HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
September 19, 1864-9.50 a.m. (Received 10 a.m.)

Colonel C. B. COMSTOCK,

Aide-de-Camp, City Point:

General Kautz reported last night some reported movements of enemy's cavalry toward Sycamore Church and Cocke's Mill. He was directed to move out there at daylight this morning and look after the enemy. No report has been received from him. All measures taken were simply precautionary. It was thought probable that there was nothing in the reported movement. The commanding general requests me to say that he thinks some more extended works than those at City Point should be thrown up, the space inclosed by them being too contracted. General Benham will be directed to take the matter in hand.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
September 19, 1864-1 p.m. (Received 3.15 p.m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

Everything has been quiet since my last dispatch till about 7 p.m. last evening, when General Kautz reported the appearance of the enemy's cavalry in the vicinity of Sycamore Church. General Davies was immediately ordered to re-enforce Kautz by a brigade of his division and to push out and ascertain what the enemy was doing. A dispatch just received from Kautz, dated 12 m., confirms the previous report of the enemy's cavalry being in force near Sycamore Church, and states he is about sending Colonel Stedman's brigade, of Davies' division, to reconnoiter; no reason given why this reconnaissance was not made this morning as ordered. I am at a loss to account for the appearance of the enemy's cavalry at this point, unless a dash is intended on our rear. To provide against this, besides the cavalry, I have placed a brigade of infantry on the Norfolk stage road and one at Prince George Court-House, and as I am unable to extend any farther, have requested Major-General Butler to place a brigade at the Old Court-House as part of the defenses of City Point, where I have sent a battery of artillery and placed the troops under the command of Brigadier-General Benham, the senior officer present. The signal officers have reported some movements of the enemy indicating a partial return of the troops from their right to left. Hoke's division, however, withdrawn from their extreme left, has not returned, according to report of deserters in this morning.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General, Commanding.

3 P. M.

The foregoing was prepared to send in cipher when information was received you were on your way up the river. Since writing it Major-General Butler has telegraphed he will send two brigades to Old Court-House, and deserters report that Hoke has returned to the left and is lying in reserve in rear of Bushrod Johnson. I have directed the engineers to examine the vicinity of Old Court-House for the location of a work which shall be part of a line either to Prince George Court-House or to Point of Rocks, in case it should be desirable to hold either of these lines.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General, Commanding.