HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS,
April 21, 1864.

Brigadier-General TORBERT, Commanding First Cavalry Division:

Change your picket-line in accordance with verbal instructions of to-day, and with this addition: Extend your left as far as to guard Morton's Ford, relieving the pickets of the Third Division to include that ford. This becomes necessary in order to equalize the picketing of the two divisions.

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

CUMBERLAND, MD., April 21, 1864-6 p. m.

(Received 9.50 p. m.)

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

The troops are mostly on their way west and east, and the necessary arrangements are made at Parkersburg to ship the infantry. The cavalry and trains will go from Parkersburg by land to Charleston, where General Crook wishes that all troops from here should be sent. I sent him five infantry regiments and two regiments of cavalry under General Averell, which will make him about 10,000 effective men. As soon as the troops at Martinsburg are assembled for the greater part I will go there.

No information has been received in regard to important changes in the position of the enemy. Latest reports say that Early, with 4,000 to 5,000 men, is in the vicinity and north and south of Staunton. The forces of Breckinridge are reported at La Fayette Station, 10 miles west of New River bridge; are estimated at from 6,000 to 8,000 men. They are stationed from Lynchburg to Saltville, and in front of this line to Greenbrier River.

Deserters from Staunton say that General Early would take command in the valley. They also report that they were left behind by Longstreet in June, 1863, at Staunton, and that they received orders at the commencement of this month to return to Tennessee to join Hood's division. They say that Longstreet in person was at Richmond, but do not know whether his corps has gone East. It may be that Hood's division has been left at or near Cumberland Gap, as reported by General Crook, and that the other divisions have gone to join Lee's army.

General Crook, to whom I sent the report of Breckinridge, says that this report is very correct as far as the country in his front is concerned. Colonel Babcock knows about this report, of which I have sent a copy to the Adjutant-General at Washington.

F. SIGEL,

Major-General.

CLARKSBURG, April 21, 1864.

(Received 10 p. m.)

Major-General STAHEL:

Will it not be possible to furnish transports for my command at Parkersburg? It would save two days' time and a hard march. I leave here at 7.30. The balance of the First Virginia go in the morning.

WM. W. AVERELL,

Brigadier-General.