the defenses. General Averell and Colonel Taylor are in charge of the outposts toward Winchester, and have to guard the roads leading to the Ferry. I will make an arrangement during the next few days in regard to cavalry, and inform you. Report al least once a day what information you have received. I have also received your letters.

F. SIGEL,

Major-General.

CUMBERLAND, April 12, 1864.

Brigadier-General AVERELL,

Martinsburg, W. Va.:

Your letter of yesterday is received. You can begin the transfer of your troops as indicated in your letter, but the general commanding directs that until further orders you will send but 1,500 men to be stationed at Clarksburg and Webster. The transfer of the remount camp and hospital to Pleasant Valley is satisfactory. I have telegraphed to the Chief of Ordnance in relation to the arms and equipments of your command, and will inform you as soon as I receive a reply. Please inform me if requisition for horses for your entire command has been forwarded to the Cavalry Bureau. The mares will not be received by the Cavalry Bureau. Your statement of the horses required in yesterday's telegram appears to be considerably larger than your former statement to the chief quartermaster. If the demand for horses in your division is so large and the number of men present for duty equipped so small as your last report shows, the remainder of your command, after the 2,000 have left, will be ineffectual and useless for active operations. Please inform me of the whereabouts of all the detachments in your last monthly report, and also where Means' battalion is, and whether you have made arrangements to forward them.

FRANZ SIGEL,

General.

MARTINSBURG, W. VA., April 12, 1864.

Colonel R. F. TAYLOR,

Commanding First Brigade:

COLONEL: Pursuant to orders just received from the major-general commanding the department, the briagadier-general commanding directs that you send 100 cavalry on the cars to Sir John's Run at once, to thoroughly scout the country between Sleepy Creek and Great Cacapon. They will then remain at Bath until further orders, keeping communication with the infantry at Sir John's Run and Hancock. At Bath they will be careful not disturb the property of the Union citizens.

The brigadier-general commanding desires that you send some portion of your force not included in the detail of 1,000 heretofore made. Perhaps the Sixth Michigan will be able to furnish the detail. You will inform Mr. Darby, the railroad agent, when the detail is ready to embark on the cars.

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

WILL RUMSEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.