APRIL 30, 1863.

General GIBBON, Couch's Headquarters:

You do not move without further orders. Do not withdraw your pickets until ordered. Keep a sharp watch for any movement of the enemy in vicinity of Fredericksburg or your front. Telegraph me and report by messengers to General Sedgwick.

DANL. BUTTERFIELD,

Major-General, Chief of Staff.

HDQRS. FIRST ARMY CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
April 30, 1863.

Major-General BUTTERFIELD, Chief of Staff, &c.:

GENERAL: The enemy's formation, as near as I can see, is in the hollow between the Bowling Green road and the range of heights before occupied by his infantry, and just opposite our bridges; his artillery in the same position occupied previously, only protected by epaulements, and, I think, more guns. Their position and formation threaten our bridge-heads. This is either bravado, in order to get up troops from Richmond, or they are really in force. They have never shown their troops in this way before. It may be that the artillery is simply horses arranged to look like teams. I cannot see the guns. Wagons have just been seen moving up on the other side of the Massaponax, and a train of passenger cars just gone down the road toward Bowling Green. It must have been up near the Massaponax.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN F. REYNOLDS,

Major-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

SEDGWICK'S CROSSING, April 30, 1863-2.20 p. m.

Major-General HOOKER:

I think that movements indicate that they are passing troops up to our right; that is, they are massing, and then moving the troops up the Valley beyond on the shortest line to Fredericksburg and above. The railroad seems to be busy to-day. Taft's battery, on our left, shelled them out of one part of the railroad, and they had to take a longer road to Fredericksburg.

REYNOLDS,

General.

APRIL 30, 1863.

General REYNOLDS:

What did the locomotives draw? Could it be transportation trains?

BUTTERFIELD,

General.

REYNOLDS' SIGNAL STATION, April 30, 1863-p. m.

General BUTTERFIELD:

The trains they ran were passenger and platform cars.

REYNOLDS,

Major-General.