of the garrison of Fort Sedgewick or Battery 21. He will, however, prepare a second line in rear of these works and construct listening galleries and trenches in their front, so as to ready whenever it may be deemed essential to occupy the rear line. A deserter, who came into the Ninth Corps this a.m., reports a conversation between Generals Heth and Archer as to a proposed attack on the colored troops on our left and rear, in which General Heth said the cavalry could do all that was proposed. We are fully prepared on this part of the line for any attack and should like to have it made. Nothing else of importance to report, except that the desertions to the enemy of newly arrived substitutes and recruits is very much on the increase. One was shot in the Second Corps a few days ago between the lines in the act of deserting.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.

CITY POINT, VA., October 13, 1864-10.30 a.m.

Bvt. Major General M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General:

Lieutenant-General Grant directs me to day that you may order a portion of the railroad construction force to return here at once. Sheridan does not think it expedient to have any more labor put on the Manassas Gap Railroad. If there be no further repairs necessary on the Orange and Alexandria road I see no reason why most of the mechanics and track-men of the railroad in erecting the hospitals and extending the City Point road around to the vicinity of the South Side road. These works are important. I trust Major Wentz has received orders relative to putting up the hospital buildings.

RUFUS INGALLS,

Brigadier-General and Chief Quartermaster.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
OFFICE OF THE PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL, October 13, 1864.

Major-General HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Staff:

GENERAL: Three deserters from the enemy, belonging to the First Tennessee, Forty-eighth North Carolina, and Fortieth Virginia, came into the lines of the Ninth Corps last evening. They are from Cooke's and Archer's brigades, of Heth's division. No movements on their part of the line. Cooke's brigade on the right of the Heth's division and extreme right of the infantry line. The following deserters came into the lines of the Second Army Corps early this a.m.: One from the Sixtieth Alabama, Gracie's brigade, who states that his brigade is lying between the Burnside mine and the City Point Railroad-no movements in Johnson's division; three from the Fifty-sixth and Forty-ninth North Carolina, Ransom's brigade, of Johnson's division, report their brigade lying between the City Point Railroad and the Appomattox, on the left of Johnson's division. The following deserters came into our lines from Covington, across the Appomattox, about 1 this a.m.:Four men from the Forty-fifth Georgia, Thomas' brigade, of Wilcox's