intermediate. Almost every house was visited, but with little success, as far as captures go. The colonel is fully satisfied that there are but very few of the enemy anywhere in that scope of country. The testimony of the best-disposed citizens is that the enemy do not stay this side the Shenandoah in any number, but that they occasionally cross from the east side the river and return the same day or day following. A party of twenty or thereabouts was on this side two or three days ago and in the neighborhood of Kabletown. But two were seen during the march, one of whom was captured and is forwarded under guard. Lieutenant Gardner, of my staff, accompanied the party and reports that instructions were well executed. There is no stock of consequence in the country. There are three safeguard near Kabletown belonging to the Forty-ninth New York Infantry, one at the house of a Mr. Starkey, who have been there, it is said, over a year.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. H. CHAPMAN,

Brigadier-General.

HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION,
Winchester, February 6, 1865.

Brigadier-General DAVIS,

Summit Point:

A force of cavalry will swing round toward Summit Point from Ripon to-day, if it has not already done so. A small force of cavalry will soon be sent to Summit Point, to assist in cleaning out guerrillas.

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General.

CUMBERLAND, MD., February 6, 1865.

Major-General SHERIDAN,

Winchester, Va.:

The following has been received from Colonel Wilkinson:

CLARKSBURG, February 5, 1865-8.30 p.m.

The following just received from Buckhannon, viz: "Two reliable Union men reached Colonel Westfall's this morning, eight miles up Buckhannon River. They live four miles from Beverly, and say they saw six or eight rebels yesterday a.m. and heard there was a force of about 1,000 advancing. Citizens in the neighborhood had been talking of it for some days previous. Westfall is reported perfectly reliable, and he is personally acquainted with the men."

N. WILKINSON,

Colonel.