departure of the regiment from City Point, October 5, to be mustered out of service, report to the major-general commanding the Fifth Army Corps.

By command of Major-General Meade:

S. WILLIAMS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
City Point, September 30, 1864.

Brigadier-General BENHAM,

Commanding Engineer Brigade, &c.:

I inclose dispatch* from General Meade for your information. You will at once place strong pickets of infantry on the Old Court-House road and watch it closely. Should you require any cavalry to assist in the picket duty, the Fifth U. S. Cavalry, at these headquarters, will be placed at your disposal. Please return the dispatch by the orderly.

By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:

E. S. PARKER,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
September 30, 1864-12.15 a. m.

Major-General HANCOCK,

Commanding Second Corps:

Have your command prepared to move to at short notice at any time during the day after 8 o'clock.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
September 30, 1864-8 a. m. (Received 8.16 a. m.)

General HUMPHREYS:

I send a contraband who left Petersburg at 4 this morning. He says day before yesterday some troops left Petersburg for Lynchburg by South Side road. Yesterday he understood Heth's division, or some of it, moved to Chaffin's. Last night he heard troops moving in same direction. Says no train was allowed to go to Richmond yesterday, except a troop train in the morning.

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
September 30, 1864. (Sent 8.30 a. m.)

Major-General HANCOCK,

Commanding Second Corps:

Was anything observed by the pickets or troops last night and this morning indicating the withdrawal of any material portion of the enemy from the intrenchments during the night?

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

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*See Meade to Grant, 2.25 p. m., p. 1119.

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