GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT OF WEST VIRGINIA, Numbers 47.
Harper's Ferry, W. Va., July 27, 1864.

Captain Edwin V. Sumner, First U. S. Cavalry, having reported at these headquarters in obedience to orders of the War Department for assignment to duty as special inspector of cavalry Department of West Virginia, is hereby announced as such and will be obeyed and respected accordingly. All requisitions for horses and ordnance stores for cavalry will be forwarded through him to these headquarters for approval.

By order of Major-General Hunter:

P. G. BIER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT OF WEST VIRGINI
FORCES IN THE FIELD, Numbers 25.
Pleasant Valley, Md., July 27, 1864.

1. The commanding officers of the following-named batteries will report immediately, with their batteries, to Brigadier-General Howe, commanding District of Harper's Ferry, viz: Commanding officer First Ohio Battery; commanding officer Thirtieth new York Battery; commanding officer Battery F, First West Virginia Artillery; commanding officer First Kentucky Battery.

* * * * *

By command of Bvt. Major General George Crook:

JAS. L. BOTSFORD,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[JULY 27, 1864. - For Crook to Hunter, reporting engagement at Kerstown, &c., see Part I, p. 286.]

HEADQUARTERS SECOND CAVALRY DIVISION,
Hagerstown, Md., July 27, 1864.

General GEORGE CROOK,

Commanding Army of Kanawha:

GENERAL: Your dispatch of the 26th instant received. I have information that there is a brigade of the enemy at Falling Waters, and my scouts just in from the other side of the river report that two citizens of Martinsburg say the infantry of the enemy are marching toward Cherry Run. It was reported that they were crossing at that place, but the report needs confirmation as yet. Can you not leave a regiment of General Duffie's division to picket the lower part of this line? I would like the portion of Cole's cavalry and that portion of the First New York (Lincoln) now with the First Division. If the enemy move up on my right, as they seem likely to do, Chambersburg will be entirely exposed, unless I can have some cavalry to operate in that direction.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. W. AVERELL,

Brigadier-General.

P. S. - I shall be able to inform you definitely about the enemy's movements at Cherry Run in a short time. Some stragglers of the Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry report that 500 infantry of