captured last evening), add nothing to our information. One man, however, from the prisoners sent in by the Second Corps this morning, and who being necessarily absent had escaped my notice, belongs to Colquitt's (Georgia) brigade, which lay yesterday near the left of the enemy's line. Toward evening it was taken from the left and moved to the center, and at 2 o'clock this morning, this man being with it, retired to a line half a mile this side of Petersburg, which had been in course of preparation yesterday, and from which the prisoner referred to was sent out to the skirmish line, of which he was captured this morning. He is intelligent and says that it was understood last night that the move was to be made for the purpose of shortening their lines, and that a position of tolerable strength has been taken up.

Very respectfully,

GEORGE H. SHARPE,

Colonel,&c.

P. S.-I keep steadily inquiring for any of Lee's army proper, and have so [far] failed to find indications of it. Six officers and 69 men, just sent in from the Ninth Corps, were captured last evening. No papers are with them to explain why they did not come before. These, with 3 officers and 51 men previously reported, make the whole number taken by the Ninth Corps last evening 9 officers and 120 men, so far as known at this office. The last received are from the same commands with the previous ones.

Respectfully,

G. H. S.,

Colonel,&.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, OFFICE OF PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL,
June 18, 1864-9 p.m.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: We have received 8 prisoners of war from the Fifth Corps whose were taken soon after noon on the right of the enemy's line, some of them on the railroad leading to the Blackwater. They belong to Ransom's (North Carolina) brigade and Evans' (South Carolina) brigade. On the right of the enemy's line is a little cavalry, them Evans' brigade, Clingman's (North Carolina) brigade next, and Ransom's next. From one of them, who speaks with apparent truthfulness, I learned that he went to and returned from Petersburg at a late hour last night, up to which time nothing was known of any troops coming from General Lee. This man says that the enemy are weak in artillery; that they were considered so before Hoke's division went to join General Lee, and he saw three batteries go away with it. Two men sent in by the Second Corps belong to Gracie's (Alabama) brigade, and were taken near the City Point railroad. Two officers and 35 men taken by General Martindale arrived during the examination of the preceding. They all belong to Hagood's (South Carolina) brigade, of Hoke's division, and represent three out of its four regiments. They were taken on the extreme left of the enemy's line, their own left resting upon the Appomattox. Their brigade fell back last night from the position which had been previously occupied by them to a line prepared during the course