Last night a small party crossed to this side at Germanna and went back.

The Prince William company of cavalry is fully mounted, and when last heard from were at Stafford Court-House.

I send two Richmond papers.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. BUFORD,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST ARMY CORPS,
September 28, 1863.

Major General A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: It is proper for me to state in general terms the disposition I propose to make of the troops of this corps for the information of the commanding general.

This would be to place two divisions on the main road from Raccoon Ford to Culpeper Court-House at or near the house marked "Colvin" on the map, where at present all my batteries save one are posted. The remaining division, with one battery, a little west of Pony Mountain, crossing the road from Morton's Ford to Stevensburg. A road leads from the position of this division to Culpeper Court-House, interesting the main road from Raccoon Ford to Culpeper at the house marked "Inskip," to the northwest of Pony Mountain.

Necessarily the two bodies into which the corps will be divided must act independently until they nearly reach Pony Mountain, because the cross-roads are few and faintly traced, and on account of the dense woods (imperfectly represented on the map) which interpose.

The main road from Raccoon Ford to Culpeper, as well as the other communication spoken of, are liable to the grave objection of being nearly impassable in wet weather of two or three days' continuance, owing to the character of the soil, and this is the gravest consideration in connection with my position which I feel compelled to call to the attention of the commanding general. In such event, if pressed, I should be very solicitous for the artillery and the necessary wagons.

After carefully considering the ground, I have found it inexpedient to place the two detachments of the corps, within supporting distance of each other, having a view to guard the roads to Culpeper. It might be asked why not place the detachment on the left in the forest? The objection to this is the dense character of the woods, with much underbrush and few and blind roads, which would be inconvenient when pressed to operate upon.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

JOHN NEWTON,

Major-General, Commanding.

[SEPTEMBER 28, 1863-For Naglee to Foster, relating to contraband trade, guerrillas, &c., in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, see Series I, Vol. XXVII, Part III, pp. 845-856.]