HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
February 7, 1864.

COMMANDING OFFICER CAVALRY CORPS:

The major- general commanding deems it desirable that the pickets of General Merritt and General Kilpatrick should be instructed to be particularly vigilant for several night.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major- General and Chief of Staff.

CAVALRY CORPS, February 7, 1864.

T. C. BACON,

Assistant Adjutant- General, First Cavalry Division:

Send a party at once to General Merritt, and orde r him t return. Have you head anything of the officer who took the first order to return! Let me know as soon as you hear from General Merritt.

C. ROSS SMITH,

Chief of Staff, Cavalry Corps.

CULPEPER, February 7, 1864- 6 p. m.

Colonel C. R. SMITH,

Chief of Staff, Cavalry Corps:

I have not heard from the general since the dispatch of this a. m. Will telegraph as soon as I hear from him. A second party left here about 12 m. to- day, with orders to General Merritt to return. Neither of the parties who took the orders have bee heard from yet, but the last party that went knew the exact route to take, having brought the dispatch of this morning rom General Merritt, and the orderes have probably reached him ere this.

T. C. BACON,

Assistant Adjutant- General.

FAIRFAX COURT- HOUSE,

February 7, 1864- 10. 20 p. m.

Lieutenant Colonel J. H. TAYLOR,

Chief of Staff and Assistant Adjutant- General:

I have the honor to report al quiet. The deserter [Ormsby] from the Second Massachusetts Cavalry, captured in arms against the United States, was convicted by drum- head court- martial and shot at 12 this noon.

R. O. TYLER,

Brigadier- General, Commanding.

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, DEPT. OF WEST VIRGINIA,
New Creek, W. Va., February 7, 1864.

Captain T. MELVIN,

Assistant Adjutant- General, Cumberland, Md.:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to acknowledge the telegram of yesterday of the general commanding in regard to the "policy of