infantry picket on Bailey's Creek as necessary, I should of course, have more men. Colonel Mathews reports to me that on repeated inquiries every cavalry picket officer denies that he has any orders to report anything to my command. I hope to see Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan, now absent, on Tuesday, to arrange for far less work than 1,100 yards of stockade for the cattle.

H. W. BENHAM.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
November 6, 1864.

Brigadier-General BENHAM,

Commanding Engineer Brigade:

I have received your communication by the hands of Captain Chester. It is not necessary to have more than twenty your thirty men in each redoubt, excepting that at Old Court-House, which should have a reduced garrison. The reserve regiments north and south of the railroad should also be dispensed with. If you have merely men enough to construct the redoubt at Prince George Court-House, encamp them there until the work is finished. If you have enough for two redoubts encamp the men accordingly. It would be a waste of time to march them daily from their present camps.

A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Major-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARMY CORPS,
November 6, 1864-9.50 a. m.

General WILLIAMS:

The following just received:

HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, SECOND ARMY CORPS,
November 6, 1864.

Major S. CARNCROSS,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

I have the honor to report that the picket-line in front of Fort Morton is re-established. The enemy charged at 11.15 p. m. with a line of battle very vigorously. The left of the part charged gateway and the enemy took possession of about forty pits. Some of them were immediately retaken by our men, driving the enemy to our right. The fighting for the balance was a hand-to hand struggle lasting until near daylight this morning. The fighting party was re-enforced three times and the fire very destructive to the enemy. Besides a great number of the enemy's killed and wounded carried back by them, quite a number of the dead are in our trenches and vicinity. We captured one lieutenant and forty-one men prisoners; also a number of entrenching tools. My loss is light. I think they could have taken but a few prisoners from us, amongst the number the adjutant of the Eleventh Massachusetts Battalion. The officers and men engaged in this affair behaved splendidly, and great credit is due to Colonel McAllister, commanding brigade, who gave it his personal attention.

I am, major, respectfully, &c.,

G. MOTT,

Brevet Major-General.

WINF'D S. HANCOCK,

Major-General.

(Forwarded to General Grant at 12.50 p. m.)