that last evening they saw Bratton's brigade, of Field's division, march through Petersburg, and they heard they were going down toward Stony Creek. This may be the force which deserter from Scales' brigade saw moving around their right flank (reported to-day). They are quite intelligent men, one of them a sergeant.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. McENTEE,

Captain, &c.

HEADQUARTERS,
September 5, 1864-5.10 p.m.

Colonel SHARPE:

Four deserters from Twenty-fourth Virginia, one from Eleventh Virginia, Terry's brigade, Pickett's division, and one from Thirty-second Virginia, Corse's brigade, came over yesterday, having received General Grant's circular on the picket-line. They bring no news. One said he heard rumors day before yesterday that part of Early's troops were coming to Petersburg, but did not know where the report originated.

FRED. L. MANNING,

Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

SEPTEMBER 5.1864. (Received 6.55 p.m.)

Colonel SHARPE:

Had two deserters from Sixth Georgia, Colquitt's brigade, Heth's division. One said that a division from Early's command passed through Petersburg last night for the right. Such, he said, was stated by everybody, and it was the opinion of his officers that we were stretching toward the Danville road, and this division was to prevent our reaching it. The other one corroborated the story. Both said that the idea of driving us off the Weldon road was given up. Two deserters from the ram Virginia were forwarded me from flag-ship. Three deserters from the Forty-fourth Tennessee, Bushrod Johnson's old brigade, at Cox's farm, brought no news.

FRED. L. MANNING,

Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA,
In the Field, September 5, 1864. (Received 7.50 a.m.)

Colonel SHARPE,

City Point, Va.:

Hundreds of the orders have been sent over our front by kite-flying. I saw a copy printed in the Richmond Examiner. Some of the deserters that came here know it, but the majority do not.*

FRED. L. MANNING,

Lieutenant and Aide-de-Camp.

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*Reference is to Special Orders, Numbers 82, Armies of the United States, August 28, 1864, p. 555.

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