OCTOBER 3, 1864.

[Major-General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: Inclosed report of deserters from Thirty-fifth North Carolina was forwarded to you yesterday and returned again unknown to me until this moment.* A deserter from the same regiment has just been forwarded who came in on Saturday night. He reports the position of Johnson's division unchanged, lying from the Appomattox to the Burnside mine. He is certain that Hoke's division went across the Appomattox last Thursday, but knows nothing about their returning.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. C. BABCOCK.

OCTOBER 3, 1864.

Colonel SHARPE,

City Point:

Can locate Heth, Wilcox, Mahone, and Johnson. Cannot locate Hoke or Field with any certainty. Deserters from Thirty-fifth North Carolina, ransom's brigade, say that Hoke moved northward last Thursday and was recalled the next day. Anderson's brigade of Field's division, is with Wilcox. Thomas' brigade, of Wilcox's division, is not here. Prisoners received so far represent all of Heth's division and McGowan's and Anderson's brigades.

J. C. B. [ABCOCK].

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, OFFICE OF THE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, October 3,, 1864.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,
Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: Deserter from Sixty-fourth Georgia, Wright's brigade, Mahone's division, reports: That he came into the lines of the Third division, Ninth Army Corps, about daylight this morning. Brigade is lying near the Weldon railroad, east side, and is the extreme right of Mahone's division. Moved to this position last Friday, at which time all of Mahone's division moved "considerably" to the right. Thinks Colquitt's brigade, of Hoke's division, is lying in the trenches to the left of Mahone. Has friends in that brigade whom he saw last Friday. Wilcox's division on right of Mahone. Don't know anything of Field's division. Has not seen it since 1st of September. Is not well posted regarding position and movements. All prisoners of war received to date represent Heth's entire division and several regiments of Wilcox's division, besides Anderson's brigade, temporarily attached to Wilcox's. Prisoners from every cavalry brigade excepting Wickham's, Lomax's, Chambliss', Gary's, and Rosser's.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. C. BABCOCK.

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*See Babcock to Humphreys, 2nd, 10 a. m., p. 37.

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