ing about Rainbow. General Palmer will endeavor to turn this position and capture the negroes and few troops engaged in the works. It successful he will then strike for the nearest point of the railroad south of Weldon and work on down the road to Goldsborough, or until driven off by a superior force. If he succeeds in reaching Goldsborough he will move from there directly to New Berne. The force you send should endeavor to destroy the railroad iron collected about Stony Creek either by fire or by twisting. After reaching Hicksford it will probably be advisable to return by roads east of the Weldon road. Whilst the expedition is out reduce the number of men in the line to the lowest maximum. Hold all the reserves thus obtained in readiness to move south if their services should be required. Each reserve can be held in the rear of the corps to which it belongs. I avoid details for the execution, believing they can be better arranged by the officers who go in command of the troops.

U. S. GRANT,

Lieutenant-General.

CITY POINT, December 5, 1864.

(Received 1.30 p.m.)

Major General GEORGE G. MEADE:

A portion of the Third Division, Sixty Corps, with General T. Seymour in command, arrived this morning and have nearly completed their debarkation. The remainder of the division will reach here this afternoon.

JNumbers A. RAWLINS,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

CITY POINT, VA., December 5, 1864-1.45 p.m.

Major-General MEADE:

At General Sheridan's request, the order for Getty's division to return here has been suspended for a few days, in which time he hopes to have more satisfactory information as to the intention of Early.

By command of Lieutenant-General Grant:

JNumbers A. RAWLINS

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
December 5, 1864. (Received 5 p.m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

Does the detention of Getty's division make any suspension of your previous orders? If not, I will place another division of the Second Corps in the front line, so as to withdraw the whole of the Fifth Corps: but if you do not propose any movement before the arrival of Getty, I will leave the division of the Fifth he is to relieve in the line till he comes.

GEO. G. MEADE,

Major-General.