HARPER'S FERRY, April 29, 1864- 4.30 a. m.

(Received 6.45 p. m.)

Colonel G. H. SHARPE,

Headquarters Army of the Potomac:

A reliable man who left Little Washington and Sperryville on Sunday last, and Luray Court- House on Monday, states that Longstreet was not then in that vicinity, but it was well understood there that he was in the neighborhood of Gordonsville, in easy supporting distance of Lee. It was also reported there that Beauregard was on the way to Richmond with a large force.

JOHN McENTEE,

Captain, &c.

ARTILLERY HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

April 29, 1864.

Colonel HENRY L. ABBOT,

First Connecticut Artillery:

COLONEL: I have received your letter of the 26th April, and am gratified at the progress you are making.

I had not heard of the failure of the 4 1\2- inch gun to stand the same test as the Parrotts, but either would be good enough, probably. I have seen Comstock about the two regiments. He thinks with me it would be well not to agitate the matter now, but there will probably be no trouble in getting the order, when the time comes for you to move, to take the entire brigade. I would therefore, so far as possible, prepare both regiments for the work. I understand that in addition to the siege howitzers you will have there are ow disposable six 100- pounder Parrotts, with 500 rounds of ammunition each, part of them at Old Point, and that there will soon be nineteen ready. There is one point on which we should be safe- the supply of sandbags. The engineers will supply a large number, but not enough, I fear, for contingencies. As they are enumerated by the Ordnance Department as amongst the ordnance stores for a siege train, it would be well to get 500 bags per gun. This is considered by all of us as important and necessary.

Very truly, yours,

HENRY J. HUNT.

GARNETT'S MOUNTAIN, April 29, 1864.

Captain FISHER,

Chief Signal Officer:

Regiment of cavalry moved in the direction of Barnett's Ford. Small baggage train with it. Has halted.

WIGGINS.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD CAVALRY DIVISION,
April 29, 1864- 5 p. m.

Captain FISHER:

Heavy column of smoke rising from woods behind Sisson's Ford. Two regiments of infantry drilling on the summit of Clark's Mountain. Been down the river; found nothing unusual. All quiet.

TAYLOR.