HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, OFFICE CHIEF OF ARTILLERY,
October 19, 1864.

ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Headquarters Eighteenth Army Corps:

SIR: I have the honor to report that by Special Orders, Nos. 97 and 104, of August 4 and 12, 1864, 181 enlisted men of the Fifth Maryland Volunteers were assigned to batteries of the corps in the following proportions: Battery L, Fourth U. S. Artillery, 31 privates; Battery B, First U. S. Artillery, 65 privates; Battery F, Fifth U. S. Artillery, 40 privates; Battery F, First Rhode Island Artillery, 20 privates; Sixteenth New York Battery, 25 privates. I am of opinion that it would be highly prejudicial to the interests of the service to return these men from the batteries with which they are now serving, except in the case of those assigned to the Sixteenth New York Battery. The batteries, except the one just referred to, are short of men, and constant requisitions are made on me by battery commanders for men to preserve their efficiency. The Sixteenth New York Battery has now men enough of its own for a four-gun battery. As the detachment of the Fifth Maryland serving with it have by this time become good artillerists, I respectfully suggest that they be assigned to Battery L, Fourth U. S. Artillery, which is losing men fast by discharges. I have the honor to state that, so far as I can learn, the men attached to the batteries are, with very few exceptions, satisfied with their condition.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. PIPER,

Colonel Tenth New York Artillery, Chief of Artillery.

CITY POINT, VA., October 20, 1864-7 p. m.

(Received 8.10 p. m.)

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

I had a salute of 100 guns from each of the armies here fired in honor of Sheridan's last victory. Turning what had did fair to be a disaster into glorious victory stamps Sheridan, what I have always thought him, one of the ablest of generals.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
October 20, 1864-12 m.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT:

The quiet of the lines during the past twenty-four hours has been undisturbed except by the usual artillery firing in front of Second Corps. Four deserters came in during the night, who report nothing new. Some contrabands came in on the left this morning, who state there was to be to-day at 10 a. m. an assemblage of masters and slaves at Dinwiddie Court-House for the purpose of collecting slaves to take the places of teamsters and other detailed men in the army. On inspecting Benham's lines yesterday I found a battery organized from detachments of recruits and convalescents from various regiments in this army. This organization I understood was gotten up temporarily when a cavalry raid was anticipated and was formed with your sanction. As this contingency has passed and the men are wanted with their regiments