thence to the brigade on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad across New River, and destroy the same, leaving, however, your infantry at Lewisburg until you return.

If you should deem this impracticable you will send back to Beverly your infantry and Keeper's battery, and proceed with the balance of your command, by any route you may think best, into the Valley of the South Branch, and down that to New Creek, where supplies will be in readiness for you. General Duffie will hold Lewisburg when you leave, or if deemed best he will fall back to Meadow Bluff and hold that point.

The command will take ten days' rations of coffee, hard bread, sugar, and salt. The needed supplies of fresh beef and forage will be procured from the country through which you pass. For these, the owners from whom they are taken will be given, by the proper officers, proper vouchers, which will state the facts attending the taking and specify that payment will be made therefor upon satisfactory evidence of loyalty. Should more cattle be found than is necessary for the support of the command while on the march, such surplus cattle will also be taken (and for which similar vouchers will be given), and will be brought toward, with the command, to New Creek.

Measures will be taken to prevent interference with private property by the soldiers of the command while on the expedition.

By order of Brigadier-General Kelley:

THAYER MELVIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure B.]

CHARLESTON, W. VA.,

October 30, 1863.

Brigadier-General SCAMMON,

Commanding Third Division, Charleston:

You will dispatch a force of two regiments of infantry and two of cavalry or mounted infantry and a section of artillery to Greenbrier County, W. Va., moving so as to form a junction at or near Lewisburg, in Greenbrier County, on Saturday, the 7th of November, 1863, with the force of Brigadier General W. W. Averell, which will move to that point from Beverly, Va.

After capturing or dispersing the enemy in Greenbrier the mounted portion of your command will report to Brigadier-General Averell for duty on an expedition to Dublin Station to destroy the bridge across New River, if General Averell determines to make the movement, the infantry remaining at Lewisburg until his return. If General Averell does not so determine, the whole of the force sent by you will either hold Lewisburg or fall back to Meadow Bluff, as may be deemed best by the officer in command.

Ten day's rations of hard bread, sugar, coffee, and salt will bed carried by the command. The country through which it passes will be looked to for the needed supplies of forage. Stringent measures will be taken to prevent interference with private property by the soldiers of the command.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. F. KELLEY,

Brigadier-General.