CAVALRY HEADQUARTERS,

Appomattox Court-House, Va., April 9, 1865.

Brevet Major-General MERRITT:

GENERAL: The major-general commanding directs that you establish a strong line of pickets directly in from of the enemy's line and prevent all enlisted men and line officers from visiting the camps of the enemy or approaching them in any direction.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. A. FORSYTH,

Brevet Colonel and Acting Aides-de-Camp.

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
April 9, 1865.

Mrs. General ORD,

Fort Monroe:

Lee's army surrendered to-day. Army of the James did first rate. All well. Ask Colonel Seward to break the news of General Read's death to his wife. He was killed in leading one of the most gallant fight of the war.

E. O. C. ORD,

Major-General.

RICHMOND, VA., April 9, 1865.

(Received 6 p. m.)

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

On Friday evening I asked Weitzel incidentally what he was gong to do about opening the churches on Sunday. He answered that all were to be allowed to be opened on condition that no disloyalty should be uttered and that the Episcopal ministers would be required to read the prayer for the President of the United States. I told him this was all right. Last evening he sent Shepley to me to ask that this order might be relaxed, so that the clergy would only be required not to pray for Jeff. Davis. Shepley said this was what had been determined on by General Weitzel before I have orders to the contrary. I answered I had given no orders at all, having received none from Washington, and that Weitzel must act in the matter entirely on his own judgement. it appears that Judge Campbell though it very desirable that a loyal prayer should not be exacted, and that Weitzel had consented to it; but when I asked him the question, for some unexplained reason, he gave me an answer opposite to the reality. I report the fact, confessing that it shakes a good deal my confidence in Weitzel. Weather fine.

C. A. DANA,

Assistant Secretary.

RICHMOND, VA., April 9, 1865-4 p. m.

(Received 6 p. m.)

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

A citizen named Myers, who left Lynchburg on the evening of the 4th, arrived here to-day. Stoneman's arrival at Wytheville was reported