WASHINGTON, May 7, 1865.

Major-General HALLECK:

Several days ago General Grant directed me to send a brigade of infantry and a regiment of cavalry to Stauton, Va., with about twenty-five days' supplies. Three thousand infantry and 500 cavalry have gone, and ought to be there in a day or two. General Duval is in command .

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST INFANTRY DIVISION,
DEPARTMENT OF WEST VIRGINIA,

Grafton, W. Va., May 7, 1865.

Colonel N. WILKINSON,

Commanding First Brigade, Clarksburg W. Va.:

COLONEL: The brevet major-general commanding directs me to inform you that while he inclines to doubt the rebels intending a raid on Buckhannon and Beverly, for the reason that plunder or revenge could be the only object now (and there is little plunder in either of these places), he thinks it more probable their designs are against Parkersburg, as Jackson would take a fiendish delight in destroying that place. You will therefore direct the officers in command at Buckannon and Bulltown to be very vigilant in watching the direction in which any force coming from the Shenandoah Valley would approach these points, or the Little Kanawha, to go to Parkersburg. Keep all your outposts vigilant. Have the cavalry all ready to move at a moment's notice. Have Major Hart's command on the alert. If there are any gun-boats near Parkersburg it would be well to request one to lay off that place a few days. See that Major Hart has a strong abatis around his fort. Advise all State troops in your reach of the rumored intention of the rebels, and ask them to be watchful, and promptly send in any information they may get that is reliable.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. H. HARTSOCK,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

RICHMOND, May 8, 1865.

(Received 11.30 a.m. 9th.)

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

My note of May 3 to General Ord was in reply to special inquiries, and I think the President may have mistaken its object and import. Persons not included in the amnesty proclamation were distinctly informed that they could be purged of treason only by pardon from the President, and that I would forward no such petition till they had manifested their desire to resume their allegiance by subscribing the amnesty oath. This preliminary step conferred no rights, but was made a prerequisite to having their considered. It is already producing a good effect, and I regret its being changed. It cannot possibly produce any harm. The oath of allegiance of August, 1861, does not seem applicable to such cases. Let me recapitulate the orders as they now stand. Persons who have given no aid to the rebellion take the ordinary oath of allegiance. Those who have given such aid, but are entitled to the benefit of the President's proclamation, take the amnesty oath. Those not entitled to such benefit, but who petition for pardon,