2. Hereafter all commissioned officers on returning from leave of absence, or those reporting for duty the first time, will report in person at these headquarters before going on duty with their respective commands. When the division is organized they will report as above ordered at the division headquarters.

By command of Brigadier General William Birney:

M. BAILEY,

Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HDQRS. SECOND CAVALRY BRIGADE, KAUTZ'S DIVISION,
September 22, 1864.

Captain M. J. ASCH,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General:

SIR: In accordance to instructions from commanding general of last evening, I sent out a reconnaissance at 4 o'clock this morning. Lieutenant Irwin, the officer in charge, returned at 8 o'clock and reports:

I have thoroughly examined the country in the vicinity of Sycamore Church and for miles on the left and front, and find no trace or indication of any force of the enemy since last raid.

Lieutenant Irwin is a reliable officer.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. P. SPEAR,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

NORFOLK, VA., September 22, 1864.

Lieutenant-Colonel KENSEL,

Acting Chief of Staff, Point of Rocks, Va.:

A reconnoitering force sent beyond Suffolk hears of no enemy on or near the Blackwater.

Respectfully, &c.,

GEO. F. SHEPLEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

BUTLER'S HEADQUARTERS,

September 22, 1864.

General SHEPLEY,

Norfolk:

The enemy has undoubtedly left the vicinity of the Blackwater some days ago and returned to Petersburg.

G. W. KENSEL,

Acting Chief of Staff.

CITY POINT, September 23, 1864.

Major-General MEADE:

If General Hancock is going to take his leave of absence he had better start in the morning. General Gibbon has been relieved from duty with the Eighteenth Corps and will be back to the Second on day after to-morrow.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

62 R R-VOL XLII, PT II