HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS, September 10, 1864-1 p. m.

Major-General BUTLER:

The enemy opened on the Crow's Nest Battery with a small rifled piece from the plain in rear of their mortar battery opposite Dutch Gap. The Crow's Nest gun opened and the Howlett battery replied, when all our guns opened on it.

JOHN GIBBON,
Major-General of Volunteers.

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION, September 10, 1864-6.30 p. m.

Major WETHERILL,

Commanding Brigade:

MAJOR: Two rebel deserters who have come into our lines this evening report that a party of twelve will probably enter our lines to-night. The general desires you to notify the pickets at Cocke's Mill to be on the alert, as they may enter at that point.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. J. ASCH,

Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

CITY POINT, VA., September 11, 1864-noon.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War, Washington:

I hope it is not the intention to postpone the draft to allow time to fill up with recruiting. The men we have been getting in this way nearly all desert, and out of five reported North as having enlisted we don't get more than one effective soldier.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

WASHINGTON, September 11, 1864-7.55 p. m.

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

It is not designed by this department to delay the draft a single day after the credits are made up and quota ascertained. The Provost-Marshal-General has been directed to lose no time in that work. It is represented that the first recruits were a hard lot, but that recently the volunteers are equal to any that have taken the field during the war. The local authorities have been slack in paying their bounties, and this has occasioned some delay. I would be glad if you would send me a telegram for publication, urging the necessity of immediately filling up the army by draft. The most difficulty is likely to be in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, from the desire of candidates to retain their men until after the election. We have not got a single regiment from Indiana. Morton came here specially to have the draft postponed, but was peremptorily refused. But the personal interest to retain men until after the election requires every effort to procure troops in that State, even