ASHLAND, March 16, 1865. Received 9.15 p.m.]

P. V. DANIEL,

President:

One of our scouts, a reliable man, just returned from near John T. Anderson's, on Central railroad. He states a greater portion of the enemy crossed at Oxford Ford, on North River, last night and to-day, and from all information he can get they are making their way toward Carmel Church, Caroline County. It is reported another column has crossed South River at County. The citizens of Hanover have been devastated of everything in the way of provisions and forage they came in contact with. Nothing further definite with regard to burning of Hanover Junction or Taylorsville.

Respectfully,

THOMPSON.

ASHLAND, March 16, 1865. [Received 9.30 p.m.]

P. V. DANIEL, Esq.:

A scout just returned states that at 1 o'clock he crossed at Norman's Ford on a scout, and fell in with the head of the Yankee column. Another scout saw the Yankee rear at Mount Carmel two hours before. The enemy's camp-fires can be plainly seen from Hanover Court-House. They are encamped in the vicinity of Mangohick Church.

Respectfully,

THOMPSON.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF RICHMOND, March 17, 1865.

Respectfully forwarded to honorable Secretary of War.

This is the latest information from the front. General Longstreet telegraphed yesterday evening repeatedly for pontoons to be sent him, but as yet Major Taylor, chief quartermaster of the First Corps, who has the matter in charge, has been unable to get them to this point.

R. S. EWELL,
Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS, Petersburg, Va., March 17, 1865.

Honorable JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE,

Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: A dispatch from Lieutenant-General Taylor, at Meridian, on the 12th instant, states that he had returned that morning from West Point; that Thomas was reported to be moving with Fourth Army Corps and about 12,000 cavalry; that General Maury reports enemy, some 30,000 strong, moving with fleet and by land, from Pensacola on Mobile; that about 30,000 bales of cotton in Mobile will be burned as soon as the city is invested; that he has provided for these movements as fully as his resources permitted, but that he had received no aid from Mississippi or Alabama, yet hoped to embarrass the enemy in his efforts to take those States. If the estimate of the enemy's strength is correct I see little prospect of preserving Mobile, and had previously