HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, TENTH ARMY CORPS, October 2, 1864.

Captain E. L. FORD,
Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. Tenth Army Corps:

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to inform you that I have decided to organize the troops of this command, on the arrival of the One hundred and twenty-seventh U. S. Colored Troops, into two brigades. The Seventh, Twenty-ninth, and Forty-fifth Regiments U. S. Colored Troops will constitute the First Brigade; the Eighth, Ninth, and One hundred and twenty-seventh U. S. Colored Troops, the Second Brigade.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. BIRNEY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH CORPS, October 2, 1864.

Colonel E. W. SMITH:

I send you another rebel flag captured by a corporal of the First Division. It was not sent forward before because sent to the rear by some mistake. Corpl. Thomas Murphy, One hundred and fifty-eighth New York Volunteers, took the flag.

Very respectfully,
THEODORE READ,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, October 3, 1864-12 m.

(Sent 2 p. m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

Yesterday, after my report, General Mott's division advanced on the left and developed the enemy's position, which was found to be a strong line of rifle-pits and batteries running in a southwesterly direction, evidently to cover the Boydton plank road and South Side Railroad. Finding I did not have the force to hold the position in case I secured it on the Boydton plank road, Mott was withdrawn and placed on the left and rear of the Ninth Corps, and the line occupied, extending our former line from Fort Wadsworth, on the Weldon railroad, to the Pegram house, a distance of about two and a half miles. The enemy offered no opposition to these movements, except keeping our skirmish line actively engaged advancing and retiring, and opening with artillery on such parts of our lines as were exposed. The casualties were small, though several officers were wounded on the skirmish line. General Ayres, on Warren's right, advanced and took a small redoubt at the W. A. Davis house without great resistance, this work being part of the line previously taken from the enemy and in advance of the line subsequently held by them. It being not well placed for our purposes it was subsequently abandoned by Ayres when the final rectification of our line was made. We now hold securely to the Pegram house, with our left refused and the cavalry to the rear on the Vaughan and Ducking [Duncan] roads. The left is a little over a mile from the Boydton plank road, and believed to be not over two miles from the South Side Railroad. Generals Parke and Warren are busily occupied intrenching