[Inclosure.]

HDQRS. TWENTIETH MASSACHUSETTS, March 25, 1864.

Lieutenant-General WALKER,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Corps:

COLONEL: I have the honor to make the following report for my tour of duty of corps officer of the day on the 24th and 25th instant:

I had only time and strength to visit the picket of the two divisions of the late Third Corps, just assigned to this command. The condition of these lines was infamous, as bad as the picket duty on the Potomac three years ago. I did not attempt to improve things, however, because my efforts against an evil so universal would have seemed so puny as to have been merely laughed at. Besides, I had not time to inform, only to explain, the distance being between 30 and 40 miles, and much fo the way very heavy.

The Second Division connects on the left with this old corps some distance in front, by Stevensburg. Extending between 3 and 4 miles, its right joins the left of the First Corps in front of Pony Mountain, passing the interval filled by the First Corps and the Third Division of the late Third Corps; the left of the First Division of the late Third Corps, connecting with the Third Division, rests ont he Sperryville pike about 5 miles out of Culpeper and directly in front of Stone-House Mountain, and extending some 3 miles joins on the right of the Sixth Corps.

In neither of the two divisions was there a signel post or support which turned our under arms at my approach. The officers had never heard of such a thing. One or two sentinels saluted, but incorrectly. In the Second Division, with the exception of the Massachusetts regiments, most of the officers were evidently careless, indifferent, and ignorant. The first officer on the left was unaware what corps his pickets connected with. Most of the officers knew nothing beyond their immediate right and left. Hardly one knew whether there was a grand reserve to the line or not. I could find no officer of the day. There was no officer in command of the whole line. There were supports and no reserves. There was but a single line of osts of sometimes 6 and sometimes 9 men, each throwing out one sentinel in front, who is relieved each two hours, and in several cases enjoying a regular brush hut or shelter with a fire.

In this Second Division line there were nearly 700 men, who are relieved every three days. The condition of the First Division line was better in this respect, that each brigade picket had a support, though there was no grand reserve; that the officers were more wide-awake and knew their connections better; that there was a captain in command of the whole and an officer of the day, but in other particulars, like that of the Second Division, bad enough. This line consists of almost 400 men, relieved very three days.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. L. ABBOTT,

Major Twentieth Massachusetts.

GENERAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ARMY CORPS, Numbers 14.
March 26, 1864.

I. The Third Division (Prince's), Sixth Corps, will be reorganized to consist of two brigades, as follows.

First Brigade to be composed of the One hundred and sixth and One hundred and fifty-first New York Volunteers, Fourteenth New