Captain Summers to ascertain and report as soon as possible upon this, and will bear in mind the written instructions you have received in reference to your action if advanced upon by a superior force.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAM'L F. WOODS,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE,
Harper's Ferry, Va., September 29, 1863.

Captain WILLIAM M. BOONE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to state that by my order Captain Summers scouted yesterday p. m., and reported late last night that there was probably a force of less than 500 cavalry, composed in part of the Twelfth Virginia and Gilmor's battalion, somewhere in the neighborhood of Winchester. No infantry or artillery. He added that with 250 men he could find and whip them.

I ordered all the cavalry under my command to report to Captain Summers at daybreak this morning, and was about to venture to awake the brigadier-general commanding and ask him for the Cole's cavalry, when I learned that they had already been sent in that direction.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servent,

GEO. D. WELLS,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

MITCHELL'S STATION, October 7, 1863.

Captain NORTON,

Chief Signal Officer:

The enemy intend some movement. Stuart sent to Lee For guides; Lee sent him 5 from Wickham's brigade. Stuart has given orders about supplying regiments at or near Madison Court-House with horses. James City, Madison Court-House, and Woodville have been mentioned in their dispatches this a. m.

Have strengthened the infantry force at Barnett's Ford, also moved a battery near that ford; placed a section of artillery at Clark's Ford, on Robertson's River, this a. m. Most of the rebel generals have met at either R. E. Lee's headquarters this p. m., or at Hill's. No troops moving that I can see.

D. E. CASTLE,

Captain and Signal Officer.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE,
Harper's Ferry, Va., October 7, 1863.

Colonel BENJAMIN L. SIMPSON,

Ninth Maryland Infantry:

COLONEL: The colonel commanding desires me to say that information from Martinsburg states that Imboden intends a raid on the