HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT ENGINEER BRIGADE,
Rappahannock Station, Va., January 31, 1864.

Brigadier General H. W. BENHAM,

Commanding Engineer Brigade:

GENERAL: During the past month there has been little in our operations worthy of note. Our men have been principally employed in work upon winter quarters, fencing and flooring corrals, corduroy roads, and repairs and renewals in pontoon trains. On the afternoon of the 4th instant I received orders to take up the lower pontoon bridge at this point, move my trains to headquarters Army of the Potomac, have the bridge at Welford's Ford ready to take up after the trains passed, and report in person at headquarters. After seeing the tents struck of all the command except one company, the teams hitched up, and the work of dismantling the lower bridge commenced, I proceeded to headquarters. There I found that it was proposed to send a force of 10,000 men (6,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry) over the mountains to Front Royal, to operate against a force of the enemy supposed to be in Shenandoah Valley, and that the bridge train was required for crossing Shenandoah River near Front Royal. Nothing was decided, however, in relation to the movement, and as it was only intended that the trains should be ready, I immediately sent back word for the men to finish taking up the lower bridge and return to camp with the trains at short notice. It was finally arranged before I left headquarters that if the movement was ordered I should only furnish the trains with the transportation and everything necessary for the effective operations of the quartermaster's department, and that Captain Mendell with his men should proceed to Front Royal in charge the trains. Everything pertaining to this train was for some days kept ready for an immediate start, but the movement was not ordered. We have still some work to do upon our trains to put them in perfect order, and some additional work in camp and in the corrals. When this is done I hope to be able to resume our drills in infantry tactics and sapping and mining.

Very respectfully,

IRA SPAULDING,

Major, Commanding Detachment.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
January 31, 1864.

Major-General BIRNEY,

Commanding Third Corps:

General Kilpatrick reports that the infantry pickets of the Second and Third Corps will not permit his messengers to the cavalry pickets to pass the infantry picket-line on the main roads leading to the front with his pass; that all his people have been stopped this morning. The commanding general directs that the infantry pickets be instructed to pass messengers, picket details of cavalry, &c., out and in on the main roads leading to the front when they have the pass of the commander of the cavalry division, and to pass in when they have the pass of the commander of the cavalry pickets.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.