that the troops may familiarize themselves with their new positions. It takes time to learn the line, and troops who know it are much better than those who do not. In addition to what I have said with regard to the picket-line, I may say that if only inclosed works are picketed the enemy might pass between some of the works at night without the knowledge of the garrisons, and when once through, they would be free to move, as none of the works are constructed to give an artillery fire to their.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, SECOND ARMY CORPS, October 22, 1864.

Major SEPTIMUS CARNCROSS,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Army Corps:

MAJOR: I respectfully request that the Second and Third Brigades of this division, consolidated under Special Orders, No. 164, current series, from headquarters Second Army Corps, may resume their separate organizations and receive assignments of the necessary officer form the staff departments. I recommend that Lieutenant Colonel Denis F. Burke, Eighty-eight New York Volunteers, may be assigned to the temporary command of the Second Brigade, if reorganized, until the arrival of an officers of higher rank, and that Colonel George N. Macy, Twentieth Massachusetts, now commanding the Consolidated Brigade, be assigned to the command of the Third Brigade, if reorganized. The regiments formerly composing the Second Brigade - Sixty-third, Sixty-ninth, and Eighty-eight New York - now number 856 enlisted men present; those of the Third Brigade - Seventh, Thirty-ninth, Fifty-second, Fifty-seventh, One hundred and eleventh, One hundred and twenty-fifth, and One hundred and twenty-sixth New York - number 1,900 enlisted men present.

Very respectfully,

N. A. MILES,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding Division.

HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, SECOND ARMY CORPS, October 22, 1864.

Major S. CARNCROSS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Army Corps:

MAJOR: I have the honor to report, for the information of the major-general commanding the corps, that since the Second Division has furnished the pickets in front of Fort Sedgwick, and during the absence of this division, then engaged in active operations on the left of the army, the enemy has been allowed to build two or three pits in advance of his line on the right of the Jerusalem plank road, so as to obtain an enfilading fire at avery close range on my pits across the road, thereby causing a number of casualties daily at that point, and may be of dangerous importance in case of an attack. These pits did not exist and the enemy did not attempt to establish them while my division